Ah - car is not registered but was parked nose down on my hilly driveway. I was shocked to find water in the pass footwell. There has been a lot of rain lately, I spent some time in the car 10 days ago and didn't notice it then.

For some reason the pass rear door seal droops down on top horizontal section. It's been like this for a long time. Is this normally glued? Perhaps Hanz forgot glue when car was made. I think i fixed this before the big rains, as if i hold it up and shut the door no drooping is seen across the top (for 10 inches!) .

I don't know that this was the source of the the leak , there was a tissue under the front pass seat, dry as a bone.

Some trim across the windshield top and rear window top has disappeared over the years.

I'm thinking windshield leak - that expensive glue dries and shrinks after 23.8 years. I have the luxury of completely removing the glove box - since the latch broke years ago and is NLA. Now trace of water behind the glove box.

TV show wheeler dealers once used a smoke machine to find water leaks. I see some smoke machines used to find leaks in the gas EVAP systems for $100. I think to find leaks by filling the cabin requires a expensive smoke machine. They rented one for maybe $100 on the TV show. Great ideal though.

Door gaskets seem to be in good shape, but 95 Volvo is my newest car. I'm used to older ones leaking water.

I souped up water with a plastic dust pan, then used a hair dries as I expect to keep this 850 for many more years.

Think it's the windshield or maybe that trim is important. I think the trim was just black rubber and popped into a grove across the top of the windshield and it perhaps blew away 10 years ago before I had a chance to tend to it.

Take a look at this post. It is right hand drive...

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=286864

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Keeping it running is better than buying new

If the cowl drains and sunroof drains are functional, and you think the windshield leaks at the top:

Water used to leak into the cabin on my 1998 V70, but only on heavy rain days. The water would collect in the overhead light, right side, and eventually drip on my wife's lap!

My 'fix' was to put a bead of silicon between the top of the windshield and the roof. I just pried up the black trim and ran in a 1/4 inch bead. Made my wife happy.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

I did the caulk thing on my 84 country squire. Worked. Ugly. I'll keep an eye for proof. I work hard to keep those trunk drains clean too.

I'll have to learn more about smoke machines, i have lots of cars that might leak.

There are four drain tubes on and under cowl. The two obvious on top of cowl, then two that drain water that gets underneath. Under the cowl, next to the cabin filter base and driver side is under fuse box.

Yes, that is what I referring to in my previous post. The lower one near the cabin air filter was completely clogged and the cowl was almost full of water. Truly amazing that I didn’t have water leaks in my passenger compartment/floor!
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Will I buy another Volvo??? We'll see....

I hear ya! My driver side floor got soaked and that was when I saw a pool of water under the fuse box cowl area and cleaned out that drain.

OK, thanks. I have a Covercraft generic car cover on NOW and no water after a heavy rain but of course I want to be sure all the drains are in top shape. Cabin filter sounds like a tad newer volvo but I'll look for 2 more drains. A stitch in time saves 9.

Look for the bottom of the drain near the location of where a cabin air filter can be added. It is easier to clean out that drain from the bottom with a large screwdriver or similar tool than from the top.

FYI - I too had a 95. As Klaus mentioned, a space is already set up to add the cabin air filter and it’s mount. Did it on my 95 - easy job!
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Will I buy another Volvo??? We'll see....

I have to be brave and leave the car cover off now to see if all if good.

Go for it! You could put down some newspapers or towels before the next heavy rain just in case...:)
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Will I buy another Volvo??? We'll see....

I thought it was fixed but 2 weeks ago I drove the car up and down my hilly driveway to exercise it (not registered for road). Turned on the A/C even though it doesn't work (as part of the routine to use stuff, anti rust seizing). The drive resulted in water in the pass footwell. I took the cowl off and did a better job by taking the right wiper arm off for access. I noticed a trap door (fresh air?) is open, but there is a curb around it, so i figured water entry not likely. Big rain yesterday and the pass compartment had water. I took off an underdash/airbag plastic trim panel as a few drops were still coming down. There were a few drops coming off some white plastic, probably the air plenum system. I loosed a screw on what appeared to be a black fan, only a little more water came out. Maybe I should figure out how to close that vent door or maybe it is supposed to automatically close when the car is shut off (but previous water has rusted it stuck). BTW - i have the cheapest 850 with a manual A/c Heat system. Car is parked nose down on maybe 6 % hill.

