I discovered how the water was coming into the car and now I need to fix it. The problem is that water comes down the windshield and goes behind the black wiper bezel . Then it drops right into the cabin filter box. Although people claim that this box does not have a cover that fits directly on it I think at one time it did. On the front of my filter box is three notches that a cover would latch to.

I think that the cover was solid on top to prevent water from entering but it must have been vented along the side edges. The box also has a lip around the top that would have held the top in place. Does anyone else have the same characteristic's on their box.

Anyway, is the black bezel designed to block water from entering the filter area? If so it must need to be glued to the windshield all the way across. If not then what keeps the water from going underneath it?

Thanks
Rick

 

You don't say what year car, so might be different. My 1998 has no cover. Also you don't say where the water is entering the car, so are you sure it is the cabin filter?

You can remove the long rubber trim piece, slide out the cowling and take a look at the windshield trim. Is it loose or not fitting. I had water in the car so I took the wipers off, took of the windshield trim, cleaned the entire area of debris, including under the battery. Test drains on sides and under battery by pouring water in there and see if runs out.
That needed to be done, but I found out the leak was around an electrical fuse/relay box on the drivers side. The wiring runs though a hole into the car. The box had a foam strip around it, but it was deteriorated, and the lip is only about 1/4 inch high. So with partially clogged drains that area would fill up with water and run over the lip and drip under the steering wheel. I loosened the box, cleaned it up the area, and put silicone around the lip, and no more leaks.

The other issue might be your drain in the blower box is clogged. Water is expected to be in there from rain and condensation. So it should drain. You could pour a little water in the cabin filter box to see if drains. I have never had to do this not quiet sure.

Other test open the sunroof, open both doors, pour a little water on both sides try, does water come out the drains? Those can get clogged and cause water to enter the cabin.

 

I think I figured it out. The black plastic bezal that is below the wiper arms had came out of it's track over the cabin filter. I removed the bezal , used a thin screw driver and cleaned the upper track at the bottom of the windshield . Then I reinstalled the bezal making sure to snap it into the upper track all the way across. It looks like it is sitting against the glass better.

Thanks
Rick

 

Did cleaning the track and replacing the plastic bezel help with your water leak? I am having the same issue on my 1998 A6 and mine might need some adhesive or sealant to help it stay in that track. Let me know.

Mark

 

I had the same issue on my 2002 A6 (4.2) after Safelite replaced the Windshield. The rubber piece on the windshield that allows the black trim around the wipers to attach and seal properly was not done right.
Here a reference of how it looks like: plastic window / cowl trim above battery - AudiWorld Forums

I would make sure the drain under the battery drains properly and after that take a very close look at the black trim and rubber piece of the windshield. One of the other will be the source of your problem.


BTW: Great way of waking a 2 year old thread from the dead

 

I have this exact problem. The battery drain is clear but I be damn if I can stop water from coming in. One garage told me is the cabin filter housing that's broke. I've never had any car have water issues like this car does.

 

For the all the posters who have this leaking, I did to and fixed it by recaulking the cowl that went on the bottom of the window and then recaulked the cabin filter housing. No water leaks after that