Reverting to the subject of water collecting in the driver footwell of my Mk IV Golf Estate, I note that elswhere on this website a similar problem with the Passat is said to be due to blocked drain outlets from the plenum chamber. Still haven't a clue what a plenum chamber is (sounds like a full Houses of Parliament to me), but I'm guessing it's the area immediately in front of the windscreen where rainwater runoff has to collect. Older cars I have owned had obvious rubber hoses coming off the floor of this compartment - easy matter to extract any leaves, etc. that blocked them. On the Golf I can't even see or feel any such drainage hoses. Can anyone tell me where the drainage outlets are on a Mk IV - or does the car have to be taken apart with a knife and fork to get at them?
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Allan,
Many cars these days, do not have "drain tubes" fitted. The norm is to have a plain hole in the far side, (Ie right by the wing) or a grommet with a one way flap fitted into it. Sometimes they can be difficult to locate, as they often have plastic covers over the top of the plenium chamber that has to be removed first.
Regards Brian
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Clearly the first thing is to check the drain outlets from the plenum chamber at the foot of the windscreen - and thanks for the pointer about the location of the drainage holes. But how do I get access to this area?? I don't fancy removing (even if I knew how) the large plastic tray moulding that encases the windscreen wipers and seems to form a kind of seal to the bottom edge of the entire windscreen. But if somebody can give me specific instructions, I'm willing to have a go. Without removing this moulding, though, the drain holes appear to be totally inaccessible. So a brilliant piece of VW design, then.
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There is a bit of a knack to removing the plenum chamber (scuttle) cover. It's pushed into a gripper that runs the lenght of the bottom of the screen, and is quite brittle.
Remove the wipers - 13mm nuts
Remove the bulkhead seal - simple push on
Remove two little covers at each of the wing tops - these are clipped into place and are again a bit brittle
Remove the scuttle trim - start at one end get your fingers under the trim and lift out, then using somthing like a plastic spatula slidt it along the gripper. Once the gripper part is fully released you'll need to do a bit of jiggling to get the trim out from under the bonnet.
Assembly is reverse, but use some thing to lubricate the gripper when refitting, washing up and water mix will be fine.
(Glass-Tech)
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Thanks for that - you are a mine of useful information. 13 mm nuts for the wipers: would they be under a clip-on plastic cover, like a large Smartie (does that date me?), in the centre of the boss (centre point of wiper arc). Can't see any nuts, so this is my best guess. Are you sure none of this has any effect on the integrity of the seal at the foot of the windscreen? I wouldn't want to make things worse ... And I suppose there is no other way to get at those drain outlets and clear them (not from below, for example?)
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Yes the 13mm nuts are under the large smarties!!
Don't worry about the windscreen seal, the scuttle trim is just that, a trim. The screen is sealed with the adhesive that holds the screen in place.
As described above just take it carefully as the trims are quite brittle.
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Water collecting in driver footwell of Mk IV Golf Estate: the finger has been pointed at the pollen filter cover (if wrongly replaced), but this is on the passenger side. So would this be the cause of leaks on the passenger side only? Or can water track along from the pollen filter to the driver side of the car? I'm just trying to find out if I can eliminate the pollen filter theory or not ....
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I have a similar problem of leak on passenger side on my Honda Civic 1.4, 3dr.1998. I have followed the procedure described above and have not been successful in locating the source of leak posssibly because each model has variation of fittings and locations. In my case rain water comes in even when stationery but much more while driving(a litre or more). I have looked inside the planum chamber, no sign of drainage outlet or pollen filter. Removed glove box to examine from inside, still no sign of either. I am at a loss cmpletely too.
Dean Mal(Forum Subject: Honda Civic, rain water leak)
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Hi I am new to this site - sorry if this comes a bit late for you I have a MKIV Golf estate - still under warranty - cabin leaks both sides can be caused by faulty seals in the door. Look carefully next time it rains you will see a trail of water coming from the bottom of the speakers and onto the carpet. VW dealer solved this - the seal is in the door card somewhere!
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