A6 avant - leaking - rear footwell

[JonAvant]

Hi all. 

I’ve had my 2020 avant 45TFSI for 4 days, and when I got in yesterday it smelled really musty and damp. I checked the carpets to find the rear offside footwell soaked! More towards the centre. It’s obviously been leaking a while due to the musty smell. 
is this a common issue? 
 

I’ve now rejected this vehicle but would like to know before I look for another …

[Steve Q]

Not heard of the c8 suffering from this. But can be a number of things from looking at previous A6 models such as blocked water drains allowing water in the cabin, leaking pollen filter housings, leaking sunroofs, leaking door or window seals. 

[NelsonP]

I just bought a 2019 A6 Avant and same issue. The offside rear footwell had about 1/2 an inch of water in it earlier today.

The Audi dealer I bought it from is investigating, have read elsewhere that there is a TSB for it so hoping to get it sorted.

Will post an update here when I have it.

[NelsonP]

I reckon this is the problem....

 

[JonAvant]

2 hours ago, NelsonP said:

I reckon this is the problem....

 

Would the front. Footwells not be wet though? Was only my offside rear which was drenched 

[NelsonP]

As I understand it the water gets in through the air inlet, into the heating system and out through the vents under the seat. I'll see what the dealer says...

[Daniel11]

Yes, it is a common problem. I have it to with my A6 C8. What I try now is to remove falling leaves every week under the hood and near the wipers. It is ridiculous that this has to be done on a car with this purchase price. The car dealer says there is nothing else they can do about it. 

[Daniel11]

Looking at the video, I will try this soon. 
Can you leave the hole open so leaf debris and water can get out more easily? I actually don't see why it couldn't be done. Anyone have an idea?

[NelsonP]

Looking at that video there is definitely something that could be done about it. Just redesign and insert some replacement drains.

In my case, if the dealer can't sort it I will return the car for a refund. It has been in their workshop for 2 weeks now (!)

Audi UK must be aware of this and need to do something about it.

Similar unaddressed issues in the past have resulted in class action lawsuits. The A4 B8 had incorrectly specced piston rings between 2009-2011, which resulted in excessive oil usage. Audi refused to deal with the problem until a US-led class action lawsuit changed their mind.

Let's hope that they are more proactive this time.

Edited November 9, 2023 by NelsonP

[NelsonP]

Similar issues on the A5 perhaps? The comments there suggest Audi are charging customers to resolve it, which is pretty shocking as it is obviously a design fault.

 

[NelsonP]

Same same?

 

[Daniel11]

The latter indeed seems to be the same problem indeed. 

Funny enough, a friend of mine has an Audi A5, same problem. He went to Pon company which is the importer of Audi in the Netherlands
They fixed the problem by installing some kind of tube, and they did it for free because they knew the problem. I have to call my friend this week for more information. Then I will also contact Pon company.

When I showed the problem to the Audi dealer in my city, they reacted as if they saw it for the first time, which must have been a lie. 

I will keep you updated here.

Edited November 12, 2023 by Daniel11

[Mandeep]

Got the same issue with my car. Audi A6 2019. Poor video on my part. But basically having a nightmare with Audi UK who have refused to cover the cost of diagnostics which is £140.00 per hour. The diagnostic work will take hours for Audi to find the problem. Not sure how on earth the water is getting into the car. 
 

Audi UK don’t care about the class action lawsuit either. Link below.  
 

https://www.gcmsettlement.com/#:~:text=In the action%2C Plaintiffs%2C individually,result in water or liquid

Any and all advice welcome. 

[NelsonP]

@mandeep Identical symptoms to my car. I'd only recently purchased mine as an Approved Used Audi and it was rectified by the dealer eventually.

They did not share much detail, but mentioned that the source of the water was in fact from under the wheel arch, and that the problem is rectified by fitting self draining bungs.

You have no hope of removing all of the water with your vac as it sits in all of the cavities under the floor. Over time this will cause a mouldy smell in the car if not rectified.

It is a big job, as all of the water must be removed from the car, and its possible that trim, carpets and any water damaged components will need to be replaced. This is why Audi will not acknowledge it.

Perhaps the community on here, the fact that there is a class action suit and that Audi almost certainly have a TSB about it will persuade them to listen.

Failing that I'd go to a consumer organisation like Which? and see whether they would be prepared to act.

[Daniel11]

Hi Sandeep, 

Audi The Netherlands helped me once with this problen and wanted me to pay the invoice of around €600. I refused to pay andtold them that this is a structural problem and there is nothing I can do about it. After much whining back and forth they agreed anyway. But I was also very angry and being angry in a showroom full of people wanting to buy a new Audi probably helped because they wanted me to be calm:)

I have contacted Audi afterwards and they still don't accept that this is problem is a construction fault. They probably don't want to admit due to the costs it will bring with this type A6. 
I keep pointing this out to them every time I am at Audi for service. 

I had the same problem as you that water was getting into the car. What I do now is I always removed the leaves in the fall. 
I do that around the wipers and under the hood. Also, I open the plastic parts under the hood around the wipers and remove leaves etc here as well. I also use a vacuum cleaner with a long thin hose to get to the parts where my hands can't come and sometimes I also use a a high pressure blower (compressor). If there is still water in there, it has to be sucked out first because that (rain)water will come inside the car once it gets to a certain level. 

I know, it's ridiculous that you have to do this with a car of this price. This is my 4th Audi A6 and I have more problems with it than this alone. So I think it is the last Audi I bought. 
I hope this helped. I did not have any problems anymore after I have been removing the leaves (almost every day in the fall). 

 

Edited January 15 by Daniel11

[Ender]

How do I replace the drain bungs with self draining ones where do I get them in the uk I don’t mind doing the job myself just need to know where and how to do the job.

[JGarcia1283]

See Service Bulletin TSB #2060335/3 

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/MC-10185208-0001.pdf

2019 A6...My car is at the dealer will post how much it costs as vehicle is out of manufacturers warranty an I don't believe my All State Powertrain Extended warranty will cover it.  Well see.