items in spare wheel well in the boot

oswestryalex · 8th April 2021, 16:20

My MG ZT 190 had a boot leak - we discovered that the carpet was a bit damp and dried it out, did some sealing around the light unit and rubber seal itself and we think the leak is now sorted. BUT the electrics started to go very strange - and so I got my mechanic to take a closer look; going into the spare wheel well, he found a 'lake' and drained that after removing the spare. Then he discovered that the radio and another box of electronics was in there too! Both rusted up and looking woeful. He disconnected them, and the current drain that had been flatting my battery went away. But of course I have no radio after that. My question is - what is that other box of electrics that was in the boot well? The car starts and runs fine without it, but just for the sake of completeness I may try and replace it and also the radio unit that was in there (if there are any to be had) - but might try and find a way to not place them in the same area; there are now drain holes in the well to help but I'm a bit worried about placing electronics down there where any leak at all will result in them getting wet. Any thoughts on the electronics box, and any idea where I'd get a radio for the MG ZT? Thanks - Alex.

Heddy · 8th April 2021, 19:50

Hi, pretty sure there shouldn't be anything in the well apart from jack kit and the wheel. Radio/satnav modules etc. are usually bolted behind the side carpets and the rear lock shield. Could be wrong but dig around for pics.

Tam · 8th April 2021, 21:10

I think vehicles fitted with highline had the modules in the boot. Mine did any way. I would personally fit a modern stereo and do away with all the hassle of replacing essentially out of date kit.

P.S. think the other module is for Sat. Nav. ?

20201016_130501 by Tam Ogilvy, on Flickr

Tam · 8th April 2021, 21:19

Pretty sure you could pull all cabling back up to behind the drivers side rear wheel. There would be room on my Tourer? Should stay dry up there beside reversing sensors module.

20201016_130505 by Tam Ogilvy, on Flickr

oswestryalex · 8th April 2021, 21:46

Thanks for the ideas - especially routing the wiring to the drivers side rear arch as in the pic supplied; that sounds like a great idea. I also agree about the radio being old fashioned so something more decent might be worth considering for it. Prices of secondhand units on eBay are a bit much for my liking. I shall however take a close look at the 2 modules removed, clean carefully and see what is actually damaged, rather than just jettison.

Heddy · 9th April 2021, 06:16

I see what you mean, hadn't fully realised the extent of you flooding!

oswestryalex · 9th April 2021, 17:53

It was quite something - completely filled with water in there, and no idea it was like that. The carpet was damp, but no other clue - worth checking if ever you get damp carpets in the boot, to check the spare and see what is down there. We could have gone fishing...

bsafly · 9th April 2021, 18:28

Check mine weekly on both the 75 tourer and ZT-T when I fill up with fuel and check tyre pressures (including the spare tyres).
I use a local independent fuel supplier and get the token for the tyre pressure machine for free as a regular customer.

stevestrat · 9th April 2021, 18:31

When I bought my old 1.8T it was like that, water over halfway up the spare wheel. Had to syphon the majority of the water out then use a huge syringe to get the rest. The rear lights seals had split at the join.

rab60bit · 26th May 2021, 12:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by oswestryalex

My MG ZT 190 had a boot leak - we discovered that the carpet was a bit damp and dried it out, did some sealing around the light unit and rubber seal itself and we think the leak is now sorted. BUT the electrics started to go very strange - and so I got my mechanic to take a closer look; going into the spare wheel well, he found a 'lake' and drained that after removing the spare. Then he discovered that the radio and another box of electronics was in there too! Both rusted up and looking woeful. He disconnected them, and the current drain that had been flatting my battery went away. But of course I have no radio after that. My question is - what is that other box of electrics that was in the boot well? The car starts and runs fine without it, but just for the sake of completeness I may try and replace it and also the radio unit that was in there (if there are any to be had) - but might try and find a way to not place them in the same area; there are now drain holes in the well to help but I'm a bit worried about placing electronics down there where any leak at all will result in them getting wet. Any thoughts on the electronics box, and any idea where I'd get a radio for the MG ZT? Thanks - Alex.

Yup it can be a mess. For clarity, if you have the Hi-line sat. nav. set up - in the spare wheel well (rearwards is the inside of the bumper bulkhead) mounted vertically off the bulkhead on brackets are the radio module (towards the off-side) and the TV module towards the near side. The 2 TV module plugs are sensibly located high up towards the boot floor pan level but the radio multiplug is virtually sitting in the bottom of the paddling pool errr I mean spare wheel well, so any water that gets in will drown the radio loom/plug and connectors as it's first point of call.
The sat. nav. CD drive and the radio amplifier are out of the way to the rear of the off-side wheel arch in the rear wing void but can be 'showered' by leaks from around the wing/boot spot welded seam and boot hinge fasteners.

