Does Driving Your Audi Leave You All Wet? If So, Check These Common Water Leak Causes
Driving an Audi is a wonderful experience, but water leaks are common. Fortunately, the fix is often relatively simple.
Water. It is a life-sustaining substance that none of us can survive very long without. However, there are occasions when water is less than desirable. For example, when Kevin Costner makes a film about it. Or when it is sloshing around on the inside of your Audi. And while it may seem strange that a modern German luxury car like an Audi could suffer from water leaks it is actually more common than you think. And it is not limited to just the lower-end models. There are reports of the Q7 and A8 having issues. There is nothing more disconcerting than washing your Audi in preparation for a nice night on the town. And the next thing you know your feet are soaking wet.
There have been a number of threads in the AudiWorld forums over the years that have discussed the water leak phenomenon. The censuses have been that if you are unfortunate enough to have an Audi that suffers from a water leak there are two main culprits. One is the air conditioning evaporator drain and the other is the sunroof drain. Both of these tend to get clogged with debris. The good news is that if you know where to look both are relatively simple to clear on your own and you can avoid an expensive trip to the dealer.
Wet Feet
This is the typical scenario. You are driving along enjoying your Audi when you take a sharp turn at a light or perhaps push it a bit on a highway on ramp. The next thing you know your feet are soaked with water. Sometimes the water is hot and other times the water is cold. But no matter the temperature the water is always wet and now you have soggy feet. Not pleasant.
A/C Evaporator Drain Water Leaks
The air conditioning evaporator drains are a common culprit with these water leaks. The blower motor dehumidifies the cabin and in so doing water condenses off the coil and drains into the catch pan. This catch pan has two drains. These drains could become clogged. If they do the pan fills with water, and when you take a turn, SPLASH! Wet feet. Fortunately, these drains are fairly easy to clean out. In one of the AudiWorld threads, a member provided a link to the Audi Pages site which provides a detailed walkthrough of how to clean these drains. You need nothing more than a small flat head screwdriver, a pair of needle nose pliers, a shopvac and about 45 minutes.
Sunroof Drain Tube Water Leaks
Having a sunroof can be great but it does increase the risk of water leaks. The sunroof has drain tubes that are susceptible to clogging. And when they do it can result in soggy footwells. Fortunately, this is another easy fix. If you open the sunroof, you will be able to easily see the drain tubes. You can use some weed eater string or some 10 AWG wire and feed it through the drain tubes. This should push out any debris and eliminate the water leaks. If your car is not garaged and if you often park under trees, this is a task you probably want to do at least once or twice a year.
Staying Dry
Of course, the AudiWorld forums are a fantastic source of helpful information. But it would also help you to have a service manual to show you the location of the drains for your particular model. If you click HERE, you can download a PDF of most shop manuals for free. Also, investing in a good Bentley shop manual is never a bad idea either. Just one DIY fix will more than pay for the cost of the book. Happy driving and stay dry out there!
Images: Audi
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