wet passenger and drivers footwells a3 1.8t - worried!

[kam666]

hi guys, first off thanks for this forum helped me out no end on every matter and saved me £ in the past, basically i got a 1.8t a3 8l 1999 always ran very well no issues since the last 2 weeks when its been raining a lot!

today i was hoovering it out and realised the passenger and drivers side footwells were wet, the passenger was soaking, also the front windscreen seems to be mistier than usual when i start it after its been sitting.

So after googled this problem and finding many issues on scuttle panels i kinda got a bit worried, took it out and took loads of mud and crap out from the sides, then fitted back with a huge gap in the middle that i can't get rid of, annoying.

I guess my main question is were are the main drainage holes on the scuttle panel, have i done enough to stop the flooding, cos i could not get clear access and also there is now large gaps on the sides and the middle were the scuttle panel fits and I'm seriously worried about damaging electrics. Also my boot has stopped working since and my pedals feel a bit stiff and the pollen filter is soaking. How can i dry the carpets inside and will anything else get damaged? Also is it worth silicon sealing or masking taping the scuttle panel were it meets the window, really don't want tape all over it but I'm very worried about the ECU and rust under the carpets...

Thanks for any help/experience

 

[@udi A3]

I dont know where the drain holes are, but id be tempted to take the bonnet, wipers and whatever else is needed off to get the scuttle right off and investigate poperly, espesially as the wet weather is kicking in.

 

[kam666]

I dont know where the drain holes are, but id be tempted to take the bonnet, wipers and whatever else is needed off to get the scuttle right off and investigate poperly, espesially as the wet weather is kicking in.

got it out ok by just removing the wipers, its just that on fitting it back there is a few mms clearance from were it meets the bottom of the bonnet and water is just going to go straight in, might just get a huge roll of gaffa tape and tape it up for now, rubbish as it will look i need to stop the water getting in there , ive been looking at other cars and how they meet the bonnet and there is no gap on anyones except for mine aghhhhh really rubbish engineering in an otherwise excellent motor, and im serious ****** off about this as i dont know how to get the carpet off and am worried its gonna rust underneath or some electrics are gonna go

 

[<tuffty/>]

Typically leaks through the pollen filter on the passenger side due to the plastic scuttle panel not fixing into the window channel that runs along the bottom of the screen... if this is not clipped in right then water can get in and leaks through the heater air intake..

<tuffty/>

 

[@udi A3]

I found the plastic panels on these cars very intricate and tightly fitted, so if you dont know how to put it back together you wont! maybe worth asking somebody to remove theres and add photos?

 

[<tuffty/>]

Be careful fitting and removign the plastic scuttle... if yours is one that actually fits well its easy to crack the windscreen when removing/fitting

<tuffty/>

 

[Prawn]

Mine leaks like crazy! Several pints in the footwells after a week in the rain.

 

[beanoir]

Mine has started doing this recently too, pain in the backside.

I need to get out there and sort it out.

 

[kam666]

Mine has started doing this recently too, pain in the backside.

I need to get out there and sort it out.

everytime it rains (like right now) im stressing about my car, might just have to get a car cover on this till i can get it sorted, the main problem is the forums are full of people saying that it could mess ur electrics and ecu up, some guy said he had to pay 600 quid due to ecu problems aghhhhh wonder how long it can go on before something messes up , might have to go to the garage at some point over the weekend or invest in some of that silicon, the car really is mint other than that and its really pi44ng me off that of all the problems this had to happen, maybe its time to sell and get an s3 ;-)

remember the boot lock going on my old golf gti and its happened on this too since the rain hope its not electrical

 

[Maz]

I've had plenty of wet passengers but it not because of the rain, woop woop! (sorry wrong thread but I'm bored out of my brain at work)

 

[Gops]

My drivers footwell is wet! But it's underneath the mat but it's set towards the footrest too. Anyone had that happen?

 

[S3 Es]

As Tuffty said the scuttle panel for the pollen filter is your number one culprit, could be poorly put back or even cracked which was very common on the Mk4 Golf's, also another thing to look out for again common on 3dr Golfs is the door hinge alignment, the doors on the 3 door models are slightly longer and therefore heavier, every 5-10 years dependant on use this causes a sagging of the door and allows trickles into gaps and slots in the rubber seal which naturally works its way down under the carpet to the foot well. SO check your pollen filter cover and scuttle panel then have your doors re-aligned my garage done mine for free!