# Swift/Ace/Besse water ingress causing major damage to floor



## airstream

Hi All
Owners of Swift/Ace /Besse models with the aluminium side skirts
Bolero/Airstream etc may wish to crawl under the vehicle and examine the junction between the side skirt extrusion and the habitation area floor
The design has the outer edge of the hab floor supported by the side skirt extrusion forming a void open at either end 
The open end at the rear wheel arch fills up with water and permeates through the plywood/insulation sandwich and in my case spread inwards approx 12” 
I discovered this whilst inspecting the underside and noticed a large “bubble” along the outer floor which was water trapped between the plywood and the plastic film that “weatherproofs “ the floor 
I pulled away the already loose film to let the water out and was horrified to see the resulting damage to the plywood - I have no idea if the insulation will dry out
My van is just out of warranty and had all the habitation damp checks, but who checks for damp under the vehicle?
I will now dry out the area and fill the void with expanding foam and extend the useless splash covers fitted under the rear arches 
In conclusion insist that the under floor is checked for damp as part of your hab check 
Good Luck 
Ray


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## Jezport

Being out of warranty does not mean that Swift will not deal with this. I have read a number of people have had similar floor problems due to an issue with water trapping between the floor and the plastic.

Give them a call.


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## airstream

*watery floors*

Thanks Jezport,
I will sort something out once I see the extent of the damage 
My post was to alert others to this problem although I did not know it was "another well known issue " 
Has any one out there had the problem and what was done to resolve it
Regards Ray


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## kc10

Ray

Swift are said to have had a similar problem before. The floor in 2006 models, not limited to the ones you mentioned, suffered similarly and the end result was that the entrance step fell off. The repairs were just as bad I'm told. 

Keith.


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## Charisma

Swift will repair the floor out of warranty - contact them as soon as possible.

The repairs are very good. I had mine done 2.5 years ago on a 2005 Suntor and it is still as good as new (as it should have been when new I meant to say :lol: )


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## kc10

Charisma said:


> Swift will repair the floor out of warranty - contact them as soon as possible.
> 
> The repairs are very good. I had mine done 2.5 years ago on a 2005 Suntor and it is still as good as new (as it should have been when new I meant to say :lol: )


What was the problem? What was the fix? Did your step come off?


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## Charisma

[/quote]

What was the problem? What was the fix? Did your step come off?[/quote]

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-44048-rotton.html+floor

You can follow my saga on the above post, or just search for 'rotton floor' in the Swift Forum for other stories.

In short though......

My step collapsed but did not come right off, but the floor all around the edge of the van was wet / damp / rotton and was replaced at the Swift factory.

Fault was caused by combination of unbreathable plastic covering on underside of floor, and badly sealed side skirts allowing water to penetrate into the gap in the floor and not escape.


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## gingercat

*Rotten floor*

Hi all, first posting on MHF. I came across the same problem with my Bessacarr 4k mile only 2006 E435, 2 weeks ago only noticed it because I was drilling a few holes to mount a small safe. 
Rang swift today and found very helpful, as pointed out previously I need to get a damp report from Swift agent first and then take it from there.


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## GerryD

Contact Swift through their own forum:
http://www.swift-talk.co.uk/
They always respond very quickly.
Gerry


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## carolgavin

*Re: Rotten floor*



gingercat said:


> Hi all, first posting on MHF. I came across the same problem with my Bessacarr 4k mile only 2006 E435, 2 weeks ago only noticed it because I was drilling a few holes to mount a small safe.
> Rang swift today and found very helpful, as pointed out previously I need to get a damp report from Swift agent first and then take it from there.


Hiya and congrats on your first post!! Now you have made one it will be easy to add another and another and another. Good luck with repairs to your van, let us know how it goes!!


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## gingercat

*Bessacarr e435 2006 soggy floor update*

The outcome from my visit to a large motorhome dealership was no damp present, continue with annual habitation checks. On the day of test it had been raining badly, and in fairness to them they attempted to dry van out in spray shop first. The recent bout of dry weather gave me the chance to have a good crawl around underneath, and soggy floor is present in areas as highlighted by 'airstream'.
Second opinion has now been sought by another swift approved garage not too far away so awaiting outcome.
The ironic part is I really like the Bessacarr Marque and this was my first taster van. Spent ages trying to find a nice clean low mileage example, 420 miles first two years of its life, 2600 miles third and fourth year. 
To top it all I manufactured and fitted some bespoke mudflaps to keep my pride and joys underside free of debris and water.....
So low mileage and not alot of use is nothing to base your decisions on when spending your hard earned cash.


