Wet Front Passenger Floor - Gasket Failure?

Wet Front Passenger Floor - NO SUNROOF - Gasket Failure?

I've had a repeated water infiltration problem during periods of heavy rain in the last year (especially in cooler weather). The water keeps pooling in the front passenger floorboard of my '01 TDI - NO SUNROOF. I've pulled the carpet up and dried the carpet pad; I left the carpet folded back and ran a test with a water hose to try to find the problem. With the front right dash panel removed, I can see the water draining into the plenum and out the drain into the front right fender well. I've removed the wheel well liner; it is free of debris. When enough water comes into the plenum via the drains in the cowl, water does pool up against the cabin air filter enclosure (but not over the top). The only possible entry point I can find is around the cabin air filter enclosure. I just found a similar problem with Passats.

Has anyone else had this particular problem that couldn't be explained by clogged sunroof drains, clogged cowl/plenum drains? My car has no sunroof, and the drains are completely clean, but I still collect water. When I run the hose on the cowl/wiper area, I can see a small stream of water running down the front firewall. This afternoon, I coated the cabin air filter housing gasket with silicone adhesive sealant in hopes of stopping the leak before rains come again this week. We'll see what happens. Any thoughts?

I also posted this on newbeetle.org, but I thought there might be some forum members over here that could help out. Somebody else has to have dealt with this.

VWvortex Forums: VW Service Action P9 (water entry)...anyone else?

If the top cover of the cabin filter is not installed right, it will leak as you have described. Have you pulled the dash covers apart to access the cabin filter, or did you seal it from the engine compartment?

I have indeed pulled the dash cover out to access the filter. I can see the water in the plenum running to the drain at the passenger side in front of the filter housing. I removed the filter housing via the dash opening and applied the sealant directly to the housing contact area, then bolted it back in place.

This issue is usually the front sunroof drains getting stopped up at their exit point, which is in the middle of the front door hinge area. They tend to get stuck shut as they are just rubber pinch nipples. I have had good luck with just inserting a small piece of wire in the nipple and leaving it there. This keeps the drains open. DO NOT blow air into the sunroof drains. They are a 2 piece assembly coming down the A-pillar and you will blow them apart. You just think you have problems now if you blow those apart!! If that sounds like the voice of experience, there is a reason for it.

TW