Water in drivers footwell after rain

**TheMatador** · 23-07-2013,01:49 PM

I have the dreaded water in the drivers footwell problem and from reading the thread here ( Audi A6 Avant - Water in footwell problem) there are a lot of possibilities. Mine is a 2007 C6/4F Allroad with a Sunroof. I suspect mine is due to a blocked sunroof drain or leaking bonnet release grommet. Either way I need to get the trim round the drivers door frame off.

PS: For anyone coming across this thread, here is a summary of what it could be from the other threads:

1. Blocked sunroof drain
2. Blocked holes in the chasis underneath causing water to bubble up through the floor
3. Leak around the pollen filter?
4. Blocked drain in plenum chamber? (I think this is more an issue with the C5 model)
5. Rear wiper pipe leaking (you would smell the fluid)
6. Leaking seal to bonnet release
7. Door not sealing properly

**apole** · 23-07-2013,04:13 PM

Hi there,

Good you spotted it, and on the bright side hopefully you can fix and dry it out in this warmer weather before any lasting damage occurs.

No expert here but some of your list you can tick off fairly easily:

Plenium chamber, easy to lift off rubber strip and take a peek inside. Also when I wash my car, any water that come off windscreen comes out behind front wheels. You could put some water on the screen and check that way.

Had blocked sunroof drain on 2 other cars, in both the blockage was at the sunroof side, not further down the tubing.

I thought the pollen filter leak was more of an issue in older designs such as the passat and golf post 2000 as they were located in the plenium chamber - again could be talking rubbish on this point. Also pollen filter on NS of car in passenger area under dash, could it get over to the drivers footwell.

Are you sure it's just the drivers footwell, Gup did a good post yesterday about checking under the carpet by accessing this area via the front seat electric area? Carpet is kinda waterproof so possible to have water in car but not notice.
Good luck, hope you find it quickly, keep us posted.

**TheMatador** · 23-07-2013,05:35 PM

Ok, looks like its a blocked sunroof drain on the drivers side. I can pass a bike brake cable all the way through the passenger side but it gets stuck on the drivers side. Has anyone managed to unblock this successfully??

**gupsterg** · 23-07-2013,05:49 PM

In reply to your 1-7 TheMatador,

1. Drain all four corners in sunroof, front one are cleaned by insertion of tool from top to bottom, rear are cleaned by inserting tool from bottom to top, front drain end is located between lower & upper hinge in door on body, rear drain end is located behind rear wheel liner on front section of arch.

2. I think you've seen my thread

.

3. leak around pollen filiter would be if i) condensate drain on gearbox tunnel blocked ii) drain in air intake for AC blocked and water coming from plenum chamber due to blocked drains in that .

4. Blocked drain is still an issue on the C6 / 4F, if these drains are blocked water i) can come in via badly sealed electric boxes in plenum chamber ii) come in through AC air intake.

5.Yep and water would be localised all to the passenger side, even with a good soaking (which I've had) it doesn't cross over to drivers side.

6. Sorry got no info to share on this.

7. Sorry got no info to share on this.

I will upload pictures with some pointers for the trim you where asking in PM when at that PC later

...

**gupsterg** · 23-07-2013,05:56 PM

Originally Posted by TheMatador

Ok, looks like its a blocked sunroof drain on the drivers side. I can pass a bike brake cable all the way through the passenger side but it gets stuck on the drivers side. Has anyone managed to unblock this successfully??

Can you see the end of drain tube in grommet?

**TheMatador** · 23-07-2013,06:13 PM

Thanks - the drain is now clear-ish. I can blow through it and water flows but I still can't pass the cable. I definitely want to remove the trim to see if there is an issue with the pipe itself. There is some sort of sharp bend about 30cm up from the outlet that I can't get past on the drivers side. Passenger side is similar but cable passes with just a bit of pressure.

**gupsterg** · 23-07-2013,06:37 PM

Originally Posted by TheMatador

I definitely want to remove the trim to see if there is an issue with the pipe itself.

So you wanna remove A pillar trim? the one between dash & roof trim ...

Is A pillar trim showing signs of wetness?

If you remove the lower door trim like you asked in PM you can only access pipe through the hole in red box ...

**bloostar** · 23-07-2013,08:11 PM

Couldn't help noticing you've not been as particular as me by greasing the door hinge wheels from he pic above :-) I went mad and greased everything including the battery terminals

So guaranteed no rust ever gets a foothold.. anywhere!

**gupsterg** · 23-07-2013,09:23 PM

Originally Posted by bloostar

Couldn't help noticing you've not been as particular as me by greasing the door hinge wheels from he pic above :-)

That photo is few months old, they started squeaking at some point

and then they were done with plastilube

...

**TheMatador** · 24-07-2013,08:34 AM

Originally Posted by gupsterg

Is A pillar trim showing signs of wetness?

If you remove the lower door trim like you asked in PM you can only access pipe through the hole in red box ...

No sign of wetness thank goodness. I just want to see what the shape of the pipe is about 30cm in and work out why I can't pass the cable. There's definitely some sort of bend about that point. I tried to pry off the trim but lost my nerve. I really hate removing trim as the little clips usually snap!