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## gingercat

*Soggy floor and Damp testing equipment*

Regarding my last post, does anybody know if damp test equipment is non invasive or invasive to penetrate surface to get reading? Pin prick holes in trim and underside would be the result and would cause problems in itself. 
If non invasive how would reading be achieved in material covered in a non-porous material?


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## MicknElsa

*Water ingress : floor*

Just had our 2008 [first registered Mar 09] Ace Siena back from Swift for repairs to the floor for this problem. They had it for 3 and a half weeks, good service. Van collected from local dealer on low loader and hire car provided for us to collect from Hull.
we are awaiting answers on the sealing of the bumper.


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## cje101

*Photographs of damp/damage areas*

Hi all,

I have been following these threads for a while now, i had a look under our 2006 Bessacarr over the weekend and the floor seemed to look ok. It has a brown/black formica type covering on it? Does any one have any photographs of the affected areas to enable a comparison to be made and is there any way i can find out if it has already had any work done on it?

Thanks

Chris


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## grasscutter

I contacted Swift in november regarding this problem and they had my van(Sundance 630L 2005) back in the factory in march. When I discovered the problem I was so worried as I was the 4th owner and had bought privately. I have no complaints whatsoever about the way Swift dealt with this problem. They admit it was a design problem with the coated plywood used for the hab. flooring. I am very pleased with the results of their remedial works. Good luck with getting yours sorted.


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## gingercat

My van has a problem as found by second visit to a Swift approved dealer. Its booked in for repairs at the Swift factory in September, hope i get a good quality result.


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## gingercat

Hi Cje101, Try pressing the underfloor with your finger/fingernail and see if there are any softspots. The area to check are all along the underside of hab floor where the aluminium side skirts fit over the edge of flooring and in the step area.


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## airstream

*good service*

Hi All,
Update on my soggy bottom
Customer services at Swift sorted repairs which involved removing approx 12" of floor from the perimeter of the hab area and replacing with new ply that has a painted finish
Good quick service once the problem and action required had been agreed 
Regards Ray


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## roberta15

hi I have a swift escape 2011 but when we bought it new we were not to0ld it was a 2010 model its was brand new the dealer as far as I mention him is a crook but that is only my opppion we have been back to his premises around 7 8 times tyres were splitting had new tyres new vancos gas locker was full of gas one morning on side I was ill all day because of the fumes this van is a load of rubbish swift know this dealer is useless but just keep fobbing me of I will never buy one of their heaps again del


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## roberta15

:twisted: hi im del back sorry for the mistakes but I feel realy wild with this dealer told him I did not want him to touch my van I could not trust him I went to have it serviced at emg kent elms raliegh ex seem to have done a goog service have now booked it in for a habitation in cranham as all this trouble about rotton floors I need to get it all sorted avoid this dealer at all cost tc motorhomes herne bay kent all swift keep saying is take it back to the dealer would you*


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## gulfairstream

*soggy bottom*

My first post on this site, My Airstream 680 fb has the same faults, ply rotting along the skirt edge. in side and underneath on both sides. I tried contacting Swift but there was no pick up of the phone after three attempts so I said 'sod it' I will do the job my self. I have experience on my wooden hull yacht so thought it would be ok to have a go at it.There is a balsa wood rail running along above the skirt, that and all the ply under the plastic sheet is off as it is inside. It is a painstaking job getting the rot out but it can be done, It took 3 days to dry out the wood with a fan heater, inside and underneath copious amounts of wood hardener, (don't get it on the blue foam infill) , New exterior plywood and sealer/adhesive seem to be doing the trick, another painstaking job! cutting the ply to a template. Like another contributor said, make sure all the cavity's at the rear of the wheel arch are filled with whatever mastic sets flexible. Don't give up if Swift wont lift the phone.


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