Water ingress/condensation problems

[Op97]

I have had my polo gti for 4 months old from new and have started to notice water ingress/condensation problems.
I noticed my car steams up randomly when the car hasn't been used, also when it's cold there's a lot of condensation build up. When I got in my car last week I noticed ice had formed on the inside of the windows. I have also noticed my passenger side front carpet is damp and also the back passanger side carpet is soaking. I've checked around the door seals and they seem to be fine and underneath but couldn't see anything wrong.
I'm calling VW tomorrow to get the car booking in for investigation due to it only being 4 months old and under warranty (its been in twice with other problems since owning it, sound actuator fault and rear brakes), I was just wondering if any other polo gti+ owners have experienced this or if anyone has any information that can help me.

[SRGTD]

Condensation build up on the inside of car windows at this time of year isn’t unusual. However, soaking wet carpets is unusual and shouldn’t be happening, so it does sound as if you have a water ingress issue, rather than the ‘normal’ windows misting up which happens at this time of year when the ambient temperature reaches dew point and condensation forms on the inside surface of car windows.

A fairly common cause of water ingress into the car’s cabin on the mk7 Golf is failing or failed door speaker seals. Rain water / car washing water that enters the door cavity between the seal and the bottom of the windows in the doors runs past the door speaker seals and into the car’s cabin, rather than running out of the door drainage holes and onto the ground outside the car as it should do. I don’t know if this is an issue with the Polo, but you could test it on your car;

• With the car door open, pour water down the outside of the window in that door.

• When water stops running out of the door’s drainage holes, feel along the bottom edge of the door where the door card meets the metal work for signs of water. If it’s wet, then it’s likely the speaker seal may have failed or been fitted incorrectly in the factory.

Forum member @mike sel had a water leak issue with his Polo SEL; wet carpets front and back on the passenger side of the car. On their car, water was entering the cabin at the bottom corner of the windscreen, and to fix the problem required removal of the dashboard and replacing the carpets. Check out the discussion threads at the links below;

https://www.uk-polos.net/viewtopic.php? ... ak#p546471

Third post from bottom of page 20 in this discussion thread;
https://www.uk-polos.net/viewtopic.php? ... ak#p547339

[SRGTD]

OP started two identical threads and both have been replied to so I thought I’d post a link to the other to join up the posts;

https://www.uk-polos.net/viewtopic.php? ... 99#p579799

I’ve also asked forum admin to merge these two discussion threads into one.

[Andy Beats]

rather than the ‘normal’ windows misting up which happens at this time of year when the ambient temperature reaches dew point and condensation forms on the inside surface of car windows.

You say normal, but I'm looking at the car park now and here's the list of cars.

Ford Puma
Renault Clio
Jag SUV thing (F-pace??)
Nissan Qashqai
Citroen something or other
Vauxhall Astra
BMW 3 series
Audi A3

Guess whose car was the only one sitting waiting to defrost (on the inside) on Friday.....
I have a PINGI demist pad on the dash too.
Honestly, what is it with these cars and mist...(my 95tsi was the same)

[lancslad1985]

Don’t waste your time with the pingi it’s rubbish. Mine lasted no time at all for first use, didn’t recharge in the 6 minutes it stated (took double that) and would never turn fully blue again. Biggest waste of £6 ever.

My next steps are to try the cat litter in a sock trick and shaving foam on the window.

[SRGTD]

In addition to the natural phenomenon of the ambient temperature reaching dew point or lower and airborne water vapour condensing, the factors below might also contribute to condensation build up on windows or be the reason for water ingress into the cabin;

• Dirty windows; keeping them scrupulously clean will help prevent condensation ‘sticking’ to the glass, and also help windows to clear more quickly if they do mist up.

• Blocked or wet pollen filter.

• For those with a panoramic roof, blocked drain pipes.

• Worn, defective or deformed door / tailgate rubbers or window seals.

• Water collected on floor mats from wet footwear.

• Wet clothing or umbrellas kept in the car.

Other water ingress issues on the mk7 / mk7.5 Golf that have been reported on various forums over the years are listed below. Some of these could possibly also affect the Polo;

• leaking speaker seals in the doors (already covered in the second post in this discussion thread).

• perished rubber grommet on the bottom of the drain pipe from that runs down inside the tailgate from the tailgate handle and out the bottom of the tailgate. On the Golf, this grommet in known to perish with age and if this happens, water can run into the tailgate, drain onto the boot floor or collect in the spare wheel well, rather than drain down the tube and out through the grommet.

