Sunroof drains, water filled up in rear compartments, and mildew... Avant specific.
04-02-2008, 08:02 PM
#1
AudiWorld Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 2,991
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sunroof drains, water filled up in rear compartments, and mildew... Avant specific.
So the dealer's solution to water accumulating in the rear jack and CD changer areas in my car was to pull the plastic body plugs. Well the water drains out, but it also still comes in. I told them to clean the sunroof drains. "Yeah, we blew some compressed air in them." Okay.
Next rain comes and sure enough it smelled like mildew again. So I bought some HELP! speedo cable (per Bentley) and cleaned the front drains out. Not much there actually.
Then followed the tech article (<a href="https://www.audiworld.com/tech/ext61.shtml">linky</a>) to clean the rear drains, except I did a lot more work than was necessary. You need to remove the rear bumper to get to the rear sedan drains located in this picture where the round plug is:
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3022/2945777836_88ba45f9c2_o.jpg">
Well it's clearly not there on the avant. After STFA, somebody noted it was behind the rear wheel liner at the top. So I removed the liners (I hate doing this for some reason) and you can barely see them. See below.
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3030/2945778280_6a49d6cd39_o.jpg">
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3024/2945777398_843f204365_o.jpg">
For some reason, this drain is different than the fronts. These have a nipple that makes it difficult for the water to drain. I squeezed the nipple a few times and water started to pour out. So I took some dikes and snipped the nipple off so that water can freely run out in the future. Problem solved. BTW, I couldn't get my speedo cable to go all the way up to the sunroof, it stops at the bend at the roof.
Next rain comes and sure enough it smelled like mildew again. So I bought some HELP! speedo cable (per Bentley) and cleaned the front drains out. Not much there actually.
Then followed the tech article (<a href="https://www.audiworld.com/tech/ext61.shtml">linky</a>) to clean the rear drains, except I did a lot more work than was necessary. You need to remove the rear bumper to get to the rear sedan drains located in this picture where the round plug is:
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3022/2945777836_88ba45f9c2_o.jpg">
Well it's clearly not there on the avant. After STFA, somebody noted it was behind the rear wheel liner at the top. So I removed the liners (I hate doing this for some reason) and you can barely see them. See below.
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3030/2945778280_6a49d6cd39_o.jpg">
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3024/2945777398_843f204365_o.jpg">
For some reason, this drain is different than the fronts. These have a nipple that makes it difficult for the water to drain. I squeezed the nipple a few times and water started to pour out. So I took some dikes and snipped the nipple off so that water can freely run out in the future. Problem solved. BTW, I couldn't get my speedo cable to go all the way up to the sunroof, it stops at the bend at the roof.
04-03-2008, 05:38 AM
#3
AudiWorld Super User
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,994
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
After reading this, the only parts I remember are: "squeezed the nipple a few times" and "took some
dikes and snipped the nipple off".
Nipples and dikes. Is this an AWOT post? :-)
On a more serious note, how/where do you access the front drains? Do you have a picture you can post?
Nipples and dikes. Is this an AWOT post? :-)
On a more serious note, how/where do you access the front drains? Do you have a picture you can post?
04-03-2008, 06:39 AM
#6
AudiWorld Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 2,991
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah, I know. I was laughing when I wrote it, but I didn't want to comment further on that for the
more conservative crowd.
It's kinda like a hidden message...
It's kinda like a hidden message...
04-03-2008, 06:47 AM
#7
AudiWorld Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 2,991
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For some reason I thought the tech article had a picture of the front drain. Either way, it's really
easy to find. It looks exactly like the rear drain on the sedan (tech article), but it's on the A-pillar when you open the door. Next time you open your door, look between the lower hinge and wire harness boot. It's the round rubber plug with a hole in it. 2 inches in diameter.
Trending Topics
04-03-2008, 07:57 AM
#10
AudiWorld Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 2,991
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When you push the speedo cable through the bottoms of the front drains,
it will pop out at the front of the sunroof (sunroof open). Very hard to find going the other way.
The rears are impossible to see since they are way at the back of the sunroof and under the roof. You have to go in from the back of the car, but unfortunately I couldn't do a full cleaning because the cable stopped at a kink at the roof. Supposedly not an issue on a sedan.
The rears are impossible to see since they are way at the back of the sunroof and under the roof. You have to go in from the back of the car, but unfortunately I couldn't do a full cleaning because the cable stopped at a kink at the roof. Supposedly not an issue on a sedan.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
kgardnez
A4 (B5 Platform) Discussion
8
10-01-2006 04:39 PM