That vent is probably your recirculation vent, closed when you flip the switch to cut off outside air. This should remain open except during very hot/cold conditions, until the AC or heat start to respond.

Because you hint that the water is in the blower, check the lower drain. In order to see it properly, remove the entire cowl cover, both wipers come off, and use a flashlight.

Is the rubber/foam cushion still intact? The one that runs the width of the car starting at the fuse box?

Turning on the AC with low cooling juice does not engage the compressor. Nothing will happen.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

I finally pulled the whole plastic cover. Two drain hoses on pass side passed hose water easily. Drivers side big hose is obstructed. I stick a garden hose 9 inches in and it just sprays out the top soaking my abs computer. BTW is there a 2nd drain hose on that side? If not i can put things back together and avoid a mouse attack. So clog on drivers side results in water on pass side (today's best guess). Car is on hill and too dangerous to jack up or get under today. There is a little water around the fuse box and on the other side from underhood i can see the fan cage and just under it there is still water siting in there. If I move the car to level it will probably leak on the interior floor somehow.

There is a small drain directly under the fuse box, a real pain to get to. I was not aware of an additional large drain on the driver's side... you might want to probe that with a length of 12 gauge wire. I doubt that water on the driver's side would migrate to the passenger side.

There should not be any water down next to the blower cage, none. Did you look for a drain in the area?

Have you tried to park facing up hill? LOL.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

Klaus, yep , I could park facing up hill. That can certainly also help when those trunk drain hoses are clogged. Drum Brakes - I have heard of this servo effect, less important since i replaced my brake cables and parking brake shoes recently.
Quote from some web site.

'With drum brakes, the parking brake will always hold better going forward than going backward.
Why this is has everything to do with the self-servo effect you have with drums. Drum brakes
are designed to work better going forward than backward.'

COWL: It's not easy getting those springing clamps back on the big hose. I finally did accomplished this on the pass side but there is less room on the drivers side. As soon as i replaced that spring clamp with a worm clamp i realized that plastic changes a lot dimensionally with temp changes so that a springy clamp might be required. I might have to expand that clamp off the car and maybe lock it large with a tie and then somehow cut the tie when the hose and clamp are in position.

We had some fierce downpours last week. It might take quite a while to figure out if things are fixed, especially if I park nose up.

Parking facing up hill is not THE solution, but it could solve the problem of all of the water on the roof flowing towards the cowl.

I zip tied the large spring clamps so they wouldn't fall off into never-never land when loosened. Correct, the right side one is most difficult, it took me about 45 minutes to get it back on after slipping down the hose where my hands could not go. The addition of the zip ties around the hose limited the clamp fro, falling more than one inch.

If it wasn't such a bother to remove the wipers, I would take a closer look at my 850 and see where water could come in. I have a hard time believing the Brit that water could come into the cabin where the hood spring is located. That is too low and facing in the wrong direction. Water there should just flow out of the bottom of the fender.

Hmmm. Just a thought. The wiper posts have a seal around them, could one of them be compromised?
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

I opened the hood and there was no standing water around the fuse box (vs Saturday where there was). I might have to look elsewhere, as 4 drains should be good now. Torrential rains flooded parkways last night - HOPE was high that the floor would be dry. Hopes dashed.

The areas under the cowl are rust free, so no immediate thought of holes.

Facing up hill might tell something if i still get water in the car.

Well this cowl door to the ventilation system is always open , because after removing the glove box (easy - most was removed after latch broke 3 years ago) I could see that the control lever has fallen off it's 'motor'. Still water should never leak down that BIG BIG hole with it's big plastic surround. But it seems like plenty of water ends up just below that cage fan. Today I stuck a thin tube through the fan blades and it seems like i siphoned out 8 oz or more of water.

https://www.brickboard.com/GALLERY/volvopic.htm?js_link=&id=13234


the glove box removed photo

https://www.brickboard.com/GALLERY/volvopic.htm?js_link=&id=13233

The motor is no longer connected to the recirculation flapper. If you flip the switch to turn off the recirc, you should be able to see it run. But that flapper does not control water.

The large black plastic surround is removable, it gets tossed when you want to put in a cabin filter. The filter holder can still be purchased, or found at a junk yard.

