Water ingress prone areas?

Matt275

Matt275

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Hi all,

Just wondering, does B7 saloon suffer from common water ingress anywhere? I mean, like prone places to check / seal up etc?
I don't have any water getting in that I know of, but would like to hear of any prone areas so I can have a look.

I'm not seeing any water build up in the B7 plenum chamber, and all we've had all year is rain and washed the car loads etc.

Golf Mk4 - blocked sunroof drains and seal under the relay box under the wipers - had this.
Passat B5.5 - blocked drains under the battery and pollen filter housing seal - had this.
 
Only the tray where the battery is the drains might get blocked. If you have a convertible the usual roof might be a problem and if you have a sunroof than the same goes for that... other than perished rear light seals as I have seen some light clusters with condensation in them... for the rest these b7's are quite good at keeping water out of the car.
 
I've got a b6 avant that is letting water in somewhere!.. got damp carpet mainly in the rear passenger footwell but also, after heavy rain today it's in the front passenger footwell too..

I've checked under the battery & servo, no water builds up in there.. so no idea where it's getting in but it's annoying me know, especially knowing that the ccm modules can get wet etc..

I've even had the glovebox out & not seen any signs of water coming up around there so i'm at a loss..
The only thing i have noticed (but it's been like it for as long as i can remember) is the top corner of the windscreen passenger side, where the roof channel (with the roof rails) meets the windscreen there is a small gap between the roof trim & the windscreen top/rubber seal... that isn't there on the drivers side.

However, it's always been like that since i've had the car and this wetness seemed to start end of last year?
 
Rear footwell getting wet is either the inner door seal on passenger side that is causing it or water is coming in from the rear lights and finds it's way to the lowest point... only one option check both door seals and rear lights. Pull up the rear carpet and floor liners, remove the door panel too as that also has a seal.
 
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During a break in the rain today I ripped the front footwell apart!
Took out the glovebox and pulled the carpet forward as much as I could.
This revealed some wet from the front passenger footwell, roughly in the middle.
So there is something coming from the front potentially could be the rear too!
The front has me confused as there is no water in the common battery area and the drain hole is clear?
I’m wondering if it could be the rubber/foam seal under the pollen filter housing maybe?
Other than that I’m at a loss as everything looks ok
 
Well if you think it's that.. try and seal it with silicone and see if it happens again.
 
northpole said:
Only the tray where the battery is the drains might get blocked. If you have a convertible the usual roof might be a problem and if you have a sunroof than the same goes for that... other than perished rear light seals as I have seen some light clusters with condensation in them... for the rest these b7's are quite good at keeping water out of the car.
Click to expand...
Is there a way of removing the drain without taking out the battery? Are they the rubber grommet type drains that are easily pushed out?
It's either been done already or the drains are clear for now...
I think they also have one under the brake servo.
Like a lot of B7's I don't have the main scuttle panel, just the small cover for the pollen filter housing. Shocking from Audi really, a lovely car, just unfinished in that respect.
 
Mate you'll have to look if it's possible i don't have that problem so haven't taken it out nor did I have to seal it.
 
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https://superetka.com/etka/

create a new account and you'll have full access.... (TIP: open the link in a new tab and keep it open, than save it to your favorites in your browser as you'll use it more often from now on)
this should help you look it up mate.
 
Well, I’ve left the glovebox out for ages and stuffed a towel under the passenger carpet.. checked it today and it’s soaked!

Then I found, there is a rubber piece next to the cooling fan assembly and that has a split in it and is a bit wet inside?!..

Then I poured water down the side of the battery and it drained ok but slowly.. then just about managed to see the drain hole under the brake servo and from what I could see it looked a bit blocked so grabbed a thin wire and prodded it & heard a load of dry rubble sound falling through… so here’s hoping!

It maybe just draining to slowly and coming in somewhere!? I hope as I’m at a loss otherwise
 
that is a possibilty, but if one hole was partially blocked the others are too... water drains quickly on mine, but i keep that tray clean and poked the holes to clear them last summer.
 
I’m just hoping lol!
Stilll got the glove box off and a cloth stuffed in the rubbery part next to the fan and that’s now wet!

What are the aluminium looking pipes next to the pollen filter?
I noticed the pipes go down into the metal of the car and have a rubber like tube around them, the pollen filter housing has a drain hole on the front left that then channels any water from that down onto that pipe?… maybe the water gets in there maybe?
 
those pipes are for the Aircon/climate control and those rubbers should be water tight mine don't let water in I know this because when i just had the car I pulled the dash to clean the inside properly as it was filthy, Yeah i pulled the carpet out for a deep clean, but while that was drying i washed the car and the inside was completely dry.

you can just seal that off with some silicone to make sure it doesn't leak from there.
 
