Water damage. Audi A3.

[Karl911]

Greetings all. After being an avid reader for many years it has now come to that time when I need your advice.

The girlfriend had parked her car down by the Thames in Richmond, on returning to the car the tide had come in and was up to the drivers door sill and had flooded the drivers foot well.
The water had come up to the bottom of the seat (non electric) and has basically left the carpet soaked through. The water was literally swishing about between the pedals.

So my question is do I just remove the seat and carpet and get it dried out properly or is there a bit more to it?. Are there any electrical issues that may have been affected, I'm guessing that they wouldn't have run a wiring loom under the carpet.

Many thanks.

[f1nn]

A mate of mine managed to put his 56 plate Golf up to the center console in a stream a few months ago, the passenger side electrics are fked, and even after a valet the car stinks, so I'd say definately strip out and dry properly.

[marting]

Similar thing happened to me some years ago, but it was my fault (driving thru a ford ).

I took the seats and and carpet out, they dried fine and don't smell. If you don't remove them they'll take ages to dry and will start smelling.

[clockworks]

Wiring looms will be "under the carpet" somewhere, most likely between the edge of the seat and the door (inner sills). Some cars also have electronic modules in the boot - under the floor, or at the sides.

[XG332]

Spray a bit of eclectical contact cleaner into the plugs when plugging it all back in.

[Karl911]

Thanks all, tackling the task tomorrow. Got hold of the Haynes manual so should be ok.

[Harding91]

Karl911 said:

Thanks all, tackling the task tomorrow. Got hold of the Haynes manual so should be ok.

Famous last words.