Water in doors after a heavy rain

[4u2nvinmtl]

Sounds like there`s a vacuum keeping the water from draining when the door is shut (like when you place your finger on the top of a straw to hold the liquid).

Are the drainage holes on the inside side of the weatherproofing rubber strip or the outside side? My drainage hole is on the other side (exterior) of the weatherproofing rubber strip...

Please post up some pictures/video so we can have a better look.

[Accumulator]

It just seems nutty that none of the (presumably ) big-brain engineers at GM caught this!

[MiVor]

Here are some photos of the lower door with and without the lower seal installed:



1) In the first photo, after I realized the `problem`, I slightly trimmed the weather strip to better expose the front drain hole (so it wasn`t trapped behind and being blocked) - it made no difference in the door holding water unless/until the door is opened.
2) You can plainly see that the drain holes are not blocked and the condition of the lower door is excellent (like new).

[Accumulator]

MiVor- I hope that trimming the seal back didn`t make it more likely for bad stuff to get in there, but it oughta help with the drainage.

The seam does look fine and let`s hope it stays that way! You have the Fluid Film in the doors, right? That oughta head off problems.

[4u2nvinmtl]

What if you leave it like in the 4th picture without the weather strip, the door still has a seal. My door only has a seal but not a weather strip. Looks like they put it there to keep construction materials out of the door frame...

[Accumulator]

What if you leave it like in the 4th picture without the weather strip....

My Tahoe has the same sort of weather strip. I`d leave it *on* if only because removing it would open up more holes (the ones where the strip`s mounting pieces go) which might let bad stuff into the door.

It *is* a bit of a PIA to clean behind the strips though..and over time the strips rub against the paint in the rocker area and can wear it down to bare metal, which will then surface-rust. (Gee, ask me how I know ) So I guess both approaches have pros/cons.

[MiVor]

MiVor- I hope that trimming the seal back didn`t make it more likely for bad stuff to get in there, but it oughta help with the drainage.

I hope so too (I`ll watch it)

The seam does look fine and let`s hope it stays that way! You have the Fluid Film in the doors, right? That oughta head off problems.

Yeah, it looks really good/new. Yes the FF should [better] protect the doors.

[MiVor]

What if you leave it like in the 4th picture without the weather strip, the door still has a seal. My door only has a seal but not a weather strip. Looks like they put it there to keep construction materials out of the door frame...

I think the lower seal is there because unlike most passenger cars, the door panel extends lower and covers the rocker panel. I don`t think removing it is the best option as it may allow all kinds of crud to lodge between the door and the rocker panel, especially in winter.
I`m gonna play it by ear for now and just monitor it closely.

[MiVor]

I think I resolved this....sort of. Where I normally park, with the door closed and the window open, I put a level on the armrest. It was more or less level (or just slightly off level):




But when I open the door, the bubble shifts all the way to the rear, which would cause any residual water in the door to flow towards the front and out the drain hole:




(The rear suicide doors also open on an angle). With drain holes only in the front and rear of the doors, any water from end to end in the center remains until the door(s) is/(are) opened (or the angle changes), then flows forward.
I guess I should have checked this sooner.

So it`s not quite as much of a problem as I thought. Still, I don`t much like the idea of any water trapped inside the doors unless/until the doors are opened.

[Accumulator]

MiVor- At least you`re getting a better understanding of what`s going on, that oughta be somewhat reassuring even if there`s no "real solution" to the situation.