A6 Avant Tailgate Filing Up With Water

[bikingkate]

I have a 55 plate A6 Avant. The rear washer wasn't pumping any water out but I could hear water sloshing around inside the tailgate. I assumed that a pipe had become diconnected and the pump was simply pumping water into the cavity. Wrong. I replaced the jets next. Still didn't cure it. Then I changed the pump unit. At least I'm now getting water on the rear screen but the tailgate is still filling up with water. I suspect that it's getting in around the highlevel brake light. Has anyone come across this problem and found a cure?

[Tame Technician]

Just to recap a bit.

Have you run the washer pump with the boot trim off to confirm the water you are getting in isnt screen wash??

Also as thw rear washers were inop for a period have you checked to make sure there are no other leaks in the pipe, notably behind the left hand trim pannel in the boot area.

If the water getting in is deffinatly not screen wash its probably getting in through one of the rear lights (fog and revers is it?) in the boot lid.

[gizlaroc]

There is a service bulletin regarding this, at the top left near the hinge the pipe flexes and eventually breaks filling the tailgate with water, it also puts it down the side near the nav/radio/bluetooth etc. in the rear passenger side quarter causing thousands of pounds worth of damage, so get it sorted asap.


The fix is to cut 6" of pipe and replace it with a stronger rubber tube btw.

[gizlaroc]

There is a service bulletin regarding this, at the top left near the hinge the pipe flexes and eventually breaks filling the tailgate with water, it also puts it down the side near the nav/radio/bluetooth etc. in the rear passenger side quarter causing thousands of pounds worth of damage, so get it sorted asap.


The fix is to cut 6" of pipe and replace it with a stronger rubber tube btw.

[Tame Technician]

Yeah thats what I was getting at. But if its definatly not screen wash, then he's got in ingress somewhere, we've had it coming in through the lights in the tail gate before.

[bikingkate]

Thanks for the comments. Yeah I definately need to check if there is screen wash in the leaking water. I'll check.

[bikingkate]

I've now tracked down what's happening. Water was getting in around the nearside light cluster in the tailgate. Fitted new seal and this has cured the problem.