Why does rain keep filling my 2003 Passat TDI Estate footwell?

[Strebordaledave]

Can someone help dry my soggy feet?

Rain water keeps getting in and pooling in the offside footwells. The garage says the drain plug under the battery tray needs removing/cleaning and at first this seemed plausible but I am not convinced it is that because if the car is left on the flat it's the rear offside footwell that fills.

Last year I left the car at the airport for a week and came back to 3" of water there, same again this year. Our front drive tilts steeply and if the car is left facing front down on there during heavy rain the front offside footwell fills - to me that signals water running forward from the rear.

I checked the door seals and they look okay; I am convinced the ingress is somewhere else but even directing a fairly high pressure hose on the rear doors does not cause the footwell to fill.

Before I do the work of removing/cleaning the drain plug under the battery tray to eliminate that as a possibility - has anyone got any ideas or suggestions for what it might be/what I can check to try to identify for sure what it might be.

Any help or advice gratefully received!

And another thing.........
I have been trying to source a used motor for the rear wiper but all the breakers on Ebay want to deal outside Ebay which I will not do.Can anyone recommend a reasonable source/breaker for VW parts where I might get one? Again, any help appreciated.

Thanks,

[Doctle Odd]

You need to clean the plenum drains every month on theses cars. Once you know where they are you can clear them in a few minutes. You will need a special tool made from a wire coat-hanger. Check the seal on the pollen/cabin filter too as well as the grommets where the wires enter the car. If she wasn't dried out properly very little water will leave her soaking wet again. It's really a carpets out job or a good moisture extractor at least to get it dried out. I have used this breaker in the past VAS-NI : VW Audi Spares Northern Ireland, for all your VW Audi needs! you are probably close to a VAG breaker anyway, look in Yell

[Strebordaledave]

Thanks for that,

Using your advice and having visited Youtube to see videos on how to do it I think there's a good chance it will be the pollen filter seal which is why it's the driver's side which fills up.
(Apparently, if it's the drain below the battery tray on the passenger side that's blocked water fills the front footwell on that side and messes up the electrics which hasn't happened to me so far). Once I have got some confidence I will have ago at that just for the hell of it!

By curious coincidence if I had ½ a brain I'd be twice as intelligent as I am!

[Doctle Odd]

Thanks for that,

Using your advice and having visited Youtube to see videos on how to do it I think there's a good chance it will be the pollen filter seal which is why it's the driver's side which fills up.
(Apparently, if it's the drain below the battery tray on the passenger side that's blocked water fills the front footwell on that side and messes up the electrics which hasn't happened to me so far). Once I have got some confidence I will have ago at that just for the hell of it!

By curious coincidence if I had ½ a brain I'd be twice as intelligent as I am!

Don't forget the special tool!

[Strebordaledave]

I've searched every wardrobe for a wire hanger but none can be found - I'll have to get a jacket dry cleaned!

You might be surprised but...I got a freebie from Inchcape VW. I tried to source a new seal for the pollen filter tray and after a few 'phone calls learned it's a main dealer item only. I got in touch to buy one and the parts manager said they now use a stick on seal and I could have one free. He gave me a metre of the stuff to allow for the inevitable **** up the first time I try to fit it. He also said it doesn't always work and some people just use mastic - I'll maybe masticate that one over before deciding whether to try it. Thanks again.

[Doctle Odd]

I've searched every wardrobe for a wire hanger but none can be found - I'll have to get a jacket dry cleaned!

You might be surprised but...I got a freebie from Inchcape VW. I tried to source a new seal for the pollen filter tray and after a few 'phone calls learned it's a main dealer item only. I got in touch to buy one and the parts manager said they now use a stick on seal and I could have one free. He gave me a metre of the stuff to allow for the inevitable **** up the first time I try to fit it. He also said it doesn't always work and some people just use mastic - I'll maybe masticate that one over before deciding whether to try it. Thanks again.

Masticate, cogitate and inwardly digest!

[Col]

Spend a morning on the car. Don't spend money, well not much.

You need to clear the plenum drain of debris and wash the rest of the plenum out. From there on you need to maintain them which is where the coat hanger comes in.

But until you have done this and spent that morning taking the battery out and the battery holder, you will never know where to stick the coat hanger.

The pollen filter seal is the last thing you need to do. If the drains are clear the water will not get that high.

Remember that pressure washer you cleaned your patio with once, use that to clean the plenum area out.

Some pictures of when I did this, red arrows point to things important, like the drains and which bolts to undo to get the battery tray out etc...

FAR MORE IMPORTANT THOUGH, get the carpets up inside and dry it out before your electrics rot away to the CCM module.

[zollaf]

the airbag sensors are also under the carpet . they are about 150 quid each. don't let them sit in a puddle for too long. you need to remove the seats to get them out and dry.