Water ingress spare wheel well

[Wjn80]

Hi, I know there have been quite a few threads here and elsewhere about this, especially about the mk7. I have a brand new 2024 Mk 8 GTi (1000 miles so far). I opened the boot floor to look in the spare wheel bay and there was about an inch of water sloshing about. I checked the usual areas for ingress, light cluster, areal, badge tube, side pressure vents but these all seem to be dry. I dried out the space and then spent a couple of days driving only to find more water in there (it hasn’t rained since drying but roads have been damp). I have attached some pictures of space and short video. I can see what looks to be sealent of some sort puddled by the drivers side below boot lid. My wife broke the drivers side bumper reflector by reversing slowly into another car. No damage to that car and only reflector broken on mine. I doubt that will have caused any structural damage but my concern is VW will try and say that’s cause to avoid warranty repair. What do you all think may be cause? Thanks for your help

 

[PanEuropean]

It's pretty obvious from the first two pictures you attached (5784 & 5783) that there is a massive friggin' crack in the structure of the spare tire well. Look carefully at the jagged vertical line running up the entire right side of photo 5784 - that's a crack, and that's probably where water is coming in.

Damage to the rear bumper reflector ALONE will not cause any problems. The reflector is embedded in the bumper cover, and the bumper cover is not a component used to make the interior of the car waterproof - if you stick your hand underneath the bumper cover you can reach up and feel the other side (forward side) of the reflector in the bumper.

My guess is that when your wife broke the reflector, whatever she hit was a pretty solid object and she hit it with considerable force. That is the only think I can think of that would cause the crack in the spare tire wheel well.

For what it's worth, someone rear-ended my 2024 GTI two days after I bought it. That collision broke the reflector in the rear bumper cover and also cracked the bumper cover. Both were replaced during the repair process, but there was no other damage done to the vehicle. It appears that you have not been so fortunate.

What do you all think may be cause?

Your wife.

 

[Wjn80]

It's pretty obvious from the first two pictures you attached (5784 & 5783) that there is a massive friggin' crack in the structure of the spare tire well. Look carefully at the jagged vertical line running up the entire right side of photo 5784 - that's a crack, and that's probably where water is coming in.

Damage to the rear bumper reflector ALONE will not cause any problems. The reflector is embedded in the bumper cover, and the bumper cover is not a component used to make the interior of the car waterproof - if you stick your hand underneath the bumper cover you can reach up and feel the other side (forward side) of the reflector in the bumper.

My guess is that when your wife broke the reflector, whatever she hit was a pretty solid object and she hit it with considerable force. That is the only think I can think of that would cause the crack in the spare tire wheel well.

For what it's worth, someone rear-ended my 2024 GTI two days after I bought it. That collision broke the reflector in the rear bumper cover and also cracked the bumper cover. Both were replaced during the repair process, but there was no other damage done to the vehicle. It appears that you have not been so fortunate.


Your wife.

Thanks for this. I hadn’t looked at the photos properly until you pointed them out! The crack is on the rear and I hadn’t been looking at it in that way. Must be from the crash. Hit some sort of post. Do you think it can be fixed or will it require a new wheel well? Does it form part of the sub frame? Sorry I know very little about the construction of the car. Thanks for the help.

 

[Wjn80]

I have had another look and what looks like crack in the photos is actually a line where one piece meets another. See video attached. That is the same seem all along the boot. Looks like a bit rippling in the corners. Definitely no crack though. Original photo makes it look that way. Any other thoughts?

 

[SRGTD]

Do you think it can be fixed or will it require a new wheel well? Does it form part of the sub frame? Sorry I know very little about the construction of the car. Thanks for the help.

With no disrespect intended to forum members, a forum might not be the best place to get an answer to those questions. IMHO it would be best to get the opinion of a good, reputable body shop, who should also be able to give you an estimate of the cost of repairs to fix your water ingress issue

I think the camera angle of the pictures in your earlier post was a little deceptive, making the join between those two metal panels look like a crack.

You could get into the boot and then have someone to run water over the outside of the rear end of the car with an open ended hose. You will hopefully then be able to see the point(s) at which the water is entering the car.

Back in the 1980’s, I was unfortunate enough to have a low speed accident where I bumped into the back of another car in slow moving traffic. Following the incident, every time it rained I had a water ingress into the front passenger side footwell. It took months to find the source of the problem, which was eventually tracked down to a fractured seam weld in the engine compartment that wasn’t spotted at the time my car was repaired. It required the dashboard and much of the car’s interior to be removed though to find it, while someone laid on the floor of the car and water was hosed over the front exterior panels and the bulkhead.

Hope you can get your car fixed soon and repairs aren’t too difficult or costly .