Water Ingress issue! Not from Pollen Filter!

[paulweller84]

Any ideas where my car is taking on water from? I saw the the thread explaining that potential places it can come from are the drain plugs under the battery and around the pollen filter housing. I have checked these but the water seems to come in on the drivers side. I have removed and cleaned the drain plugs under the battery etc and I doubt its the pollen filter area as that's on the passenger side and the car is always parked on a hill with the drivers side higher. 

[jimbof]

The ECU housing also has a seal, and is in the mirror opposite position on the drivers side to the pollen filter housing.  That is a bit easier to see if leaking - you can take the top off the ECU housing and pour water around.  If it is leaking there you'll actually see the water leaking into the car.

 

Also on that side is the bonnet release cable grommet which can leak too.

 

Other things to check on driver's side are the door carrier panel seals (behind the door trim, it is what the window motors are attached to) and the sunroof drains could be blocked.   On mine the driver's door was leaking.

 

ECU housing video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpupdTUlwZY

 

Door seal video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk5nJV4DIEY

 

These are not my videos but might help you out.

 

If you have drain plugs fitted you should really remove them as they won't help you in the long run.  And if you haven't done the pollen seal fix then you should do it as it will fail, having seen the construction of this seal it has a design life of 3 years at best.

[allclownsareevi]

Have a look at the base of front doors. The seal under the door cards can perish and allow water to pool inside the door and trickle in when raining. Typically it's towards the front of the door, near the hinge end. Solution is to remove door card and re-seal with silicone on .... wait for it .... all four doors.

 

Can't help thinking if VW had done a proper job and used better sealant this wouldn't be an issue.

[jimbof]

On mine the only one to have leaked also seems to be the only door that someone has had their dirty little fingers in (to fix a lock I guess...)

[neilthechampion]

sorry to hijack this thread, but i have the same issue, and just been pointed here.

i get the ecu and the door seals, but in the "faulty door seals" video, where did he pour the water to show that its the inner door thingy that's leaking??

[jimbof]

On the horizontal seal where the doorframe meets the bottom of the closed window.

[neilthechampion]

right guys im now at a loss, i have checked the ECU and bonnet release cable for leaks, dont appear to be any, i have checked both drivers door and the drivers side passenger door window seals and they seem to be fine (i used a hose pipe, but didnt take the door card off, just released the bottom of the cards to see if any water leaks out and nothing.

i have checked the sunroof, that seems fine

 

what now as the carpet is soaked

 

many thanks 

[jimbof]

windscreen or a chassis seam?

How did you check the sunroof?

[neilthechampion]

i checked the sunroof by cleaning out the drains on either side with some long bendy plastic strips, they appeared to be clean?

the ECU i removed and poured water all around it and again didnt seem to leak

drivers side doors i hosed them thoroughly with the hose pipe, and the only water came through the drains in the bottom (i didnt remove the cards, just relased the bottom so i could see)

strange this is, there is like a "T" shape chassis support under the drivers seat and to the rear, and there was more water in the back footwell to the gearbox tunnel side, if that makes any sence

didnt check the windsceen 

[jimbof]

With the sunroof drains apparently it is worth pouring water into the sunroof and checking it exits from all four corners (two to the front door jambs, two to the rear wheel arch).  Apparently the tubes can get disconnected from where they exit.

 

One time I was under the back of the car there was a suspicious thick plastic bag type material which had been pushed up inside on of the long chassis box sections (driver's side ish I recall).  Looks like that might have been an attempt to stop some water ingress.  I've never had the balls to pull it out and see if it leaks!

[neilthechampion]

ok Jimbof, i will have another look at the windscreen and the sunroof at the wk end and let you know

 

thanks for your help