• Tailgate hinges; there have been instances on the Golf where water has entered the cabin around the tailgate hinge fixing points above the tailgate opening. If this happens, a tell tail sign will be a damp and / or water stained roof lining, and possibly damp boot floor and / or damp back seat.

• Defective or damaged seal between roof aerial gasket and the roof panel.

• Rubber ‘sleeve’ / tubing that protects the wiring from the car into the tailgate (top left corner of the tailgate opening on the Polo); if there’s a poor seal between this sleeve and the bodywork, water could enter and run into the boot.

Additionally, using air con for its dehumidifying effect rather than for cooling at this time of year can also help to dry the air in the car (I keep my air con switched on 24/7).

[radiouser]

Hello all, new to this forum. HNY to all!
I have had this problem with my 2018 Polo.Front passenger footwell was soaking wet.I took it back to the main dealer for investigation.They found two leaks.1 leak was from around the windscreen and required screen removal to effect a repair.This was done last week the other leak was fixed before christmas,so far so good!

[Op97]

I have called VW and now my car is booked in for inspection, I have to wait 2 weeks and I'm just worried that more water will start getting in due to the current weather. The car is only 4 months old and it doesn't seem right that I've already had 4 problems with this vehicle, hopefully VW can fix the issue. I have put my hand under the carpet front/back and the insulation/sound deadening is full of water.

[SRGTD]

I have called VW and now my car is booked in for inspection, I have to wait 2 weeks and I'm just worried that more water will start getting in due to the current weather. The car is only 4 months old and it doesn't seem right that I've already had 4 problems with this vehicle, hopefully VW can fix the issue. I have put my hand under the carpet front/back and the insulation/sound deadening is full of water.

In your position I think I’d be speaking to the dealer to see if there’s any way it can be looked at sooner.

Judging by the amount of water you’re finding, there’s clearly an issue that needs to be resolved, so I’d be getting the dealer to agree that when you take the car in for investigation, they’ll keep it until they’ve found the source of the leak and fixed it, rather than they just investigate it and you then have to book the car in a second time for them to actually fix the problem.

As water leaks can take some time to locate and fix, they may need to keep your car for a prolonged period of time, so I’d also be getting them to agree to loan you a car at VW’s expense while they’re working on yours. I’d also want the carpet, insulation and any other saturated / waterlogged interior trim replaced, rather than the existing carpet etc. just dried out and refitted.

Good luck. Please keep the forum updated on progress and the outcome.

[radiouser]

Further to my earlier post I thought the dealer had cured my leak(s) but the front passenger footwell is soaking wet again.Car is going back in again
nextweek for investigation!!

[Iamnotbarry]

I have called VW and now my car is booked in for inspection, I have to wait 2 weeks and I'm just worried that more water will start getting in due to the current weather. The car is only 4 months old and it doesn't seem right that I've already had 4 problems with this vehicle, hopefully VW can fix the issue. I have put my hand under the carpet front/back and the insulation/sound deadening is full of water.

with the current weather in the UK id suggest using a cover for the car to stop any more water ingress. i've not noticed any water ingress on my 2019 gti, but i do use a cover to stop frost on my windscreen and to keep the water off. i will be checking for water ingress though just in case!

[Andy Beats]

As others have said, you should be pressuring the dealer to take the car sooner.
How have you paid for the car, via PCP maybe?
If so, remember that it's 'their' car and you're only renting it, so you can put pressure on them too.
Our Evoque was a pain for the first month, never out of the garage until a faulty DPF sensor was finally diagnosed and replaced.
The PCP company were very helpful in putting pressure on the dealer, arranging a loan car and giving us compensation.

[Op97]

I have contacted the VW dealer and they've managed to get my car in at the end of the week. I will keep everyone up to date and thanks for the responses.

[Andy Beats]

My next steps are to try the cat litter in a sock trick and shaving foam on the window.

Shaving foam doesn't work on motorbike visors, so sceptical about windscreens too, bit of an old wife's tale that one I think.
The sock with cat litter is interesting though.
Being a Scot, I've got some nice long kilt socks I could use that would stretch a fair way across the dash..
Hmm....

[Op97]

My polo interior has now been stripped and water tested to see where the leak is coming from, they have found that one of the rubber grommets is allowing water to pass through. They have dried out the interior and said the insulation is perfectly fine.
I have just received a phone call from them and now since installing all interior back together they have created another fault with the vehicle. They have stated that my dsg selector doesn't work anymore and now have to investigate this issue.
I have now had 5 warranty issues since owning car and the car is currently 4 moths old.