DAMP DISCO DEALER TALKS WET

QIn April I bought a Discovery 2 from a dealer. The carpet in the front passenger side sometimes gets damp. I have taken it back to the dealer (not Land Rover) and complained. They say it’s normal and it’s just a bit of condensation from the air conditioning system. They say it’s because I have only just started using the air conditioning – when I bought the car I did not realise the air con was switched off and so I have only been using it recently.

Is the dealer telling me straight, or do you think there is water leaking in? The car has a three months warranty so, if there’s a fault, I want to get it sorted. Debbie Hart, Middlesex

AI’m sorry to say you are being fobbed off. Condensation from the air conditioning evaporator behind the dashboard drains away through piping passing through the floor, so the moisture drips out beneath the Discovery. You should see a small pool of water under the car after parking up following a drive with the air con switched on.

It’s probable that the piping is detached or blocked. That’s fairly easily fixed by checking in the footwell and refixing. Alternatively, park the car on firm level ground, apply the handbrake, put it in gear (or park, if auto) and put the keys in your pocket, then crawl under to find the outlet and squeeze the end or poke a stiff wire up. If blocked, water will come out, so keep your head clear. I would advise lifting the carpet to check for rusting (unless the leak has only happened recently) and drying the floor off to prevent corrosion.

The system should not make the carpet damp under any conditions. Of course, there may be water ingress from above in rainy weather, but the air con piping is a common cause of your problem. I have heard of an evaporator casing being cracked and causing leakage – though it’s rare – and replacing that would be a fair job.

The dealer might check all this and put it right, if you feel they are to be trusted working on your car. The warranty will probably not cover air con and, if it does, the component involved is likely to be exempt, unless proved to be the evaporator. If you don’t want to do the above checks yourself, I would advise asking a good trusted garage to check it for you. It’s a minor job.