I've sprung a leak - MKIV Golf

[Great Pretender]

Balls.

I've noticed a significant moisture build up inside the car recently, but had attributed this to lack of use (second car for Mrs GP see). However I took the car to work today and noticed that the rear passenger side footwell is soaking

I understand these things are prone to leaks; any ideas what it could be?

ETA: Car is a five door.

Edited by Great Pretender on Tuesday 10th November 13:40

[Robatr0n]

No idea if it's the same on golfs but on Audi Coupes the sunroof drains are prone to blocking up and if/when they do the rear passenger footwell appears to fill with water.

[CoolC]

It is most likely the pollen filter letting water through due to a blocked drain in the scuttle area.

Or it could be a leaking door card.

If you take a look on the MkiV forum there are quite a few treads detailing the diagnosis and rectification of the problems.

Edited by CoolC on Tuesday 10th November 13:43

[Glassman]

Rear footwell...

Could be a number of things.

- Rubber seal around tailgate shut;

- (if fitted) sunroof;

- NSR door shut;

- panel seam letting by / corrosion;

- doorglass not shut properly (I know, not meaning to be patronising)

- door drainage holes blocked;

- leaking HRW;

- as CoolC suggests, water could be travelling down from bulkhead from overfilling tray under wiper cowl.

Have a geat weekend!

[Great Pretender]

Glassman said:

Rear footwell...

Could be a number of things.

- Rubber seal around tailgate shut;

- (if fitted) sunroof;

- NSR door shut;

- panel seam letting by / corrosion;

- doorglass not shut properly (I know, not meaning to be patronising)

- door drainage holes blocked;

- leaking HRW;

- as CoolC suggests, water could be travelling down from bulkhead from overfilling tray under wiper cowl.

Have a geat weekend!

Cheers!

What's HRW incidentally?

(oh and no sunroof fitted)

[Glassman]

Heated Rear Window

[Glassman]

- one more possibility: 'leaking' passenger?

[BigAustin]

Most VWs seem to suffer leaking door cards.
The markV had had the door seals upgraded at least three times too.

[Great Pretender]

Glassman said:

- one more possibility: 'leaking' passenger?

I'll check

[istoo]

it wasnt out in the epic rain we had was it?

[_Batty_]

leaking door cards or your pollen filter.
i will put the sum total of my wallet on it (approx 27p unless you count fluff)
Passats had recalls on the pollen filter seal (bloody stupid design) which drops water down the bulkhead to the rear footwell.
Matt

[sleep envy]

Great Pretender said:

Glassman said:

- one more possibility: 'leaking' passenger?

I'll check

oh hello!!

[StevenJJ]

I've been doing mine over the last 48 hours after the rear offside footwell turned into a reservoir




I'm 99.9% sure I've resolved it by sealing up the metal carrier behind the door card. Word of warning: IMO only remove the bolts from the lower edge of the carrier, do not take any off from up the sides or the top. With the not inconsiderable weight this has on it if you take out the side bolts (which act as locators, or rather some tabs near the bolts do) the carrier can drop down and you will have a nightmare getting it bolted back up in position. If you think this is the case:

- Park car facing up on the steepest incline you have nearby. This will pool the water at the back of the footwell and you can get the bulk out with a cellulose sponge
- Take off the door card as per Haynes
- Undo the bolts from the lower edge of the metal carrier
- If it's wet behind there put in a small wedge of something to keep the gap open a few mm and point an electric heater up there for a while to dry it out
- When dry run a silicon bead behind the metal carrier as best you can given the gap available having removed the bolts from the bottom of the carrier
- Bolt the carrier back on (hopefully squashing the silicon behind)
- Run another substantial bead(s) round the outside of the carrier-to-door join going from about halfway up the carrier, down across the bottom and halfway up the other side
- Wait for it to go off and pray
- Re-assemble and go about trying to dry the carpet/sound deadening out properly

The whole thing becomes waterlogged and it doesn't look like you can adequately dry it out without taking the carpet out. I have cut a small flap in the carpet to allow me to get in amongst underneath with a cellulose sponge and will be pointing the heater in and around there to dry out the rest. The mat will cover the flap nicely

Mine starting leaking after the carrier had to come off to replace the broken plastic which allowed the window to drop into the door. I miss my Nova(s).