soggy carpets!!!!!

[karlosthejackal]

Just discovered water in the pasenger footwell. Have read many posts on this site regarding this problem and just assumed I was lucky not to have experienced this problem, as I have had passats for the last 4.5years. I had no trouble with water ingress on my 1998 saloon, but on my present car, 2003 passat tdi sport estate, the bulkhead under the battery is full of water. Was the design changed on this model for some reason? About to go and try to remove the battery to check the drain holes, hope this sorts out the problem because I am going to euro disney tomorrow and the car is going to be left in a hotel car park for the week, and I don't want to come back to a car full of water!! I have read that there is a unit under the pasenger seat that controls the central locking. Is there anything I can do to protect this unit ? thanks in advance for any advice

[mcnalu]

The fix isn't just clearing a blocked drain hole. There is a bad seal around the pollen filter that lets water in and this must be changed. Luckily it is a quick, cheap fix for the dealer to do. I'm surprised that this silly design flaw persisted in Passats from 2001 until at least 2003, but some beancounter somewhere must have decided it wasn't worth fixing at the factory.

You will have to have your carpets competely dried and the only way to do that properly is to have them removed. The carpets and soundproofing material are very thick and will never dry in situ during a British winter. Unsurprisingly dealers have lots of practice at this - my local dealer has a dedicated water ingress bay! Expect to pay a couple of hundred if not under warranty as seats etc. have to come out.

good luck

[meriafel]

Clearing the drain holes will help the problem for now if you haven't time to get it the fiter housing seal checked pre-Disney. Just don't park the car uphill until the pollen seal is replaced (if faulty), as even with the drain holes cleared, water can still get in under a faulty pollen filter seal when parked uphill.

Your problem may only be the drain hole blockage which has allowed water to rise above and through the pollen filter element and cascade into the passenger footwell even if your pollen filter housing seal is intact.

Remember to check the rear passenger footwell behind the driver as a leaking ECU seal will let water in to flow beneath the drivers carpet and wet the rear carpet. Quite why I do not know! Mine had water an inch above the rear carpet, yet the drivers carpet was dry. Play safe and have all seals replaced.

Clearing the drain holes isn't a service 'check' item which clearly it should be considering the stupid design.

I posted similar problems last year when I had to have the pollen hosing seal, ECU seal and the bonnet catch grommet replaced together with new carpets, all done fortunately under warranty. Three separate visits, three courtesy cars and a huge mileage and waste of time. Fortunately I didn't suffer any electrical problems despite having a pond both in the front and rear but you do read of many problems with electrics.

Try for a GOODWILL CLAIM if seals are the original (grey foam I think), as these are a well known problem with these Passats. It is shameful that all the affected cars have not been recalled.

Macnalu is absolutely right when he says the carpets etc have to come out and be thoroughly dried. Otherwise they will smell for ever-and-a-day and will be only the start of your problems with electrics etc. Best of luck.

Re. your 98 Passat. That can also suffer from blocked drain holes with leaves etc. My wife's 98 Passat Estate has never suffered from a faulty pollen housing seal which held when the battery chamber once filled up.

[jonboy3020]

also have to check all the wiring nodes when removing carpets, plays havoc with the convienience electrics

[DickPassat]

Your 2003 should still be under warranty.

This is a known fault and we had ours, January 2002 130 tdi estate same, fixed under warranty that 2002 winter. They clearly knew all about it back then as they REPLACED all the carpets without me even thinking to ask about them. They said that otherwise they'd never dry out properly and would start to smell.

They may have tried to trim this helpful attitude now but I'd get onto Customer Services Milton Keynes 0800 711811 if your dealer won't help.

Dick

[karlosthejackal]

Thanks for the advice, car parked in a hotel car park all week but fairly dry, even after a week of heavy rain, so thought all must be ok, but since getting home car alarm keeps on going off , so alarm control unit must be affected . Car is no longer under warranty as it has covered 65000 miles, but will try dealer and see what they say,will also call customer services and see if they can help me

thanks again

Karl.

[AndrewDiss]

I have had no problems with the front footwells, but seem to have a pool of water behind the driver's seat whenever there is any rain.

Is this likely to be a door seal problem or an ECU seal problem (Re:Meriafel's reply), if it's an ECU problem, where is it located, and is it something I could fix myself?

Thanks for any advice you could give me on this.