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Fix a leaking A pillar (DIY)

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leak roof
142K views 131 replies 31 participants last post by  voxmagna 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I've never written up a how to before but I figured I should document this somewhere in case someone else finds it useful. I didn't find very many pictures showing what this looks like before I attempted this so I hope the pictures can help anyone that is trying to attempt it. I had to put all the pictures as links at the bottom because for some reason I was not able to attach any pictures.
The whole thing (both sides) maybe took me an hour. It wasn’t very difficult just took time to make sure it dried and to have patience when removing the panels as you don’t want to break any of the pieces (VW charges a lot for them).

I had a problem that every time it rains I would get water running down the front a pillar and as I drove I would get drops onto my pants. I used krytox on all the seals around the roof as per VW instructions but this did not help at all. I also heard of people cleaning out the sun roof drain tubes from the roof however I discovered that mine were clean and water could run through them freely.

Removing the sun visor panel
You may not have to remove the whole panel which is holding the sun visors however I found it easier to pull this down a bit before attempting to remove the A pillar panels.
Start by removing the sun visors. I don't have a picture but there is a screw under cover where it is attached on the side closest to the window (See picture 2 and 3). This came off very easily for me. The power cables are connected on this site so be careful when pulling and disconnect them. The hard part is removing the other side which hold the visor in place. These have covers that just clip on and were very hard to remove. After you get the small covers off there are 2 torx screws underneath which you need to remove. (See picture 1). Once I had the screws out I could just run my finger and a flat head screwdriver around the edge which allowed me to pull off the panel that holds the dome lights and visors. If you want to take the whole thing off you will need to disconnect the cables in the centre but this was pretty straight forward (1 clip).

Picture 1



Picture 2



Picture 3




Removing the A pillar panel
The panel that runs down the A pillar is held in by little knobs that you can just pull out on (see picture 4). Pull away from the side window as they are pointing out. You will also have to remove the piece at the top of the A pillar which is held by 2 metal clips (see picture 5) and just pulls straight down. 1 of my clips was pretty rusty and so it held very hard and actually did not come off with the plastic piece. You can see in my picture that 1 metal clip is missing.

Picture 4



Picture 5





Fixing the tube
Finally you will find a tube inside (See picture 6 of it disconnected and 7 where the tube connects on). In my case this tube was pretty hard and a little bent which caused a gap around the edges between where the plastic joint was connected with the tube. I found a tiny bit of old hard glue on it which wasn't doing much anymore. I took some washroom caulking from my bathroom as I figured this would be a little flexible and went around the outside of the tube which has a little connector at the end of it. Don’t put any caulking on the top side of the connector its only the part where the connector joints with the tube that needs to be “glued”. The top black end which is highlighted in picture 7 does not need anything put on it. Just make sure to reconnect the joint over it properly when you are done. It was actually holding pretty snugly for me. Picture 6 shows the tube with the connector on the end and picture 8 shows the tube without the connector that needs to be glued/sealed to it.

Picture 6



Picture 7



Picture 8





Picture 1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/i5q2s9f7lmxw5p6/1.jpg
Picture 2 https://www.dropbox.com/s/oopeycbala38cv1/2.jpg
Picture 3 https://www.dropbox.com/s/erkeq6ihiame5e6/3.jpg
Picture 4 https://www.dropbox.com/s/jdpcmjz8znlt9il/4.jpg
Picture 5 https://www.dropbox.com/s/puffddxiocltx4z/5.jpg
Picture 6 https://www.dropbox.com/s/dd5gy6j8zlxm4xw/6.jpg
Picture 7 https://www.dropbox.com/s/402bj48rmwb67pg/7.jpg
Picture 8 https://www.dropbox.com/s/cbdan9v8chpauqo/8.jpg

If you have any questions about this or its unclear let me know and I'll try to clarify.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Hi Azanoncello,

In case you were wondering how I put your pictures into your post, I used the "Insert Image" tool after downloading your images from your Dropbox account and storing them in a Photobucket account which allowed the images to be downloaded direct into the post.

Thank you for providing this very useful guide for the benefit of other members.

Silvershadow
 
#4 ·
This might be related to another problem which I had as well. When you open your sunroof you will find a small piece of tap (almost looks fabric), however this seems to help channel the water into the right groove so that it gathers in the small reservoir which then leads to these tubes going down the "A" pillar. The tape seemed to have dried out and shifted which allowed water to go down a side it wasn't supposed to.

