The devil vomits in my kettle (with a water leak)...

[S2central.net]

I stayed away from the garage a few days there - getting too depressed with the ever growing list of jobs - and little time to do them. Anyway - in with a fresh head looking for this leak in the door seal (somewhat eagerly as its ~200 quid for a new one) - looking for maybe a blocked drain in the door or anything else that would cause water to build up in the lower seal area. Found nothing...

Then at the top of the A-pillar I carefully tried to peel the door trim back and found that it came away rather easily - with some bizarre plastic inforcement part somewhat part of the seal, but it just flopped back towards the A-pillar when released and I had to look a few moments to catch onto what was wrong. I'll post up some photos to help describe this, but basically this plastic trim has an extended piece which clips into the pillar for a nice snug fit. Pity the clip has snapped off at some point. The seal simply isn't being seated tightly enough - I think so anyway.

Had a look at passenger side and strangely found the plastic bracket to be missing entirely - with remains of broken spud/clip also in the A_pillar. This side leaks the tiniest bit - but that door isn't use a tenth as often as the drivers side and I suppose the seal has managed to look after itself better.

Makes me wonder if the car has had a leak before my time - or a new windscreen maybe - though its a pukka AUdi screen -all the glass is. Best not think about it too much.

Off to check the family album and some bodywork diagrams next, but the meantime if anyone else can check their A-pillar door seals that would be great... But do this VERY carefully - if the seal doesn't come away easily then its probably clipped in just fine - pull too hard and you'll break the clip.

[S2central.net]

Pics attached of A-pillar with remnant of clip and the door seal with plastic bracket missing the end of its clip.

[S2central.net]

I think on refitting with new brackets I'll use a bit of silicon sealer as well just to be sure (to be sure).

[S2central.net]

Its item 18 on the attached PDF... Which comes with a new door seal. Note the callout for double-sided adhesive tape on cars up to some point in MY93 - bit lousy as mines an early MY94... But maybe helps explain the issue.

About a tenner each side - so I might be lucky for once - gotta be worth a try versus 200 quid against an entirely new seal.

RIGHT = 895 837 838 B

LEFT = 895 837 837 B

[s2avant]

Can't help on looking at a coupe but the brackets are all on back order so would be 7-10 days lead time. If the seal is intact then I'd agree that these are the likely culprit.

Ben

[S2central.net]

Fitted these new brackets / buffers and there is a definite improvement now... Its almost watertight but it is still not perfect.

After as much testing as I could get time for today with a hose - the seal is not damaged and water is no longer creeping around the inner channel...
What seems to be happening is that any water getting onto the area of the door at the A-pillar is trickling down to the underside of the door where it manages to drip onto door seal.

I noticed that the problem reduced when I raised this corner section of the door seal - just by a small amount - I've teased it up a bit more and the last shower of rain was the next test. There are a few drips still getting in - damn car. Trying to think is it worth sticking some suitable rubber on the underside of the door just to try making it watertight. Anybody else got a BTDT on this ?

[S2central.net]

Just found this - seems worthy of investigation... Nice new look site there too BTW - makes me feel extra bad about the state of S2central.net

http://www.audi20v.net/home/index.ph...al-leaks-coupe

[S2central.net]

Water is somehow getting inside the A-pillar on drivers side - I have the most bizarre footage of it now... Where you can see droplets of water forming at the bottom ot A-pillar - just creeping out of the seam where the sill area is spot welded. Its really freaky looking. The surfaces above are dry - the water must be somehow getting inside the A-pillar and making this escape path. Its a very small amount now... But still a good size spoonful of water entering during a rain shower.

Stupid car - I hate it now. Feels like a really creaky leaky piece of old **** when chasing problems like this. Sigh

[s2driveruk]

hmmm, know the feeling, haven't yet found the source of mine and was bone dry yesterday.....after the rain today i'm sure its back to being wet again

Can you put up a picture of where you are getting this? I'll check mine isnt doing the same!

Cheers
David

[Ross]

This is how I felt last week with the electrical gremlins I was having!! All I can say is, it's a great feeling when suddenly you get it sorted make friends with the car again

Any ideas where the water is entering the A-pillar? May be showing my lack of understanding here but what would be the consequence of sealing up where it's leaking from; would water remain in the A-pillar or drain out the bottom? Just thinking about stopping the issue of rotting the interior while you sort the route cause...

[S2central.net]

Thats the thing... I did try to seal up where its coming from - but there is enough water to bleed thru fresh sealant - I'm using that domestic black gutter stuff as it stays flexible and can be removed at a later date. Its not one if those horrible sealants that cures rock hard and damages rubber seals on removal. I'll post up the vid from my phone - it looks like the A-pillar is crying. Water just appears from the seam.

Remember the other thread about a leak and somebody posted a pic of that drain under the drivers (UK) floorpan... Well I can't see any water draing from that so gave it a good waggle and clearance with about a meter of stiff electrical cable... There was initially some resistance as if blocked somewhere. BIt odd. I have no ****ing idea where that drain comes from.

Give me electrics any day Ross - anyday all day I will pore over schematics, ECUS, oscilloscopes, multimeters, emulators, silicon chips and logic analysers. That **** I can deal with...
This water leak is breaking my will with the car. The novelty of driving around without carpet has LONG worn off.

Whats weird is I think this small leak has been going for a long time - the only reason I discovered it at all was the huge leak caused by the bonnet cable grommet - and the 2nd source caused by the broken door seal trims.

[PeterS]

Paul:
Was your windscreen ever replaced?

-Peter

[ACT10N]

Fed up of leaks too...........

Paul I had the same problems last autumn and went through the motions of fully stripping out the interior and carpet. I have replaced all the sound deadening material with another type that is rubber-like and doesn't absorb any moisture, which helps with avoiding the smell! I'll try find where i got it if it helps, works well for insulation and sound deadening aswell. I fully sealed up all gaps in the door seal areas which cured it for the winter....................until last week! It seemed that the first area to get wet this time was the rear section of the rear seat base, and then progressed onto the footwell in the rear again. On twisty roads or parked on a hill this then runs forward and back. I plan to recheck the bootlid seals for leaks. Just thought it might help you to check the rear seat base and boot carpet?
David

[S2central.net]

Paul:
Was your windscreen ever replaced?

-Peter

Not in my time... and all the glass carries proper Audi ring logos. HOwever I did find one or two bits of what looked like broken glass when I stripped out the carpet. Bit of a worry. I knew the car had been attacked once before me as it had the front bumper stolen at some stage. For all I know it was stolen, crashed, half-destroyed, bent to **** and rebuilt under insurance when the car was much younger. Nothing that drastic appears on the history though - dealer or independent checks - but thats not so strange.

My heart is broke... Where is the kit car brochure ?

[Sonic]

Well there are only several places it can get into the A pillar - the most obvious being where it meets the windscreen, where that strip of rubber is.

Have you checked to make sure all the rivets are in? Are the rivets sealed? Is the door strip in correctly?