A6 Avant (C5) Tailgate hinges collecting water

[NickPicks]

I noticed that the square holes where the tailgate hinges sit have pools of water in them.

Is there any type of drain to let the water away which I need to clean out, or is it that the gap between the body and the black cover plate has got clogged up? I presume it's water coming off the roof and going in there through the hidden gutters.

[Paulpro]

I had the same problem on my A6 Avant. The black plastic cover has such a good seal that it stops the water coming out - especially when a bit of green mould has formed because of the damp.

I cured it simply by putting a small length (2 cms) of plastic wire covering between the black plastic and the car body to create a small gap. This was several years ago and the water has always drained away without a problem. It is a bit fiddly to get the plastic wire cover in place as there isn't much space to get your fingers in there and at the same time use a screwdiver to lift the plastic up.

Hope it works.