Every time I would break hard water would come running forward and then soak the whole beam which would then drip on my pant leg or window switches if I was turning.

I managed to use some glue (more of a goo type, almost like caulking), to re-attach the tape and seal up any holes where water could go. So far I haven't had the problem since. There have been quite a few heavy downpours in the last month and still no problem.

If I can find pictures of it I'll be sure to post them as it might make the description a little easier to follow.
 
#5 ·
The biggest problem with these cars is knowing how to remove the plastic trim where mistakes lead to breakage and expensive replacement parts.

You covered those issues well with your write up and photos - Thanks
 
#7 ·
I actually had to open mine up again this spring and re-caulk/seal it. I must not have done a very good job the first time I did it. So far I have only had to fix the drivers side (left). No problems on the other side since owning the car.

My only problem has always been putting back the plastic cover. There seems to be a metal lip on the outside (side where the door window is) that I can't get the plastic cover to go back in between. I have the rubber seal going over so it still looks right but I can tell when I look at the passenger side that I don't have it in all the way. Doesn't affect anything other than looks.
 
#8 ·
Hi Azanoncello, I'm going to have a go at this this weekend, will let you know how I get on. I've taken quite a few bits of the car apart before so you get a feel for how its held together and how hard you can force the trim before it snaps! Thanks again for the photos, without those I would have probably gone back to the dealer for a big bill!
 
#9 ·
There is a VW spec for the sealant they use across rubber seal joints. There are lots of joints in their design so plenty of potential leaks. I think theirs is more epdm based than silicone rubber.

I have a tube of black 'silicon gasket' which I find works o.k for me, provided you throughly clean both surfaces with an alcohol wipe first. Across some of their seals they use sealant as a filler, smoothing it to form a water channel. Silicone can be smoothed in a similar way if you dip a finger in soapy water and smooth it across.
 
#10 ·
Update, the pipe and the 'ball joint' connector (white plastic) section, were all in one piece, but the pipe had a tiny longitudinal split in it, repaired with self amalgamating tape. The joint between the two components was very strong, could not be easily pulled apart. Also the pipe seemed to be a more flexible cream coloured material. My car is mid 2008, so perhaps they fixed one problem and caused another!

Cheers!
 
#11 ·
Thanks for the update. In the past I have found some plastics of the cream color are cheap and go brittle over time. In this protected location I fail to understand any other cause, since it is not exposed to sunlight or vibration.

My alternative choice to put right their material problem would be something in UPVC from the plumbing shop for the connector, or even copper tube in the right size. Then I would go for silicone hose.

It is a while since I looked at their pipe size in the pillar, but I remember it has a very thin wall. I just bought some clear silicone hose off Fleabay for a PC water cool project and that might be a better material choice for a permanent fix. Silicone hoses are available in many sizes and wall thickness for use in food and drinks machines.
 
#12 ·
Fix a A pillar leakage, how to.

Hi, followed your how to, worked great, and yes what a f.. hard to remove cover on the sun visor stud, cost me an hour and the stud. Got myself new ones for 5 euro. Caulked the leak and put everything back together. Never would have managed it without your outstanding how to.
Thanks very much.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Newby

Hey I've had my Eos for a month now it's an 06 2.0 T FSI and I've already bonded quite strongly with it lol(I know I'm a sado) I was heartbroken the 1st time I noticed evidence of the leak but had never actually experienced it while in the vehicle. I was about to order some krytox n get busy when I saw your post and took the time to make sense of it all. Upon closer inspection today as it's been pissing down for the past two days I noticed you were spot on with your description of the pillar problem and thankfully I can't find any other points where is leaking other than a tiny one towards the rear where the panel flips up and down when you operate the roof. I've already had a practice run disconnecting the visor now I just need to get some of that caulking material you were talking about. gonna tackle it this weekend, I'll let you know how it goes but I'm pretty confident it'll work. I just want to thank you in advance you're a bloody genius mate cos I've heard about the krytox not working and was getting worried about keeping the car. It's a fantastic lil car and I'd hate to have to get rid so soon. Thanks again:)
 
#14 ·
My pillar leak returned with a vengeance.

