Water ingress advice needed

Lorian · 17 July 2017 at 9:16PM

tell me stop when you've had enough

Smell like damp/musty or worse like a dustbin?

I should add I've had to fix not dissimilar issues on a Peugeot, so I know the sort of things to look for if not the specifics on the TT.

On the Peugeot it ended up being engine coolant ingressing though wiring! (different symptoms to yours)

Exemplar · 17 July 2017 at 9:20PM

All questions good as yours are clearly not stupid (like do you pressure wash the car).

I guessed you had experience.

The car smells like wet dog! It's horrible.

But Audi have completely stripped it. All interior was taken out inc. dashboard.

Lorian · 17 July 2017 at 9:29PM

Wet dog - nice one! Lets guess that's a sign of bacteria.

Are the carpets physically damp if you touch them now, or is the residual symptom the smell but no obvious sign of the damp?

One quick way to tell if the carpets are damp-ish is the inside of the glass will often be misted up in the mornings.

Also is the smell worse first thing in the morning, as soon as you start the car?

Strider590 · 17 July 2017 at 9:57PM

Wow the BS is strong with this Audi dealer, I guess if it makes you feel special it does it's job.

They've basically dumped it onto a couple of young apprentice technicians and said "sort this out".

"Specialist valeters", don't make me laugh. They probably have some local guy they outsource.

A/C drainage would have been my first port of call, but you'd be expecting them to replace something so they probably made something up to keep you happy.

Removing carpets? why? if not replacing them then that's a lot of work for something you can sort out with a space heater and a whole bucket load of silica gel packs or in this weather just leave it outside with the doors open.

Or perhaps the car is just crying because it's got a tractor engine.......

Jonesya · 17 July 2017 at 10:12PM

Exemplar wrote: »

Has anyone else experienced the same issue and escalated to a suitable outcome?

I have indeed, it takes me back to my childhood and my mum's rather ancient 1970s Ford Escort, which also leaked water into the cabin, she escalated the issue with my father who removed the carpet entirely and replaced it with newspaper. Not only did this remove the smell, it also made it easier to mop up the water. And you can change the newspaper regularly.

But my mother didn't regard this as a satisfactory outcome, so escalated again, and eventually he bought her a new Fiesta. Which didn't leak.

Sorry.... I'll get my coat.

Strider590 · 17 July 2017 at 10:15PM

Jonesya wrote: »

But my mother didn't regard this as a satisfactory outcome, so escalated again, and eventually he bought her a new Fiesta. Which didn't leak.

Here's the solution, buy a Fiesta :rotfl:

System · 18 July 2017 at 4:42PM

Exemplar wrote: »

All questions good as yours are clearly not stupid (like do you pressure wash the car).

Sorry but that is not a stupid question. Some domestic pressure washers are so powerful they're more than capable of blasting water past seals especially given many users have a tendency to shove the lance right up to the bodywork where there's a particularly tough bit of dirt.

Robisere · 18 July 2017 at 10:12PM

Could be a leaking Heater Matrix:
http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php/87099-Replace-the-heater-matrix-the-easy-way/page3

I never worked on a TT, but had plenty of experience with other cars leaking from the matrix, over the years. Take a look at the coolant in your radiator expansion bottle: what colour/smell does it have? Check the liquid on the carpet for comparison.

Strider590 · 19 July 2017 at 7:07AM

I suspect OP isn't going to find out what the fault is, the dealership aren't going to admit to a failure of a major or non-wear component.

Exemplar · 19 July 2017 at 12:00PM

Well it's in (very nice A4 2.0 TDi Avant auto as a loaner)

Water ingress advice needed

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free