More Coupe leaks!

[twoqu]

I am guessing thats a glass out jobby to sort!
Its a shame as a Forum member has recently had their tailgate glass replaced. Would have been useful to see whats involved. So if a seal replacement is not possible for your average person, then an attempt at sealing it up is all that can be done. Need to confirm that it is that seal first somehow if it isn't obvious.

[newsh]

I reckon thats a glue-in glass no? If you strip the interior bits out and lay in the boot and get someone to hose it down (or while its raining) you should be able to see where its coming in. Then a spot of windscreen mastic...

[4WheelDrifter]

Audi gave up and provided a bucket and a drain on the O/S!

Another observation is the cars attitude. Mine does not sit level, it is higher at the rear than the front.

Is this designed so that it sits level when there is a mass of water on board?

I too have always been fighting a constant battle keep the Coupé dry. I managed to sort out the leaky rear end a long time ago, but I still have a small leak in certain conditions in the front. It's still hard to tell where from, even with the dash out.

[s2driveruk]

hmm, that rear seal suggestion is a good one and could explain mine too - though I am sure mine is running down the length of the drivers side c pillar plastic trim and draining out inside the car. I'll have to pull the trim out and see if i can see any staining to suggest where its coming in.

nice spot!

[twoqu]

You would expect to see some evidence. However I have been working on the assumption that it was coming from the outside in not the inside out!
Anyway, perhaps its something we have overlooked.

[twoqu]

Pulled the bottom trim of the tailgate but cannot feel any dampness.
Dried the seal off and went into town. Went back a couple of hours later, opened the tailgate and the seal was wet again! So despite not having rained in that time, the seal got wet again. This must mean something is holding water and I am back to suspecting that seal on the side of the tailgate glass.
Whether it was wishful thinking or not, I think I saw a trail of water from that seal towards the bottom, which then followed the shape of the seal and ended in droplets at the bottom of the tailgate. As I mentioned before, this seal tended to empty water out of the top when the tailgate was opened after a downpour.
Having looked at both those seals, either side, they don't appear to be flush with the glass especially towards the bottom. Again judging by the tailgate seal it looks as though its in the same area where the seal is obviously wet.
So my theory is that water from the window, rather than dripping over the seal into the channel and away is flowing down the inside of the seal and onto the tailgate seal to the bottom corners.
These tailgate seals have two screws, one either end. Not sure whether to take the brave pills and attempt removal.
Anyway Ben has provide the following info:

Code:
Part Number Description Retail To you
------------------------------------------------------
895827705A GASKET 46.61 41.48
895845517A SEAL 114.78 102.15 BACK ORDER

Prices +VAT!

So it does look like the tailgate seal is available still!
Those other seals are part of that 517A seal!

[twoqu]

Well despite the foul weather the N/S is still dry! The same cannot be said of the O/S!
I temporaily plugged up the window seal where it looked like water might be getting behind the seal but it did not improve things. I still think the issue is related to the window side seal depositing water onto the tailgate seal which then runs down and collects at the corners, overflowing into the car over the rear light.
After a shower, carefully opening the tailgate reveals water on the middle of the tailgate seal, more or less level to the start of the side seal, which I doubt is coincidental!
Of course, if the tailgate seal was doing its job sealing against the tailgate, then surely it should be dry. Years of use has flattened the seal in the middle which makes a nice channel for the water. The water flowing over rather than off the side seal wicks its way over the seal and has a express route to the bottom corner!
As I said before, this side tailgate seal has a screw top and bottom but I am unsure whether or not its fitted before or after the window. I am also uncertain whether it should be stuck to the tailgate better. Presently it is evident that water is effectively the wrong side of the seal, so rather than flowing over and off down the channel like it should, it is flowing over the side seal onto the tailgate seal and flowing down the seal.
Unfortunately the vent hole in the seal is not in the right place to allow the water into the seal like the N/S!, otherwise it would be possible to drain it off by making a slit in the seal. It would be expedient to perhaps encourage the water into the seal and then out through a slit, altough a bit of a bodge!
So if anybody has any info relating to rear window fitting, particularly the seals, that would be useful. Think I have seen something about the front windscreen on here.