Krytox applied and drain tubes flushed, all done.

Drain tube Question: on Uk passenger side drain tube, where water comes out as clean squirt. But my driver side seems to come out in several places as though the exist of the tube is behind some panels?is this correct or have I got a split/ loose drain tube in my arch liner somewhere?

Thanks
 
#15 · (Edited)
At the moment mine only comes out in one place each side. I actually measured the amount of water in a measuring jug and measured what came out, which was roughly what went in.

Their drain hoses are not that thick walled so somebody pushing wire through them could have caused damage. I doubt very much they are real rubber and can rot. You could always try blocking the outlet with a bung then blowing through and seeing if there's some air resistance.

This may be way off for some, but I got one of those little cameras off fleabay. It's 8mm dia and may be the kind of thing to run through or back up, as long as it doesn't get jammed in!

I think the drains must be put in early on when the body is bare without trim. I can't see why the front pair of drains would have any branches, although they seem to be able to make these hoses with male and female socket ends and join them up.

OK, here you go. Checked on ETKA for my 2007. The front drain hoses from the sunroof channels are in one piece until they hit a convoluted push on piece at the bottom. The 2 rear drains are the same. With care you could probably run a wire mouse through and replace each one with a single run of silicone hose, but get a wall thickness sufficient to handle some bending. I don't know why they have that strange convoluted end piece. Convoluted hose can pick up and trap muck and they are very hard to clean out. It might also come unstuck if blocked and somebody has used an air line.
 

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#17 ·
A little history, first. In November we sold (reluctantly) my wife's 2005 Mustang GT convertible. It was a standard transmission and she developed a nerve problem in her left foot (not from the car) and couldn't use the clutch without pain.

We picked up a 2008 Eos in fair condition and I began doing all the required service and cleaning to get it up to snuff. The mustang never really left the garage except on clear days, but since the Eos is a hard top, it get more use. I did the Kryotox on all the seals, but it still leaked on rainy days.

I found this thread and did the repair last night. Sure enough it was leaking on the driver's side tube at the fitting/tube connection. Passenger side was ok, but I repaired that side also.

I don't think this is the first time this was done in my Eos. (1) there was black RTV at the fitting/tube connection (falling off) and the sun visor screws were all loose.

BTW this is a stupid design, the tube should go on the outside of the fitting, not inside.

I cleaned off the old RTV and applied new clear, adhesive RTV. I tested after it dried and no leaking. Hopefully this holds for a while, but if I do have to get back into the pillars I'll rework the fitting to put the tube outside, somehow.

Thanks for the writeup.
 
#49 ·
A little history, first. In November we sold (reluctantly) my wife's 2005 Mustang GT convertible. It was a standard transmission and she developed a nerve problem in her left foot (not from the car) and couldn't use the clutch without pain.



We picked up a 2008 Eos in fair condition and I began doing all the required service and cleaning to get it up to snuff. The mustang never really left the garage except on clear days, but since the Eos is a hard top, it get more use. I did the Kryotox on all the seals, but it still leaked on rainy days.



I found this thread and did the repair last night. Sure enough it was leaking on the driver's side tube at the fitting/tube connection. Passenger side was ok, but I repaired that side also.



I don't think this is the first time this was done in my Eos. (1) there was black RTV at the fitting/tube connection (falling off) and the sun visor screws were all loose.



BTW this is a stupid design, the tube should go on the outside of the fitting, not inside.



I cleaned off the old RTV and applied new clear, adhesive RTV. I tested after it dried and no leaking. Hopefully this holds for a while, but if I do have to get back into the pillars I'll rework the fitting to put the tube outside, somehow.



Thanks for the writeup.


One year+ later...no leaks even thru car wash.
 
#20 ·
I've used thin 'post-it-note' paper in 1 inch wide strips on other seals. Trap the paper then slide it around the closed seal.

If the paper feels as if it is gripped, the seal is probably o.k. If it feels loose without friction in places, then the seal surfaces are not mating.
 
#80 ·
After looking at my A-pillar leaks (just a few drips from the corners, usually at high speed, as some others have reported - or when backing up after it's been rained on), I did some investigation, did the post-it note test, and had a bit of a think. Bear with me on this...

I've noticed - not just on my Eos but on many photos of them - that the curve of the roof often doesn't quite line up with the windscreen. Given that this happens a lot, and they presumably started off nicely aligned, I wonder if maybe they somehow sink over time.

