Audi A6 Avant - Water in footwell problem

[gunner]

From browsing the forums, this seems to be a common problem in the Audi A6 which I have recently had the misfortune to experience. I took the car into my local dealership who told me that the drainage area beneath the battery had become blocked leading to an overflow of water into the footwell. Furthermore apparently water may have got into some of the electronics (located under the front passenger footwell) and they suggest replacing them at HUGE cost. The car is still in warranty, but the dealer has told me that this type of problem is not covered by the warranty. This clearly seems to be a design fault with the car which has caused this which was not highlighted to me when I bought it (second hand) from the dealer. Nor can I find any reference in the owner's manual for the need to check this on a regular basis. Has anyone else who has had this problem within warranty had any success in claiming against Audi or the Dealership for this type of problem ? Or does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can get some compensation for this ?

[AJO]

Have you actually got any faults with the electrics?

i have the same problem on my A6 sedan with the wet footwell..

i cleared out the rainage bug and it made it better but still gets wet... ive been told the seal goes around the pollen filter and lets the water in also.. so il be siliconing this in.

i have however had no problems with the electrics

[grahame78]

Hi
Sounds like Gunner and I have exactly the same problem which I am planning to tackle myself, ie clear out the drainage holes and seal up the pollen filter (if I manage to find it). Has anyone done this themselves? And if so are their any issues around disconnecting the battery to get at the drainage holes?

Any advice welcome.

Grahame

[gunner]

The Audi dealer told me there are some minor problems. e.g. central locking a bit temperamental, the reading light not turning off when you lock the car, dashboard showing the boot open when it is not. However, I have not had any problems with these since I have had the car back.

[interim]

Same problem with the scuttle not draining and water coming into footwell, but have just had total brake failure due to this water overflowing onto brake servo and rusting the unit leaving me with no brakes! Luckily failure occurred when parking.
Audi main dealer says they routinely punch out the drain plug in the scuttle when these cars come in to stop this water build up.
Does anyone know if this is an Audi instruction, or just good thinking on the part of the local technicians to overcome this design fault?
If anyone has an A6 (19tdi SE Avant in my case) with wet footwell carpets, please get you brake system checked, so that you don't get the same potentially lethal failure as I've just had.
For info, I did have an early warning when the brakes came on once at slow speed (<5mph), but the system was checked and no fault identified!

[WaudiN]

I have joined this forum, today after an electrical fault occurred with my 2003 A6 Avant. For some reason the hazard lights have switched to permanently on (with no flashing) and I cannot switch them off, normally. I have had to remove the fuse controlling the hazards. The Audi dealership I called about this say it might have been caused by water building up in the passenger footwell.

My car is also under warranty if this proves to be the cause of the fault I will let you know how I get on in claiming on the warranty. Have you had any good news since posting?

[interim]

Reply from Audi UK denies any knowledge of water ingress on Audi's, and says that the removal of the drain plug, which their dealers now do, is not part of their service schedule and is not recommended by Head Office!
Regarding any claim under warranty or not, the message is forget it, as there isn't any such problem!
How many water drainage problems do owners have to have before Audi acknowledge that it might actually happen? Any suggestions?

[Niall76]

Can someone tell me if you need to take out the battery to clear the drain holes? Also, what are you using to clear out the holes? And punching out the bung? Where is the bung?

How much water is there when this problem happens? Is it a lot? I'm going to check mine as a precaution.

[julie351]

hi Waudin,
Just reading there about the problem you had with your hazard lights. At the moment my partner is going through the same problem and like that we have changed the hazards switch thinking that was the reason. Now we have no idea? what was the problem with your Audi... if you could please help us we would be very grateful.

[balderdash]

HI ALL
BECAME A MEMBER YESTERDAY .
HAD PASSAT'S WITH WATER TROUBLE IN FRONT FOOTWELLS
COST ME ON LAST ONE A COVENIANCE UNIT £200 +TUNING KEYS IN
JUST GOT AWAY WITH WIREING NOT ROTTING TOO FAR.
SO WENT FOR A AUDI A6AVANT WE NOW HAVE FOUR IN THE FAMILY
SOD'S LAW MINE AS WATER IN THE FOOTWELLS TRIED ALL THE FIXES
POLLEN FILTER DRAINHOLES UNDER BATTERY .DRAINHOLES IN DOORS BONNE T CABLE GROMIT. AIR CON DRAIN. YOU NAME IT .
WAS DOWN AT A FRIENDS GARAGE THE OTHER DAY.
THEY HAD A A4 IN WITH FRONT SEAT OUT I ENQUIRED ABOUT IT.
HE SAID SAME TROUBLE AS YOUR HAVING WATER IN FOOTWELLS.
THE CAUSE WAS A SPLIT IN THE BACK WINDSCREEN WASH PIPE THAT RUNS ALONG SIDE THE WIRING ALONG THE INSIDE OF THE SILL.
THINK THEY FOUND IT BY PUTTING DYE IN THE WASHER WATER .
WENT HOME THORT BUGGER IT GOT THE CARPET UP JUST BY CHANCE
IT COULD BE THE SAME . PUT WASHER JET ON AND BINGO WASHER WATER FILLED THE FOOTWELL.
THE PIPE HAS A CLICK ON CONNECTER AT THE BULK HEAD AND IT HAD PARTED BUT STILL LET A BIT OF WATER PASS.
CLICKED IT BACK AND THE NEXT TIME IT JETTED OVER THE TOP OF THE CAR NOT AS PREVIOUSLY 3 INCHES UP THE SCREEN .
I SHOULD HAVE RELIESED WHEN MY WASHER WATER WAS NEEDING
A TOP UP SO OFTEN .
HOPE THIS MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO SOMEONE.
AS ITS 80% MORE LIKELY TO POLLEN FILTER .(BUT YOU NEVER NO)
BEST REGARDS
BALDERDASH