8th April 2021, 16:20	#1
oswestryalex Loves to post Rover 75 1.8T connoisseur saloon 2003 in blue , MG ZT 190+ 2003 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Oswestry Posts: 308 Thanks: 159 Thanked 99 Times in 57 Posts	items in spare wheel well in the boot My MG ZT 190 had a boot leak - we discovered that the carpet was a bit damp and dried it out, did some sealing around the light unit and rubber seal itself and we think the leak is now sorted. BUT the electrics started to go very strange - and so I got my mechanic to take a closer look; going into the spare wheel well, he found a 'lake' and drained that after removing the spare. Then he discovered that the radio and another box of electronics was in there too! Both rusted up and looking woeful. He disconnected them, and the current drain that had been flatting my battery went away. But of course I have no radio after that. My question is - what is that other box of electrics that was in the boot well? The car starts and runs fine without it, but just for the sake of completeness I may try and replace it and also the radio unit that was in there (if there are any to be had) - but might try and find a way to not place them in the same area; there are now drain holes in the well to help but I'm a bit worried about placing electronics down there where any leak at all will result in them getting wet. Any thoughts on the electronics box, and any idea where I'd get a radio for the MG ZT? Thanks - Alex.

8th April 2021, 21:10	#3
Tam Posted a thing or two 05 ZT+, 04 ZT+, 64 P6 2.0, 74 P6 V8s, 75 P6 V8, 92 214Si, 04 25 Td, 02 Defend , 05 ZR 105+ x2 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kirriemuir Posts: 1,319 Thanks: 701 Thanked 203 Times in 136 Posts	I think vehicles fitted with highline had the modules in the boot. Mine did any way. I would personally fit a modern stereo and do away with all the hassle of replacing essentially out of date kit. P.S. think the other module is for Sat. Nav. ? 20201016_130501 by Tam Ogilvy, on Flickr __________________ Lagoon, last one built! And Horizon 1 of only 2!....MY CARS Last edited by Tam; 8th April 2021 at 21:13..

8th April 2021, 21:19	#4
Tam Posted a thing or two 05 ZT+, 04 ZT+, 64 P6 2.0, 74 P6 V8s, 75 P6 V8, 92 214Si, 04 25 Td, 02 Defend , 05 ZR 105+ x2 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kirriemuir Posts: 1,319 Thanks: 701 Thanked 203 Times in 136 Posts	Pretty sure you could pull all cabling back up to behind the drivers side rear wheel. There would be room on my Tourer? Should stay dry up there beside reversing sensors module. 20201016_130505 by Tam Ogilvy, on Flickr __________________ Lagoon, last one built! And Horizon 1 of only 2!....MY CARS

8th April 2021, 21:46	#5
oswestryalex Loves to post Rover 75 1.8T connoisseur saloon 2003 in blue , MG ZT 190+ 2003 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Oswestry Posts: 308 Thanks: 159 Thanked 99 Times in 57 Posts	sat nav likely Thanks for the ideas - especially routing the wiring to the drivers side rear arch as in the pic supplied; that sounds like a great idea. I also agree about the radio being old fashioned so something more decent might be worth considering for it. Prices of secondhand units on eBay are a bit much for my liking. I shall however take a close look at the 2 modules removed, clean carefully and see what is actually damaged, rather than just jettison.

9th April 2021, 18:31	#9
stevestrat This is my second home ZT260 #243 (resting) Join Date: May 2010 Location: Prestonpans Posts: 22,464 Thanks: 650 Thanked 4,624 Times in 3,358 Posts	When I bought my old 1.8T it was like that, water over halfway up the spare wheel. Had to syphon the majority of the water out then use a huge syringe to get the rest. The rear lights seals had split at the join. __________________ Steve T4 Location Map

8th April 2021, 19:50	#2
Heddy This is my second home None Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: None Posts: 5,556 Thanks: 465 Thanked 1,161 Times in 924 Posts	Hi, pretty sure there shouldn't be anything in the well apart from jack kit and the wheel. Radio/satnav modules etc. are usually bolted behind the side carpets and the rear lock shield. Could be wrong but dig around for pics.

9th April 2021, 06:16	#6
Heddy This is my second home None Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: None Posts: 5,556 Thanks: 465 Thanked 1,161 Times in 924 Posts	I see what you mean, hadn't fully realised the extent of you flooding!

9th April 2021, 17:53	#7
oswestryalex Loves to post Rover 75 1.8T connoisseur saloon 2003 in blue , MG ZT 190+ 2003 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Oswestry Posts: 308 Thanks: 159 Thanked 99 Times in 57 Posts	It was quite something - completely filled with water in there, and no idea it was like that. The carpet was damp, but no other clue - worth checking if ever you get damp carpets in the boot, to check the spare and see what is down there. We could have gone fishing...

9th April 2021, 18:28	#8
bsafly Just going about! Rover 75 CDTi Connie SE Tourer starlight silver and serpents. MG ZT-T 190+ in Raven Black. Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Great Leighs Posts: 468 Thanks: 626 Thanked 167 Times in 110 Posts	Check mine weekly on both the 75 tourer and ZT-T when I fill up with fuel and check tyre pressures (including the spare tyres). I use a local independent fuel supplier and get the token for the tyre pressure machine for free as a regular customer.