Wet footwell

[lml34]

had this problem with a4 last winter, took me 4 days to find out what was going on. clean out bung hole every month of so during the winter and issue does not return

[trenchfoot Audi]

New to this forum, but not forums in general so I had the sense to use the search function before I start asking the same old question.

The name says it all, I too am suffering from a water logged A4. It's a 97 1.6 SE that started with this problem once earlier last year and has been causing me big problems since late November.

I don't see anyone stating if this is specific to one side, but mine is only on the offside footwells, driver's and rear passenger.

I thought it was a problem with the rear doorseal initially as the bulk of the water was holding in the rear well (about 1, 1/2" to be precise). But this is probably only because it's a lot lower than the front. I also couldn't believe that it could really be the doorseal as there was no obvious problems and the shear volume of water getting in.

Can anyone who has had this problem tell me if the clogged drain under the battery will cause this problem on the offside? I ask as I know the battery is on the nearside of the car.


I ended up getting one of those cheap wet n dry vacuums from Wickes to clear it out. First time I reckon I took out 8-10 litres of water! came back to it ten minutes later and there was surface water on the rear carpet again!!!

I can handle the scraping ice of both sides of the windscreen on frosty mornings, I can handle that point you reach when the humidity becomes so high that every surface inside the car, including the instrument panel, mists over, but what I'm really getting sick of is having to drive to work with my trouser legs rolled up.

Cheers,

Dan

[bioboy]

On my 2000 A4 Avant, the battery sits in a sump in a sort of gutter in front of the windscreen. When the drain hole under my battery was blocked, the whole gutter filled up - it runs the width of the windscreen. The water in mine found a way through the bulkhead on the nearside - I am sure it could also run through somewhere on the offside.

If you check next time it has rained heavily, or even pour a few pints of water CAREFULLY around the BASE of the battery, and find that the water sits there, you know you have found your problem.

Whatever, whip the battery out and poke the hole clear - it will only take a minute. Good luck.

[trenchfoot Audi]

Hi,

Yeap, mine is pretty much the same set up as you describe. The area below the windscreen is sort of partitioned off from the rest of the engine bay. I checked it today and sure enough there is about an inch of water holding in it.

I'll whip the battery out tonight and set about it. Thinking logically, there is probably more opportunity for water to get in on the driver's side anyway with all the control cables and such passing through the bulkhead.

I'll check for missing grommets too when I get a chance.

I'll cancel the wellies then

Thanks,

Dan

[jameswmcl]

I too had the same issue with water in the footwell with my 96 A4 TDI and it turned out to be under the battery also where the problem lay

[trenchfoot Audi]

I managed to get the battery out and clear my blocked drain hole tonight and the car immediately relieved itself of two or three pints of water.

Hopefully that's my problem solved.

I actually found that there are TWO drains in mine. One below the battery and another one just below the brake servo which actually looks to be at a lower level than the first one.

Both were blocked and are now cleared. Fingers crossed!

[bioboy]

Will check under my servo too. Glad it worked. Thank god for the forum!

[avantiblue]

this is going to sound stupid, but i had exactly the same problem, and coincedentally at the same time the heater blowers were not working properly either, soon as i replaced the heater blower the wet footwell stopped. dont know how it was getting wet, but it was the heater blower, stupid as it sounds!

[Zenerdiode]

I discovered it the other way round, luckily my interior stayed dry, but one day I was looking under the bonnet and discovered literally 4" of water in the plenum chamber (where the battery sits). The drain bellows are designed to open to let water out, but when the blower is on they collapse on themselves to prevent engine fumes being drawn into the cabin. Seems they all block after time!

Its just the general dust from the air gets washed down the screen and collects in the bellows, forming mud. The one under the battery is easy, the one under the servo a bit more challenging but just poke a biro or equivalent to unblock.


(Ahem) the dealers are supposed to clear them on an annual service.

[A4RCY]

I had a similar problem on my 98 Avant TDi. It turned out to be the bonnet release cable seal. I’d replaced the cable and not seated the seal properly.