Can you suggest how we fix water ingress problem in our 2003 Volkswagen Passat?

My son has a 2003 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDI and a 1997 Polo 1.4 16 valve. Both cars suffer from the same problem, namely water leaking into the front passenger footwell. Can you possibly suggest a reason for the problem and, more importantly, a possible solution?

Asked on 9 February 2013 by KT, Sherborne

Answered by Honest John
Yes. It's extremely common on this model Passat because the drains from the scuttle vent well are prone to becoming blocked, especially the drain underneath the battery. It leads to all sorts of problems including brake failure from rusted out brake servo and swamped ECU inside the car. Same goes for the Polo. Please refer to the relevant entries in www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar
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