Flooded Passenger Footwell - How to remove carpets

[ColinRyan]

Hi,

I've just experienced the infamous flooded footwell passenger problem from a blocked drain in thw battery compartment (Allroad). I have cleared the blockage under the bonnet and have dried whatever surface water I could from the passenger floor carpet.

The underside of this and all the soundproofing is still soaking though.I had a quick look last night and removing (or even lifting) the carpet does not seem trivial.

Can anyone give me any guidance as to how I can remove, roll back or just lift the carpet in the passenger footwell to get under it to dry things out?

i.e. what are the steps for lifting out the carpet?

Thanks,

C.

 

[Cockney Boy]

Your best option is to hire a De-humidifier for a day, stick the hose through a window and block the rest off with a towel, and give it a few hours, you will be amazed at how much water it will pick up.

The other option is to remove the side trims, centre console and all the seats!!!! i know what i would try first.

 

[evomaster3000]

I'd reccomend both!

I've had this issue and it'll be not long before the ECU gets damp and the lights go on and off, car locks and unlocks and windows go up and down intermittently!

I removed the passenger seat (one bolt then comes off the back runners, easy) and the sill trim then lifted the carpet to get to the soaked area.

I think i'll do this again soon and use a de-humidifier aswell, see how that helps as it was never dry, so much so I re-positioned the ECU away from the effected area.

 

[ColinRyan]

That's my Saturday morning sorted - thanks all!

Anything to watch for in lifting seat and sills?

 

[Cockney Boy]

No not really, just make sure that anything electrical has all the moisture removed (WD40) as it will fester under the carpet and will eventually mold and stink.

That's my Saturday morning sorted - thanks all!

Anything to watch for in lifting seat and sills?

 

[ColinRyan]

Hi,

Had a go at this last weekend. I have managed to remove the door sill trim and lift the carpet somewhat but taking the passenger seat out of the allroad is not easy.

If someone had the time to explain or post a camera photo of what bolts i need to loosen I'd really appreciate it. I have the standard allroad full leather (non recaro) seats - 2002 car.

There are two forward facing blots at the front of the seat at floor level. Loosening the nuts on these does not allow the bolts to move backwards relative to the seat frame (they are part of it). I have removed the basic plastic trim on the rear legs of the chair but cannot see the rear bolts that some of the posts talk about. Hence I cannot lift the seat out.

I've had the carpet part raised (seat in place) and the blowers on for the week but I want to lift the carpet properly so I can dry out and WD40 the wiring and comfort module.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Flat 6]

Hi there,

You may have sorted this but just in case...

To remove the seat you have to completely undo those two 13mm nuts that you have found under the front of the seat. You're right - the alloy block that they are connected to is part of the seat and does come out with the seat - that's OK. When you remove the bolts the seat can be moved backwards and the rear rollers will roll back out of the runners.

Be careful with any wiring to the seat. There will be a loom under the seat at the front and near the centre tunnel. It's easier to separate the connections when you have the seat unbolted and can lift the front on the seat slightly and see what you are doing. Mine (A6 Quattro Avant) had three connectors to be disconnected.

The seat can then be easily lifted out of the front passenger door.

I had to remove the seat to dry out the carpet after the pipe taking screenwash to my rear window separated in the front left footwell. I think this happened when the whole lot had frozen back in December. I think I have the carpets dried out - basically I kept the seat out for a week and kept the outer edge of the carpet lifted while pointing hot air at the passenger footwell. The hot air feed to the rear footwell can be left under the rear carpet to help dry out the rear.

Anyway - good luck!

Allen

 

[Sickhorsey]

Hi All. My first post so please forgive any bad habits. I found the thread re flooded passenger footwell. I've had this on numerous occasions. To my shame I've done nothing about it. Three days ago I tested my rear washer as I was going for the annual MOT vehicle check. Not long after my red battery warning light came on. It was intermittent then went away. Yesterday it came on and now refuses to extinguish. The voltmeter only shows battery voltage level and there is no charging occurring. I reconditioned the battery successfully so I believe the battery is sound. It is only 18 months old. I spent a long period driving with a dead battery. Boosting to start. So to my questions. Could water in the passenger footwell be contributing to the warning and the failure of the alternator to connect to the battery? Or did I prematurely kill my alternator by driving around with a dead battery for too long?
Many thanks in advance
its a 2004 2.5TDI Allroad by the way.