Water Leak Passenger Footwell Audi Avant A6 2001

[jaffa-number-1]

Hi Everyone, Just thought I would post this to help others from an expensive Fix by Audi.

I run a 2001 Audi Avant Sport 1.9tdi and before Christmas started to detect a new smell in the cabin, musty wet smell. On inspection I found very wet carpets in the rear footwell and passenger footwell. The rear area being the worse of the two. I rubbed the carpet and it foamed up so I assumed a rear wash wip leak, and realised that i had been topping up the washer fluid more often than before.

I initially targeted the rear footwell, removing the rear seat base, this just pulls up from the front edge, it's held by two plastic fittings each side.
I then had to tease the side trims away from the door step area, be carefull as I ripped my carpet a little so try and be patient, The trims pull straight up and are held with steel spring clips that push into the inner sill. Some spring clips may stay in the sill and release from the plastic trim, but my trim did not crack or split. Undo the lower seat belt anchore bolt.

At this point I realised that the front footwell was wet as well, so had to remove the front seat.

This is done by sliding the seat forward and removing the plastic trims from the two guide rails. Then slide the seat right back and undo the two 13mm nuts on the centre rail of the slide mechanism. Now slide the seat back to release. It is tricky to disconnect the wiring plugs but not impossible.

I did not disconnect my battery before removal but I have read on the forum that I need to disconnect my battery at least half an hour before refitting so as to not have problems with the seats airbag.

I expected a split pipe (it's the black concertina pipe) but the pipes were OK. The problem was a joint had seperated at the bulkhead.
To find it I dried out as best I could and put dry newspaper under the wiring loom that carries the washer pipe and then operated the rear washer. the paper on the floor of the car stayed dry but water gushed down from the bulk head area, on the left of the footwell. Leak Found!

I do not know what would have caused the pipe connection to come apart as no work has been done in this area. I guess over time the pipe must have been under tension and pulled apart.
I re-joined the pipes and secured with self amalgamating tape, it will not pull apart again.

I used a wet vac to get as much fluid out as I could but it was still wet so I propped the carpet up vertically with wooden props to let the liquid drain down to the bottom edge. I left it over night and then re vac'd with the wet vac.
JOB DONE! I just have to put the carpet and seats back in remembering to disconnect that battery.

Hope this helps someone save some cash and get a dry cabin

Jaffa-number-1

[bearley_al]

Thanks for the post, my wet carpets were in the front so thats where I started to look for the problem. Took the plastic footwell trim off, pulled the carpet back and, lo and behold, there was the rear wash pipe disconnected at the joint, behind loads of wires

You post saved me hours of trial and error, thanks again.

I've had a similar problem with the joint at the back in the past when the nozzel freezes and the pressure "blows" the joint but thats easy to spot as the water runs out of the bottom. I'm putting this one down to a frozen pipe further "upstream". We've probably had down to minus 8/9 here and that must be cold enough to get freezing temps inside the car!

Cheers

Alan

[Peter D]

Make sure the floor and carpets are pefectly dry front and rear. The passenger footwell has the Convenience Control Module in it and this must be dry and all the cable harnesses dried and connector cleaned of you will have problems or even blow the CCM at circa £240. Regards Peter

[bearley_al]

Thanks, panic stations over, just ripped the carpet back out and found the black box. Many tea towels later the worst of the water is gone. Checked inside, bone dry but will get some warm air on the scene to finish the job and i'll leave the carpets up and the box out of the well till i'm sure its sorted.

I guess the well that the box sits it is a pretty efficient sump. Hence the carpets don't feel that wet in the front.

Phew!! & cheers

[Peter D]

It take two days of heater fan to dry there carpets and sound insulation, well two 5 or 6 hour sessions in the present weather conditions. the sounf insulation layer has a water proof membrain so to nor replace the carpets untill it is all bone dry or you will 'seal' in the moisture which will come back to bite you. Regards Peter