When the sides of the roof are lower than they should be, this gives the problem (again, which lots of people seem to have experienced) that the windows rub against the seal when opening. But I reckon it does something else too. The sunroof glass is slightly angled; the sunroof movement is constrained by the windscreen; so if the sides of the roof are too low, the seals along the sides won't make contact with the sunroof. Hey presto, water flowing down the drain tubes, and the next thing you know you get a leak.

Correct me if I got anything wrong up to this point, but I think I found the cause of the problem. And now on to the solution.

Obviously the roof needs adjusting. Unfortunately, I live in a country where VW didn't sell the Eos, so these cars are even rarer than they are in places like the UK, and finding a garage that knows about them will be impossible. I figure, too, that at some point we will all have to learn about some slightly trickier roof maintenance stuff if we want to keep our cars on the road, as the knowledge is lost from the dealers and the specialists become rarer.

There is one piece of adjustment that seems obvious to me. Look at the ends of the roof, and you'll see that above the drain tube, locking mechanism and guide pin, there are some metal shims. Adding extra shims here would raise the height of the roof relative to the locking mechanism. The roof will pivot around the point that the hinges support it too, so the back of the roof will drop down. (Does anyone else have a visible gap under their rear windscreen?)

I'm aware that adjusting the roof is tricky and should be left to the professionals, and that roof alignment issues usually mean accident damage, but this seems like quite a common issue that wouldn't be caused by accident damage. In the absence of professionals, and given that I think I might be on to something, I'm wondering if somehow we can come up with a method that a non-professional could use. I figure that any adjustment of this kind would be easily reversible, too - just remove what you added.

So, my questions: has anyone tried adjusting the roof in this way, has anyone found some detailed documentation on the roof mechanism, and does anyone have a clue where to get the shims from, short of taking the whole thing apart? Also, can anyone see any holes in my logic here? :)
 
#22 ·
A-Pillar Tube Sealed - Roof Leaks at Corner of Sunroof Now!

Someone helped me figure out where the water is coming in now. They poured water on the sunroof seal, about 2" back from the front corner - on both driver and passenger sides!

With the sunroof open, I dribbled water into the seal where it flattens out to a little tray-shaped channel that then feeds through the cutout in the header seal. that's where it leaks in.

I used more of the Dupont rubber conditioner all along the edges of the sunroof seal, so I'm hoping that works. Any thoughts on how to stop these leaks?

Thanks!

BB
 
#23 ·
Perhaps I'm not fully understanding, but I thought the sunroof seal drained any water into a hard plastic channel both sides which then connected to the drain tubes running down the 'A' Pillars. It is the connection tube and the way VW designed it that most have had problems with.

I have opened my sunroof and poured a jug of water into those left & right channels with the car on a slight down slope. The amount I poured in was about the same as what came out the bottom and no water came inside the car. I repeated with the car turned around to check the rear drains. Are you saying you cannot do this, or your leak is something different?
 
#24 ·
For some reason, I pour water on the corner of the sunroof and it leaks into the interior before it gets to the tube in the A-pillar. Same thing happens with the sunroof open, and I pour into that channel. And it happens on both passenger and driver's sides! It is almost like there is a gap between the channel and the A pillar. Since it is on both sides, I'm wondering if the side arms of the roof are not closing completely and nee to be adjusted.

I'm worried about taking it to the dealer, though, because I don't want to pay for their learning curve. Unfortunately, I may not have a choice given no one else understands or works on these things.

Sigh...
 
#26 ·
I just noticed the gap between the sunroof side arm (with the channel) and the A pillar is wider on the passenger side (close to 1/2" inside the car - where the trim pieces meet) than on the driver's side (1/4"). That confirms the alignment is off, and that perhaps these pieces need to be tighter to the A pillars to close a gap. I have a call into the dealer - fingers crossed that they have some clue what to do and it won'y cost a fortune.

I'd be curious to know what your gap measurements are.

Thanks!
 
#27 ·
I see the sunroof channel splits about halfway, where one part drop down into the tray which empties into the rubber grommet that connects to the pillar. The other part widens toward the front of the car (about 3" from the front) and drains into the front windshield header rubber channel. Where is it supposed to go from there?
 
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