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Seeing as you've had it all apart, do you know the rubber piece i mean that is next to the fan up behind the glovebox? it has a slit in it which kinda looks like it's meant to be there..
Thats where it seems wet & that seems like it's inline with those aircon pipes, although it's hard to tell from within the car. You can't see whats above that as there is all the plastic 'workings' in the way.
 
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That should seal it off completely they only don't close off completely if the fan has been removed and the old rubber has been re-used. I replaced that one on mine. But as I said, I could've just sealed it off with silicone. I had it already.
 
When I got my b7 the amount of water under the battery was unreal. Could have put a few fish in there. Got rid of the 2 bungs underneath and not had a problem since. No wonder so many b7s have ecu problems as the water can reach that far up if not unblocked. Why they put such a rubbish draining bung there in the first place I'll never know..

But anyway... When it's raining I always get steamy windows which is annoying. Anyone know why this is happening?
 
Do you often have to top up the coolant? If the answer is yes than you might have a small leak on the heater matrix...
 
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northpole said:
Do you often have to top up the coolant? If the answer is yes than you might have a small leak on the heater matrix...
Click to expand...
No I don't. Not really had to top it up ever apart from when I've worked on it with draining and refilling
 
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I slowly pour half a jug of water near the battery every so often...it drains away immediately - wasn't so lucky on my Passat B5.5 many years ago.
What doesn't help is that most B7's don't have a diffuser cover fitted for over that area so leaves / muck get in much easier causing blockages, There's only a cover usually over the pollen filter housing. A brand like Audi leaving it looking so unfinished is shocking.

Is your pollen filter nice and dry?
 
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You should still be able to buy the covers separately, one of the first things I did adding the plenum and battery covers. Agreed, they should’ve been fitted at the factory as standard though.

IMG 1865
IMG 1870
 
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Matt275 said:
I slowly pour half a jug of water near the battery every so often...it drains away immediately - wasn't so lucky on my Passat B5.5 many years ago.
What doesn't help is that most B7's don't have a diffuser cover fitted for over that area so leaves / muck get in much easier causing blockages, There's only a cover usually over the pollen filter housing. A brand like Audi leaving it looking so unfinished is shocking.

Is your pollen filter nice and dry?
Click to expand...
I have one of those covers now. It didn't when I first got it. Have the battery cover too. Not checked the pollen filter tbh so will check that out Thanks mate
 
Charlie Farley said:
I have a:spare set if that helps.
Click to expand...
I have these. Did you know that you can get covers that go down the sides or the engine too, in line with the wings. I have the image saved somewhere. Think it's on my old phone but have the part numbers too. When I find it out I'll post it up here if anyone is interested.
 
Some are no longer available, if you check the parts thread you can cross ref availablity, eBay can be another source.
 
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I think the ones I'm on about are for the b6 but still fit apparently. I'm not fussed about the ones down the side now tbh. Would like one that goes above the ECU though to finish it off.
 
Indeed!
I'll wait for a couple of pics and then if you could name a price? - I can't work out how to PM on here.
Everything on ebay is either LHD, in Lithuania or in poor condition, non genuine etc.
 
Rob Avant said:
You should still be able to buy the covers separately, one of the first things I did adding the plenum and battery covers. Agreed, they should’ve been fitted at the factory as standard though.

View attachment 275860View attachment 275861
Click to expand...
Pure and simple cost savings... but they forgot that this one actually was functional instead of visual unlike the 2 other ones... the ns one that covers from the wing in the enginebay can still be found as all the rs4 and s4 came with that one. The scuttle panel and battery cover are still available on ebay but at 110 pound for 2 pieces of plastic I rather just keep it clean. And when summer is in full swing I might just make my own. I already have planned to make a custom fibreglass enclosure that is hidden in the floor, so the materials are already bought.
 
markthenewt said:
I think the ones I'm on about are for the b6 but still fit apparently. I'm not fussed about the ones down the side now tbh. Would like one that goes above the ECU though to finish it off.
Click to expand...
I fitted these and it took a bit of digging on eBay to get them, but yes well worth it. They were new, but I sourced a second hand cover for the ECU - it doesn't fit. The models that came with these from new have an entirely different ECU box, so you would have to change that too. Apart from not looking 100% it does 90% of the job without though. I also got the cover for the screen wash area. I had already taken the bungs out a while back when the battery area was sloshing with water, so it was sorted anyway. but stays completely dry now.
 
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Ah ok. I won't bother looking for the cover that that's sits above the ECU then. Think I might have an old undertray somewhere so I could make some sort of cover out of that. Thanks for the info
 
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It's not a cover that sits above the ECU Mark, I thought that. It's actually part of the ECU box, you have to unscrew the old one and as I say the holes don't line up and are completely different. You'd have to get the whole box and transfer your ECU into it. Not worth it, I agree.
 
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Ahh right I see what you mean now, yeah sounds a bit of a pain to do that. I'll just leave it then. Cheers
 
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