[twoqu]

Thought I would have another look at this. As the weather conditions were advantageous, decided to strip out most of the carpet, contort myself into the car and wait for the rain.
Hopefully you can see from the pic that there is water ingress from the rear light, two puddles forming on the top of the light where the lowest part of the metalwork is. Quite surprising how much accumulates even after a short shower. With a bit of luck, a rear light reseal should sort that out. Unfortunately I bought 2M of the sealant cord but only have @80cm left!. So I guess i will have to seal the top and sides as best I can!
As it never rains but pours, I also noticed some water drops on the rear pillar cover. I followed the trail back up to the join between the head lining trim and the cover. Looks like its coming from the aerial base! Hey ho!

[gripper]

Pull these plugs out and take off this trim and seal round the screw holes with some non-setting mastic - water gets in here too!

Have you got a part number for these little screws ?
I have one of these missing (drivers side) which is coincidentally where I have a boot leak. My back light has been removed (twice) and resealed but I still have water in the well

[twoqu]

I believe its the following:

N 014 140 5 (Fillister head bolt) M6X15.
N 011 547 6 (Washer)
895 853 435 (Cap)

[twoqu]

Whilst I am here!
Obtained a roll of sealant cord from a member so as today was dry, I removed the light to reseal it. As I removed the light, the top half of the section of the seal, more or less in the same place as the leak, fell off. So its possible that a leak might occur if the mastic hardens and cracks, allowing water to seep through the mastic rather than between the mastic and the bodywork.
The way the car is designed means that all the water from the rear is channeled over the rear light. As the latest examples are at least 15 years old, I think it would be wise to bite the bullet and reseal them as a precaution.
Will have to see whether the reseal has been successful!
For the record it takes @ 110cm of sealant cord per light.

[newsh]

Thats it, mine was leaking there way back when I first got the car, I wrapped a bit of the rear light sealing stuff round the screws and srewed them back in, no probs since.

[twoqu]

Well after another overnight deluge, I was expecting the worst. Happy to report that it was bone dry.
Without putting the mockers on it, if you have a lot of water in the vehicle, do the rear lights first.
To illustrate these things are hit and miss, the leak from the aerial was not there today even though it had rained heavily. Was a bit disappointed to see the faint haze on the window from condensation even though that was much better than the torrent of water droplets that was there before. Then I looked up and saw a brand new vehicle of indeterminate origin (aren't they all these days) pass by with the driver trying desperately to wipe the windows of heavy condensation. Felt better after that!
Hopefully the car will start to dry out. Some bits of felt acted as sponges so still have moisture in them. Looking forward to it getting a bit warmer. The hatch then acts as a greenhouse rather than a goldfish bowl!
So in order:
1: Reseal the rear lights.
2: Reseal the drip tray screws.
3: If the tailgate seal has water in it, make a small incision in it on the outside to act as a drain.
If you get the gaskets that the drip tray sits on and the sealant cord, then it shouldn't take more than an afternoon. Look at it as preventative maintenance.

[benntenn67]

The lamp clusters are the usual suspects though, the mastic type "cord " fails after a few years - 1 roll will do the two rear lamp clusters - My boot is bone dry

Well after another overnight deluge, I was expecting the worst. Happy to report that it was bone dry.
Without putting the mockers on it, if you have a lot of water in the vehicle, do the rear lights first.

So in order:
1: Reseal the rear lights.
2: Reseal the drip tray screws.
3: If the tailgate seal has water in it, make a small incision in it on the outside to act as a drain.
If you get the gaskets that the drip tray sits on and the sealant cord, then it shouldn't take more than an afternoon. Look at it as preventative maintenance.

Glad you have got the boot leak sorted mate

[gripper]

Ive resealed my rear light twice now using the correct cord and the second time using a combination of non setting mastic AND cord !
My boot still leaks !
With the amount of rain we have had today and when it wasn't the Mrs pouring water down the tailgate channel I thought it best to investigate further !
As per Errors pic water seems to be getting in directly through these bolts holes, however after removing the bolts and trim and copious amounts of mastic round the bolt holes water is still getting in

And what and where is a Drip Tray ?