After driving home tonight, I parked up and then set about washing the car. Whe I poured cold water over the windscreen, the runoff which should go straight down through drain holes, seemed to go down and directly onto a VERY hot part of the engine (the turbo?). I could hear the water turning rapidly to steam. Is this normal, as this could happen while driving in rain ?! It only seemed to happen on the passengers side.

never had this happen to me, and i jet wash down the back of the bonnet and all round the edges too.. Are the seals in place around the back of the bonnet? There is a section on the passenger side above the battery where the seal is on the bonnet rather than on the plastic bit, maybe this has got badly perished, or has gone or something, letting water into the bay. I can see water hitting the turbo though as thsi is near the back of the bay, isnt it all covered with heat shields, i suppose that could have been it.

 

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You're right Clarkey, son, the rubber seal has partly come loose from bonnet, so water slashing up can go into engine bay.