Water leak in boot

Hello everyone,

Just looking for some advice about a water leak I’ve been struggling to source but I’m getting close!

So water has been collecting in the boot, where the spare wheel sits. Did a little research and at first thought it was the drain hose for the badge like many others have reported for water in spare wheel well. However, after replacing the perished hose, water was still getting in. Noticed a little water under the carpet on the right hand (drivers) side so started taking the trim away so I could access behind.



Behind the trim reveals a cutout between the layers of bodywork with some sort of vent type contaption. This is where the water is coming in from. When pouring water on the car it comes in at the bottom of this vent pictured below, pooling in this well until the water level rises high enough to leak into the spare wheel well.




It’s quite difficult to see into this cutout but it almost looks like there might be a drain hole in this compartment but I’m not sure (pictured below)



Is this a designed water channel with drain hose or should water not be getting in through this vent? And what steps would you suggest taking to fix the problem? If anyone has any experience with this kind of issue your help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks for reading,
Looking forward to hearing what you have to say

Kev

Nor exactly easy to see the vent but there was a case a while back of some cars having these fitted upside down. The fins should face downwards - are yours?

robby said:

Nor exactly easy to see the vent but there was a case a while back of some cars having these fitted upside down. The fins should face downwards - are yours?

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Thanks for the reply, yeah the fins are pointing downward

I don't think that's a drain hole, it's one of the body bungs (which you could poke a hole in to create a drain). Are you sure water is entering from the vent flaps and not from a leak higher up the D pillar, like from the hatch hinge? Or the taillight?

southpawboston said:

I don't think that's a drain hole, it's one of the body bungs (which you could poke a hole in to create a drain). Are you sure water is entering from the vent flaps and not from a leak higher up the D pillar, like from the hatch hinge? Or the taillight?

Click to expand...

Yes, hatch hinges were an issue on some mk7 Golfs and some owners have experienced water ingress where the hinges are attached to bodywork above the hatch opening. Also worth checking the rubber concertina tubing from the outer rear of the roof to the tailgate that holds the wiring for the rear window demister and rear wiper and washer fluid piping is flush and tight with the metalwork above the hatch opening. As you’ve suggested, check the tail lights for cracks and also check that the seals between the tail light clusters and the bodywork aren’t defective.

Thanks for your responses,

I will double check it over the weekend and report back

[EDIT]
So I've just been a little more methodical with pouring water on it to try and isolate the problem. Started by pouring just above the lights, it was leaking which I guess means we can rule out the hinges and electrical passthrough points for now. Also removed the lights and poured water into the top of the bumper, below the holes that the lights would slot into, and still have water coming in so I guess it has to be those vents? Unless there are any other places where the water could get in low down? In hindsight this makes more sense as the water that was pooled in the bottom was dirty when I first discovered it, presumably from some of the spray.

Although I've seen a couple videos on youtube, if anyone has any hints and tips for removing the rear bumper it would be much appreciated. Already cracked one piece of trim so would like to try and avoid making the same ignorant mistake again!

Ditto to Killbill ^^ we are discussing here and believe we have isolated the issue and found a solution: https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39557

https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showpost.php?p=750436&postcount=20

odd that within a few months of one another, there have been a lot of folks with this issue...

Bäsemödel said:

https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showpost.php?p=750436&postcount=20

odd that within a few months of one another, there have been a lot of folks with this issue...

Click to expand...

I have the same problem

Just to say, I found this thread looking online after I found my wheel rather damp a few days ago. I bought the part to replace my perished pipe to the hatch release/reverse camera, but kept searching anyway as I struggled to see how such an amount of water got in so suddenly this way.
I started working towards the vent this evening and found a pool of water sitting just like mentioned above. I poured water over various parts of the car and cant see any leaks. The only thing I can think is I managed to get the water in through/around the vent whilst washing my car with a pressure washer a few days ago.


The only difference I had was that the rubber seal that was referred to as a drain hole above has a pipe connected for me and it runs up towards the headlining - so I believe this is the sunroof drain. If I pour water on the sunroof seals, the water drips from the rear of the car under the bumper somewhere.


I dried it all out and will keep a check on it, will try to get my bumper off to seal around the vent soon.

It’s the vents 100% sure both of mine were leaking, it’s a design fault. Even the new vents don’t seal properly, you need to replace them and put body sealer around them or they will start leaking again,

There are two vents one on each side.

Hi Halfwheel and Kev, did you guys solve the problem with getting new vents and caulking them or what did you do? I have the exact same problem. Some people online are saying it is because of a small knock to the bumper. Did either of you have that? Only reason I ask is because I did have a small knock on my right rear bumper area (although I probably had the water problem before that) and the vehicle is still under warranty but I think VW is going to give me a lot of excuses why it is not a warrantied defect (a vw dealership that I did not buy the vehicle from and VW Canada were not the most helpful I should say). many thanks

Yes it was definitely the vents, replaced vents in both sides while the bumper was off and sealed with body sealer. The vents are a shit fit and need sealing. No more leaks it was definitely the vents, absolute crap build quality.

Last VW I will buy for a while.