SL/R231: Seatbelts and Water
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 27
Likes: 2
2014 E350 Cab
Seatbelts and Water
I have a 2016 SL400. When I got into my car this morning, the seatbelts on driver and passenger were soaking wet. When I purchased the car, I was curious why the seatbelts looked so dirty, I guess I've figured out why. What I need to know is, I'm assuming it's the drains for the top, where are they so I Can clean them, unless it's something else. There is no water on the inside of the cabin, the carpet isn't wet, seats dry.
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 7,847
Likes: 3,496
From: Maryland
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
There is a drain hole at the window seal where the roof meets the windshield. It runs inside the A-pillar seal. I used high pressure air to clear it out. However, I'm not sure that would cause your seatbelts to be wet since they are not near that drain channel.
You always want to find and fix water inside the car. Your carpet may not be wet, but that doesn't mean there's not water underneath in the floor pan. I'd pull up the carpet to be sure. I've posted elsewhere about my 2008 Infiniti G35x that was infiltrated by water and started to act weird. If wires get wet, they can wick water into connected electronics and then you have phantom problems due to shorts and corrosion. My insurance company totaled the Infiniti as flood damaged because they knew that it would always have problems after that. The strange behavior of the car was not starting or after starting, not shutting off. I had to disconnect the battery to stop the engine.
I started to have similar problems with my 2004 SL500 and found that the water drain under the air vent in the hood in front of the passenger seat was clogged. Fortunately, after I cleaned that out, the car stopped going whacky with the electronics.
You always want to find and fix water inside the car. Your carpet may not be wet, but that doesn't mean there's not water underneath in the floor pan. I'd pull up the carpet to be sure. I've posted elsewhere about my 2008 Infiniti G35x that was infiltrated by water and started to act weird. If wires get wet, they can wick water into connected electronics and then you have phantom problems due to shorts and corrosion. My insurance company totaled the Infiniti as flood damaged because they knew that it would always have problems after that. The strange behavior of the car was not starting or after starting, not shutting off. I had to disconnect the battery to stop the engine.
I started to have similar problems with my 2004 SL500 and found that the water drain under the air vent in the hood in front of the passenger seat was clogged. Fortunately, after I cleaned that out, the car stopped going whacky with the electronics.
Last edited by JettaRed; Apr 6, 2022 at 09:50 AM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 27
Likes: 2
2014 E350 Cab
Yea, I definitly don't want wiring / water issues on a german car with 98,000 computers on it. I'll have to look at it on Friday when I'm off. I don't like... "half raising the roof" to look in it, but I will. "hey... your roof isn't stowed yet dummy!"
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 1,419
Likes: 738
From: Nor-Cal
2020 GLC300 -2014 Sl550 - 1997 SL600
As Jettared mentioned, clear ALL water drain's. There are several. R230 also had some water drainage issues. May also be attributed to seal/moulding treatment issues.
Video below may also help (you'll need to view on YT, click link) R231 procedure is pretty much the same. (notice where the water was leaking)
Next time I'm in the WIS/EPC, I'll see if I can post a diagram & exact location of all drains
Also this may help:
https://mbworld.org/forums/sl-class-...of-noises.html
Good Luck.
Video below may also help (you'll need to view on YT, click link) R231 procedure is pretty much the same. (notice where the water was leaking)
Next time I'm in the WIS/EPC, I'll see if I can post a diagram & exact location of all drains
Also this may help:
https://mbworld.org/forums/sl-class-...of-noises.html
Good Luck.
Last edited by crconsulting; Apr 6, 2022 at 10:34 AM.
