Wet carpets inside A3 Sportback

[glospete]

I have a serious leak inside my A3 on the passenger side - front and rear wells. After I washed the car today and removed the rubber mats I could see that the carpet in the passenger well was wringing wet - not just damp but water was covering the rear carpet. And when I checked the front passenger side mat that was not as bad but still very wet. Drivers side front and rear are dry. I have checked the door seals and they seem fine and the drain hole under the bonnet is not blocked; at least when I pour water into the hole, water comes out underneath. Are there any other seals/drainage channels which I should check or does anyone have any ideas? Removing the carpet looks to be a major job and will that help anyway? I appreciate any advice or suggestions which anyone may have. Thanks.

 

[NHN]

Sunroof?

 

[glospete]

Good thought but I don't have one!

 

[NHN]

Then lift carpet & check for buttplug seals on the floor mate, you can lift it without stripping out the entire car, but front seats do need to either be lifted or removed.

That's if you use a hose around all the doors & no obvious entry.

Oh check the rear lights also as seen this before.

 

[glospete]

Then lift carpet & check for buttplug seals on the floor mate, you can lift it without stripping out the entire car, but front seats do need to either be lifted or removed.

That's if you use a hose around all the doors & no obvious entry.

Oh check the rear lights also as seen this before.

Many thanks - I'll have a look over Easter. Appreciated.

 

[glospete]

Many thanks - I'll have a look over Easter. Appreciated.

OMG! When I opened the boot and lifted the floor there was a lake inside the spare wheel well - literally at least an inch of water. The sub-woofer was full of water so I tipped most out but am not sure if I can open it up or whether it is a write-off? I scooped the water out from the spare wheel well and then used old towels to soak up as much as I could. It was clean water, nothing smelt and even the jack wasn't rusty so I think it is a relatively recent event. I had washed the car yesterday so perhaps it was that? In your message you said "Oh check the rear lights also as seen this before". I did that and the offside one is loose - I've annotated the photo where it moves. I'm guessing that because I live on a slope the water from the boot sloshed into the passenger compartment and that was why the carpets were wet.
So my questions are:
1. How do I tighten the rear light in case it was that that let the water in?
2. Can I dry the felt inside the spare wheel well leaving it in place i.e. with a fan heater or do I need to remove it? If I need to remove it how to do that?
3. Ditto the carpets - as I'm fairly sure that they got wet from the boot water I hope I can just dry them with a fan heater - or would a dehumidifier be better?
4. What do you think about the sub-woofer? Can it be opened up - else I can get one from eBay for £50.
Sorry to ask so many questions but I don't take my cars apart so all this is completely new to me.
Thanks again.

 

[alpesh26]

OMG! When I opened the boot and lifted the floor there was a lake inside the spare wheel well - literally at least an inch of water. The sub-woofer was full of water so I tipped most out but am not sure if I can open it up or whether it is a write-off? I scooped the water out from the spare wheel well and then used old towels to soak up as much as I could. It was clean water, nothing smelt and even the jack wasn't rusty so I think it is a relatively recent event. I had washed the car yesterday so perhaps it was that? In your message you said "Oh check the rear lights also as seen this before". I did that and the offside one is loose - I've annotated the photo where it moves. I'm guessing that because I live on a slope the water from the boot sloshed into the passenger compartment and that was why the carpets were wet.
So my questions are:
1. How do I tighten the rear light in case it was that that let the water in?
2. Can I dry the felt inside the spare wheel well leaving it in place i.e. with a fan heater or do I need to remove it? If I need to remove it how to do that?
3. Ditto the carpets - as I'm fairly sure that they got wet from the boot water I hope I can just dry them with a fan heater - or would a dehumidifier be better?
4. What do you think about the sub-woofer? Can it be opened up - else I can get one from eBay for £50.
Sorry to ask so many questions but I don't take my cars apart so all this is completely new to me.
Thanks again.

"Can I dry the felt inside the spare wheel well leaving it in place i.e. with a fan heater or do I need to remove it? If I need to remove it how to do that?"

If I remember correctly, there are some fixings under the polystyrene tool holder sections. Might be better to take the felt out then you can dry under it. If you have a wet and dry vac you could use that to pull out the bulk of the water.

I had a similar problem in an A5 Sportback.

 

[glospete]

"Can I dry the felt inside the spare wheel well leaving it in place i.e. with a fan heater or do I need to remove it? If I need to remove it how to do that?"

If I remember correctly, there are some fixings under the polystyrene tool holder sections. Might be better to take the felt out then you can dry under it. If you have a wet and dry vac you could use that to pull out the bulk of the water.

I had a similar problem in an A5 Sportback.

Thanks for your message
"there are some fixings under the polystyrene tool holder sections" - I don't appear to have any tool holder sections - just the jack which is fixed to the floor of the boot. My tools are in a section behind a "door" on the offside. But I appreciate you responding anyway. .

 

[alpesh26]

Thanks for your message
"there are some fixings under the polystyrene tool holder sections" - I don't appear to have any tool holder sections - just the jack which is fixed to the floor of the boot. My tools are in a section behind a "door" on the offside. But I appreciate you responding anyway. .

You do have them...if you look at the pic you posted with the wet boot felt (IMG_1224), you can see it at the top of the pic.

The felt wasn't too difficult to get out if I remember

 

[glospete]

You do have them...if you look at the pic you posted with the wet boot felt (IMG_1224), you can see it at the top of the pic.

The felt wasn't too difficult to get out if I remember

Ah, now I understand - job for the weekend methinks? Thanks

 

[glospete]

You do have them...if you look at the pic you posted with the wet boot felt (IMG_1224), you can see it at the top of the pic.

The felt wasn't too difficult to get out if I remember

Fortunately we had good Easter weather so took advantage to sort the wet car out. I managed to remove the felt matting in the boot (trunk) and it dried very quickly, as did the sub-woofer. The rear carpet is taking longer but constant blotting with towels plus a fan heater is working. I managed to remove the rear seat squab base and it was good that I did as the spongy stuff was soaking wet. I couldn't remove the leather cover but amazingly it dried out in the sun. So today I've been touring my dealers asking about the possible source of the leak and I think it must be the rear light as it was loose and when I removed it, the screw which holds it to the bodywork had sheared off. A new rear offside LED light fitting is over 230GBP not fitted! Gulp! But I can get a second hand one from eBay for about 60GBP so that's tomorrow's job.
Thanks for your comments and help as it gave me the confidence to try to remove the mats etc.