Hi

I recently discovered water in my spare wheel well while cleaning my Octavia MkII 4x4.

I came straight to the forums for advice and found hundreds of posts on the subject, but none that seem to be exactly the same issue as mine.

The water is dirty and there's no suggestion at all that its a leak in the rear washer pipe. I've also done a rain simulation test while sitting in the back and no water came in at all, so I don't think it's a seal problem.

However, what I have noticed is that the water never gets to more than a few milimetres deep because directly underneath the big black plastic screw that the spare wheel clamps on to, there is a small-ish drilled hole through to the underside of the car. My assumption is that if water freely drains out through this hole then there's every chance it could be coming up through it in the first place!

I'd be really grateful if another MkII driver could tell me if this hole should have a rubber bung over it or if there should be something else filling it.

Thanks in advance for any help!

I have two MkII Octavia's, a 2007 hatch and a 2008 estate.

Both have several rubber bungs at the bottom of the spare wheel well but there is certainly no un-blanked holes.

Both are completely water tight as far as I can see, and dry.

Noticed water in the spare wheel well a little while ago. It was clean and certainly not coming from the rear washer pipe. It became evident through good old "trial and error" that the problem only occurred when the car was parked "tail-up" - no problem when parked "tail down".

I asked Dave - (my local indy - DSB Autocare) to investigate to see if the water was getting in via the N/S rear light cluster. Extensive work with the hosepipe suggested that the light cluster was watertight BUT the water seemed to be getting in via a vent hidden behind the bumper - Bumper-off job to investigate further! We decided to defer the work until spring as I usually park "tail down" so there wouldn't be a problem in the meantime.

I'll update when the work is done.

Dave

...as I usually park "tail down" so there wouldn't be a problem in the meantime.

Interesting, if I park "tail down" I get a massive amount of water between the car and the doors. Soon as I open any of the doors it runs out. Quantity of water is something like a half of a coffee cup. If I park "tail up" - no water what so ever. Then again, its only the doors, not the back hatch.

I have the same problem as drefaldwyn, clean water etc got to be inch or so deep. I drilled a hole in one of the plastic bungs and let it out. Can't see where it's coming from.

I did notice that water comes out through holes in the boot seal though, and the underside of the boot mat grows some interesting green stuff from time to time too.

Well I found this post over in the Octavia I forum, which seems to be exactly the same problem as mine:

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/200403-spare-wheel-well-drain-hole/

Yeah that hole is perfectly normal.

It should have a little plastic deflector thingy clipped into it to let water out, but prevent dirt etc. from getting in. I've always thought it looks a bit flimsy and might drop out if you knock it!

Does anyone know if the Octavia II also has this plastic deflector thing under the spare wheel mount to let water out but not in? This could be exactly what I'm missing. If so does anyone have a picture or a part number for reference?