A/C Issue?

[SoCalS4Avant]

Ok, I'm not quite sure if this is the cause of the issue or not, but here it goes.

I'm out driving tonight, and the wife is sitting in the passenger seat. She pulls up her feet (wearing sandals) and says they just got wet. Then feels the floor and it's somewhat damp. Then she notices that there was a couple drips coming from up near the firewall. I figure something's up with the A/C. We'd been driving for about an hour - stop and go, then a long span at about 75-80. I turned off the A/C and we continued on, and it seemed to stop the problem.

Get home and check it out a bit and there's definitely something leaking. Water dripping out from under the dash/firewall area. Can't tell exactly where it's coming from, as I didn't take any of the panels off or pull anything up/out.

A/C condenser? Something else? Thoughts? Not excited about this considering I've got...um...NO WARRANTY!

[ieatfishburitos]

Haven't had this in my audi, but have had it in other cars. Typically there is a condensation tube that runs down and drips water onto the ground. When this tube gets clogged up with something the water comes out in the dash and drips down on the floor, and can literally soak the carpet and floor on the passengers side if no one is sitting over there for awhile to catch it.

Not sure where they are on the Audi, but that is guess #1..

[SoCalS4Avant]

Hmmmm...good place to start. Come to think of it, I hadn't noticed anything on the ground - under the A/C location.

[ant7701]

yeah....very common in all cars. the a/c drain tube under the car gets clogged with all sorts of stuff and when it does....the condensation from the a/c builds up and literally overflows from your evaporator box. And in some cases....like the newer TL's (Acura) the ecu is right there. Sooooo......when the customer builds up leaves and twigs and such on their cowl vents and that shit will clog up the drain tube and when the water leaks into the cabin.....alot of the time the ecu ends up frying. And they pay out of pocket :(

but.....its an easy fix most of the time as long as you dont have a real problem. Locate the a/c drain tube from under the car and we just use an air blower and blow compressed air up the tube for maybe 3-5 seconds. Be careful when you remove the air gun or compressed air can from the drain tube because most of the time you will take a bath. Ive seen literally like a half a gallon of water come out sometimes.

best of luck.....

[Stormin]

LOL. Here in Seattle I think I have used my AC perhaps six times total...

[SoCalS4Avant]

yeah....very common in all cars. the a/c drain tube under the car gets clogged with all sorts of stuff and when it does....the condensation from the a/c builds up and literally overflows from your evaporator box. And in some cases....like the newer TL's (Acura) the ecu is right there. Sooooo......when the customer builds up leaves and twigs and such on their cowl vents and that shit will clog up the drain tube and when the water leaks into the cabin.....alot of the time the ecu ends up frying. And they pay out of pocket :(

but.....its an easy fix most of the time as long as you dont have a real problem. Locate the a/c drain tube from under the car and we just use an air blower and blow compressed air up the tube for maybe 3-5 seconds. Be careful when you remove the air gun or compressed air can from the drain tube because most of the time you will take a bath. Ive seen literally like a half a gallon of water come out sometimes.

best of luck.....

Thanks for all the info Ant, it's appreciated buddy. Any idea where the tube is on the Audi? I haven't stuck my head under yet - so maybe it's pretty visable...

[ant7701]

no idea....lol.....but usually its towards the rear of the engine bay and as far as the middle of the car.

[SoCalS4Avant]

Update.

Just got the car back, and whew...not a big problem. It was only a clogged A/C drain tube, and was a relatively easy fix - or so the guys at Penske Audi tell me.

Thanks to Jason and the rest of the Penske folks.

[oatzel]

good to hear

[ieatfishburitos]

I knew it!

[RAudi Driver]

Update.

Just got the car back, and whew...not a big problem. It was only a clogged A/C drain tube, and was a relatively easy fix - or so the guys at Penske Audi tell me.

Thanks to Jason and the rest of the Penske folks.

Ha, Pasadena local and you take your car to Penske. Gotta love that! I do the same. Sorry Rusnak!

[SoCalS4Avant]

Seriously! I'd rather drive for 30 minutes or more than go to Rusnak. I work right down the street from Pacific, and would even take it there over Rusnak...just my preference.

[AudiOso]

Rusnak took care of me when I first bought my TT, and I still lived in Pasadena. Why don't folks like them?