[V8] 2002 A6Q avant?

[Bob Williams]

I just bought an A6 Avant and there is a lurking issue of windshield  
water runoff being routed to a center drain under the battery. The  
water must run past the pollen air filter box which by this time, 12  
years, has lost its rubber seal, causing a waterfall in the passenger  
foot well. Lots of electronics, like the TCM, get wet under the  
carpet and seat. Of course I didn't know any of this before I bought  
one.

My fix was not completed by clearing the drains, water was still  
draining into the air duct beneath the pollen filter box. I had to  
remove the rain deflector that runs just under the windshield, by  
applying PB Blaster etc. to the upper edge (after removing the metal  
clips) and moving the deflector down while swinging upwards to unlock  
the deflector. Then, you can get to a hidden back nut that holds the  
pollen filter box. Remove all three nuts on the filter box and remove  
it. The rubber gasket that sealed the air duct was totally  
disintegrated. I cleaned up the area and used black silicon caulk to  
seal the box to the car. I did not use caulk around the duct opening.

Earlier in our Audi V8s, Audi routed the runoff water toward the  
fenders. The A6 has a SUPER DESIGN FLAW running the water to the  
center over the interior air duct work where gravity takes it into  
the foot wells. Search A6 water leak for more.