Big water leak on pass. side floors

[draza74]

Both front and rear floors on the pass. side are leaking water.
I don't know truly when it started but for the first time this morning as I was backing out of my drive way I saw a bunch of water drop from underneath from glove box. Oddly enough though while a good amount got onto the front pass side mat, most of the water appeared at the back floor.
The floor is so soaked I get it all out. I sat for 40 minutes off and on using multiple towels and paper towels trying to soak it up but it wouldn't go.

It ISN'T coolant. At first it had no scent but after while of essentially scrubbing the carpet with towels the scent starting to come out but it wasn't very strong.
It smelled like soap/cleaner. I've only once had my carpets cleaned and that was done with a vacuum. No liquids of any kind.
The only idea I can come up with is when I wash my car, soapy water is getting into it somehow..
Like I said, it can't be coolant. Coolant smells strong. My coolant level is just a hair below min. and hasn't moved all day.
I sadly havn't been checking my coolant so I have no idea how's been the past few months or more. But I figure it was leaking coolant, it would be completely empty.

What the hell is going on?

I'm thinking this friday or sat. i'll just gut the rear since I was going eventually anyway.
Perhaps by then i'll know by then..

 

[OldVWFan]

Sounds like water is getting into the air intake for the A/C and Heat. The cabin filter is behind the glovebox, so I would check to see if the filter is wet or that area. The glovebox will need to be dropped down to access the filter. I assume the GTI does not have a sunroof, so I would check the drains that are in the arear where the windshield wiper mechanics are. If the car sits out and gets a lots of debris in this area the drains could plug or be partially blocked and the water builds up then overflows into the air inlet. Cannot think of anything else unless you have a sunroof then those drains could contribute to the problem.

 

[draza74]

Sounds like water is getting into the air intake for the A/C and Heat. The cabin filter is behind the glovebox, so I would check to see if the filter is wet or that area. The glovebox will need to be dropped down to access the filter. I assume the GTI does not have a sunroof, so I would check the drains that are in the arear where the windshield wiper mechanics are. If the car sits out and gets a lots of debris in this area the drains could plug or be partially blocked and the water builds up then overflows into the air inlet. Cannot think of anything else unless you have a sunroof then those drains could contribute to the problem.

No sun roof but i'm confused how this translates to the rear bottom right floor being flooded

 

[OldVWFan]

If the front floor has sufficient water laying in it and you accelerate hard it could move it to the back. Also, I don't know exactly how the floor plan is formed so there could be away for the water just to flow to back floor boards. Need to pull up the carpet and maybe remove the passenger seat to see. Need to get a wet/dry vacuum to pull the water out of the carpet and floor as much as possible, then let it dry by maybe using a hair dryer.

 

[draza74]

So the front carpet is damp at the worst but there is a bit of water on the mat. Rear floor is SOAKED beyond belief, almost a lake in there.
Cabin filter was nasty. Wet at the bottom. I'm an idiot and never changed it and i'm at 20k miles, bought new. I don't know if replacing it and vacuuming the water up will help but i'll do that for now.

 

[maxwell]

Sounds to me like speaker seals on the rear doors. Ask me how I know.

 

[draza74]

Sounds to me like speaker seals on the rear doors. Ask me how I know.

I will be checking that aswell.

 

[draza74]

I WILL POINT OUT, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS RELATED BUT I'M SURE IT IS
My car sits parked on an upward slope on my driveway

 

[OldVWFan]

My 17 GTI is approaching 4 years and is at 20178 and I haven't changed the cabin filter, but mine is parked inside probably 95% of the time. I would also check the drains in what I call the cowling area (where the wiper mechanism resides). I believe that these can be seen without removing the plastic cover. Look through the perforated area into the corner, they are an oval opening and pretty large so this may not be the problem but worth a look. Are there any leaves or other debris in this area?

 

[maxwell]

I can almost guarantee rear speak seal based on what i've read so far.

When it rains, (And yes, incline can exacerbate the issue) at a certain point rainwater that drains between the door panels fills to above the rear speak seals. If the seals are compromised (mine was from warranty work on the door and poorly re-riveted speakers, most is from age on the earlier mk7's) then water leaks at that area and into the rear footwell.

If it rains, and you notice water on the door well plastic, its coming from the speaker seals more likely than not.

 

[draza74]

I can almost guarantee rear speak seal based on what i've read so far.

When it rains, (And yes, incline can exacerbate the issue) at a certain point rainwater that drains between the door panels fills to above the rear speak seals. If the seals are compromised (mine was from warranty work on the door and poorly re-riveted speakers, most is from age on the earlier mk7's) then water leaks at that area and into the rear footwell.

If it rains, and you notice water on the door well plastic, its coming from the speaker seals more likely than not.

My sills were dry from what I could tell

 

[maxwell]

bored here at the home office... so use my experience and shitty picture below as a reference and let us know.

Water where the sketchy red hand drawn oval is on the plastic, then yeah its getting in from the speaker seal most likely, or from the door drainage somewhere else.

Water where the blue circle is, normal.

 

[draza74]

Can't see the pic, only see a red X

 

[maxwell]

imgur upload error, fixed.

 

[maxwell]

id also run a dehumid in your car immediately if the carpets soaked. Otherwise, gonna be a compounded issue with mold damage

Lastly, if under warranty press this hard!