Bentley Continental GT water leaks: what owners and Bentley say
Continental GT owners describe rain filling the scuttle under the windscreen and soaking the cabin. One PistonHeads member calls it the Achilles heel of the GT. Here is what owners, specialists and Bentley’s own bulletins say, each linked to its source.
Do Bentley Continental GTs leak water?
Owners on British and American forums say they can. They describe the drains under the windscreen blocking, the scuttle filling with rain and water reaching the footwells.
Different Car Review warns that on the 2003 to 2012 cars the drains are deep under the scuttle panel and hard to reach. For the newer Continental GT/C, Bentley’s own technical bulletins tell dealers how to repair water in the front footwells.
£5,000
one GT owner’s bill, after the whole dashboard came out
£15,000+
worst-case electrics repair on early GTs, per PistonHeads, Prestige & Performance Car and Autocar
2003–2012
GT, GTC and Flying Spur years in Different Car Review’s drain warning
What Continental GT owners say
Verbatim from owners posting on PistonHeads, a British forum, and 6 Speed Online, an American one. Each quote links to the thread it comes from.
“This is without question the Achilles heel of the GT. It is not a matter of if you get the problem but when. It is all down to very poor design.”
“This is a very common issue with GTs the problem relates to a water drain hole not being blown out with an airline at service time.”
“To fix it they had to dismantle the whole dashboard - £5,000 bill”
“When the assessor was assessing, the mechanic mentioned that this is a known problem and they have designed a 'splicing kit' (whatever that may be!) to stop this happening.”
“it's a crazy idea to put the drain where it is no wonder it blocks”
“Yes, the Spur has the same issue”
Where the water collects
Rain runs off the windscreen into the scuttle, a channel under the screen with drains at the bottom. When the drains block, the channel fills.
On the 2003 to 2012 Continental GT, GTC and Flying Spur, the drain holes sit deep under the scuttle panel, roughly above the gearbox, and are very hard to reach or even see.
Different Car Review“the problem relates to a water drain hole not being blown out with an airline at service time.”
PistonHeads member“it's a crazy idea to put the drain where it is no wonder it blocks”
Bentley owner, 6 Speed OnlineWhat Bentley’s bulletins say about the newer GT
Six Bentley technical bulletins cover water getting into the cabin of the Continental GT built from 2018. They point to drain hoses, missing seam sealant and seals rather than the scuttle drains owners describe on older cars. A seventh, 2069806, covers every model from 2004 to 2024 and tells technicians to check the body drains for blockages. We summarise them as written.
Bulletin 2075697/1
Continental GT/C 2018 to 2024 and Flying Spur 2020 to 2024.
Symptoms: water in the left or right footwell, wet front carpets or mats, a musty smell in the cabin. Suspected cause: leaks from the water and condensate drains behind the carpets.
Read the bulletinBulletin 2075712/2
New Continental GT/C and New Flying Spur. Released 24 September 2025.
Symptoms: water in the left or right footwell, wet front carpets or mats, a musty smell in the cabin. Suspected cause: leaks from the water and condensate drains. Repair: silicone sealant inside the drain hoses.
Read the bulletinBulletin 2075699/1
Continental GT/C 2018 to 2023 and Flying Spur 2020 to 2023.
Symptoms: water in the front footwell, wet carpets or mats, windows misting inside. Cause: missing sealant on the A-pillar seam, checked by removing the plenum cover.
Read the bulletinBulletin 2075713/1
New Continental GT/C and New Flying Spur.
Symptoms: water in the front footwell, wet carpets or mats, windows misting inside. Cause found: missing sealant on the A-pillar seam, checked by removing the plenum cover. Repair: apply sealant and a local paint repair.
Read the bulletinBulletin 2070638/2
Continental GT 2018 to 2024 and Flying Spur 2020 to 2024 with a sunroof.
Water on the A-post pillar seam, dripping behind the door seal. In some cases the footwell carpet may be wet.
Read the bulletinBulletin 2081117/1
Continental GT 2018 to 2026. Released 6 March 2026.
Water in the rear quarter trim, rear seat area or rear footwell, with window condensation and a damp smell. Cause: the rear water shedder not sealing against the body. Faults may also show in electrical modules nearby.
Read the bulletinContinental GT forum threads
Open a thread to read the whole discussion in the owners’ own words.
Buying a Continental GT? Check for water first
Our own list, drawn from the sources on this page. It is not Bentley guidance or a professional inspection.
- Ask when the drains under the windscreen were last cleared, and by whom.
- Look for wet carpets or mats, water in the footwells, a musty smell or windows misting inside.
- Have a Bentley specialist look under the scuttle panel for standing water.
- Ask the seller to confirm in writing that the car has no history of water getting in.
Different Car Review’s advice is to walk away from a car with water or moisture in the interior, or water collected under the scuttle panel, because you cannot know how long the water sat there.
Different Car ReviewContinental GT water leak questions
Owners on PistonHeads and 6 Speed Online describe rain filling the scuttle under the windscreen and getting into the cabin. One calls it “the Achilles heel of the GT”. Autocar calls water in the front left footwell the most notorious and costly fault on the first-generation car. For cars built from 2018, Bentley’s own bulletins cover water getting into the cabin.
The Flying Spur case study
A 6 Speed Online member says the Spur has the same issue. Here is what happened to one.
Have evidence we have missed?
If your Bentley has let water in, or you know of a report, a thread or a bulletin that should be here, tell us. Journalists can email us directly.