I noticed a couple of pine needles in the drain... You need a chain saw!!

Check around the outside of the plastic surround and see if there is a way water can get in there.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

Motor's plastic internals might be busted. Near impossible to put that lever back on the shaft due to no space and springy actions. I bet my heater core must be leaking by now, maybe if I ever get into that job. For now I just hooked a string up to the lever. It looks like other stuff in my cheapo non automatic A/C system is run by cables. Cables rule! It seems like more than 20 degrees or rotation would be needed to control the flap. I have the flap close to closed I believe.

The water leak has me burned-out for now. I'll throw the car cover on and when the time comes turn the car around. I only start it once a month as then I have to run if for 20 minutes to get it hot hot.

Water in that area during a winter freeze could spell additional trouble.

If somebody reads this post and it year 2020 - pls respond. I'll probably still be working on this.

The motor should never fail, rotation probably does not exceed 45 degrees. You would need to examine the white plastic part the motor arm attaches to, in order to find out why it came off. Yep, tight space!

I would take the motor out and check the tubing that goes under the dash for more water. It is possible that the A/C core drain is plugged and everything is backed up. In fact, without the cabin filter, I can almost guarantee it.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

Klaus - oh yea - i will check the A/C drain. This prob didn't occur to me as the A/C went kaputt 5 years ago. It can't hurt, never been done. I found out the easy way that there is water in the system, I turned the 850 around from nose down to nose up and lots of water came pouring out of the fan/white ducting area. Good think I though ahead and already put a large garbage pail lid on the floor. Still I immediately ran to the recycle bin for some cans. A steady stream over 20 minutes got me 60 oz of water. Then I turned on the fan and more would come out. Then I would exercise the 850 by driving up and down the driveway and each time I stopped at the bottom more water would come out.

Is the new water or old water and it's been fixed already? - probably new water.

A youtube of more water coming out when i turn the fan on. This is not a 1 time shot - very repeatable.

https://youtu.be/Qf5m3FsJcoc

or just a photo of collecting water in cans.

https://www.brickboard.com/GALLERY/volvopic.htm?js_link=&id=13243

Moving the fusebox seems scary and normally to be avoided. I unclogged the bigger drain hose on the drivers side, it seems there are come cables that pass just under the hose outlet , giving debris a foothold. Maybe clutch cable.

This underfuse box drain - could be difficult. It took a while to even find it but i did see there were 2 drain hoses on both sides of the car, so i knew that 2nd drain was hiding somewhere.

Can you get at the under fusebox drain easier from the bottom? I no longer have my 850 so I can’t check this. As I recall, I cleared my clogged passenger drain from below with a large screwdriver. Water hose above wasn’t cutting it.
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Will I buy another Volvo??? We'll see....

It might have been clogged by just a few pine needles at the top. With the fusebox covering most of the hole it seems like it would not take much to clog it. The bottom of that hose looks open, but one never knows if there is stuff stuck in the middle. I poured 4 oz of water in the area and it seemed to have drained quickly. I have it all buttoned up now, except for those pesky clamps on the big hoses. Time will tell. From under the hood i siphoned water out from where 6 oz. had collected in the white ducting under the ventilation cage style fan. That probably would have dumped out inside the car when i put it on the level ground. Life is good. The area got it's first cleaning in almost 24 years. I had routinely tried to keep the area clean but those short pine needles add up.

The 1993-5 850s did not come with a cabin filer, you can easily add one with a filter holder and filter. It is under the passenger side cowl cover, directly in front of the windshield. 3 25T screws.

Or, remove the wiper blades and all of the T25 screws and take the entire cover off. Watch out for the large clamps that hold the 2 large drains! I zip tied them so they wouldn't fall into never never land.

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Keeping it running is better than buying new

I wonder if your cowl drain pipe, on the right, is plugged with leaves and stuff. Since you said it was pointed nose down driveway water that couldn't drain may have gone into fresh air intake, on the right side, and down into the passenger floor. The rubber drain is easy to spot. Just use vice grips to squeeze clamp open and slide it off the plastic downspout. Blow compressed air in the tube and you will clean out the obstruction. May be wrong, but worth a try.

Yes, check the cowl drain on the passenger side. That drain clogged on my 95 850. Fortunately no water leaks!
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Will I buy another Volvo??? We'll see....