If it is wet just in the passengers footwell then the leak could be due to a poorly fitted pollen filter or cover.
Pollen filter cover – to remove : unscrew and pull out plastic clips with screw heads (circled red) then pull up rubber seal from end, marked with yellow arrow.
Pull cover outwards. Check pollen filter below is properly seated and clipped in. Remove leaves and dirt and check drain hole in corner next to pollen filter is clear.
Check condition of cover, repair any cracks, rips or holes with waterproof gaffer tape. Make sure cover is properly refitted so that the pollen filter is protected from water. Push rubber seal back into place.
However the majority of leaks are through a foam seal around the ancillaries carrier – this is the removable internal metal panel on the door that the speaker and window regulator are attached to.
I used silicone sealant to seal the panel and this solved the leaking problem on my Toledo.
I have done this job myself (and took some photos) after reading information from the forum (thanks for all the info) and elsewhere on the internet, hopefully this brings everything together.
Read all of this guide and :
Door dismantling instructions/Window repair - VWvortex
before removing anything, so that the attachment of the window and door lock to the panel is understood and not damaged.
The internal plastic door panel has to be removed to get access to it.
The internal door handle has a clip on cover, lever this carefully to remove it.
Door handle cover unclipped. Showing door fixing bolts, circled red
Remove the two bolts in the handle – large cross-point (philips) heads.
There are also some screws at the lower edge of the front door plastic panels
– torx T20 head.
Pull the plastic panel from the bottom, it just held by clips now.
Lift panel so the top clears door lock knob and plastic bracket below window.
Carefully pull out – there are several wires attached.
Unplug all connectors (squeeze clips at side of connector and pull to unplug) – for alarm LED (drivers side), small speaker, door light, electric windows switch.
Unclip cable to door latch lever.
This black painted panel is removable and is the ancillaries carrier panel.
The leaky seal is on rear of panel (yellow line shows position).
Rear of panel showing deteriorated foam seal (which ripped when removed) and water marks. Part of the speaker is also shown.
The speaker is riveted to the panel and also has a foam seal around it (on front side of panel).
If a different speaker is fitted it is important to seal it well. And also to leave the plastic surround which can be seen protruding on the photo. This plastic surround deflects the water running down the panel and stops it running onto the speaker cone.
View of inside of door, looking downwards. Drain holes are circled in red.
Seal around outer edge of door. Viewed from underneath door facing up.
Arrow shows one of the oval drain holes in the door and corresponding drain hole in seal.
Outer lip of seal has to be pulled back to see the drain holes.
The drain holes can be blocked by too much wax which is used to prevent rusting inside the door.
Can be checked and cleaned without removing anything : pull the rubber seal to expose the holes and wipe with a damp cloth to remove dirt, and poke a cotton bud up the drain holes (there are 3 oval shaped ones) to clear them.
Cross sectional diagram of door and seals. Water runs down the insides of the door, this is normal in any car since it is impossible to get a perfect seal with a moving window.
The water runs out of the drain holes in the bottom of the door and through the holes in the seal to outside (blue line at left of diagram). Water can build up inside the door if all 3 of the drain holes are blocked with wax or dirt.
The problem is with the foam seal (coloured red on diagram) on the ancillaries carrier, the foam is porous and deteriorates over time, water leaks through this (blue line at right of diagram) and can get onto the carpet in the footwell.
Properly sealing around the foam seal with silicone sealant will stop the water leaking through it, and this water should then also exit via the drain holes.
This will fix the leaking problem in most cases, but water can also leak through holes in the panel. The clips holding the wiring to the panel are fitted through holes – the clips have a foam backing. The speaker seal may also leak or the foam seals for the window motor.
I completely removed the panel to replace broken window clips.
But it is a lot of hassle to remove the ancillaries carrier panel completely since the door lock and window are attached to it.
Check out this guide if you want to :
Door dismantling instructions/Window repair - VWvortex
Could seal around edge of panel whilst in place with silicone sealant, but a better job will be done if silicone sealant is put between the panel and the door where the foam seal is.
Remove all the bolts around the edge of the panel except the ones at the top edge, 10mm socket/spanner needed. Pull the panel carefully outwards at the bottom (might be stuck due to old seal).
Clean around the edge of the panel and old seal with a damp cloth or preferably isopropyl alcohol.
Pull the panel just enough to insert the nozzle of the sealant gun so that the panel does not bend and the window and lock are not damaged.
Use plenty of sealant so that it flows to fills all the gaps when the panel is bolted back in place. Need to completely seal the lower edge of the panel and about half way up the sides.
It is a good idea to put some silicone sealant on the holes before replacing the bolts so that they are well sealed.
There are several different types of silicone sealant. Obviously it is not important what colour it is as it will be hidden. A weatherproof type suitable for outdoor use needs to be used.
There are acetic and neutral cure types, the acetic cure dries quicker but has a strong vinegar smell for a few days which is unpleasant inside the car. I chose a low modulus, neutral cure type since it is more flexible, does not smell during curing and sticks better to porous materials (the foam seal).
The type I used was EverBuild Premium+ 450 Builders Silicone from Machine Mart, cost £2.69
Machine Mart - Silicone Sealant
Need about ½ a tube for each door, and an applicator gun.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Word document version of guide
Pollen filter cover – to remove : unscrew and pull out plastic clips with screw heads (circled red) then pull up rubber seal from end, marked with yellow arrow.
Pull cover outwards. Check pollen filter below is properly seated and clipped in. Remove leaves and dirt and check drain hole in corner next to pollen filter is clear.
Check condition of cover, repair any cracks, rips or holes with waterproof gaffer tape. Make sure cover is properly refitted so that the pollen filter is protected from water. Push rubber seal back into place.
However the majority of leaks are through a foam seal around the ancillaries carrier – this is the removable internal metal panel on the door that the speaker and window regulator are attached to.
I used silicone sealant to seal the panel and this solved the leaking problem on my Toledo.
I have done this job myself (and took some photos) after reading information from the forum (thanks for all the info) and elsewhere on the internet, hopefully this brings everything together.
Read all of this guide and :
Door dismantling instructions/Window repair - VWvortex
before removing anything, so that the attachment of the window and door lock to the panel is understood and not damaged.
The internal plastic door panel has to be removed to get access to it.
The internal door handle has a clip on cover, lever this carefully to remove it.
Door handle cover unclipped. Showing door fixing bolts, circled red
Remove the two bolts in the handle – large cross-point (philips) heads.
There are also some screws at the lower edge of the front door plastic panels
– torx T20 head.
Pull the plastic panel from the bottom, it just held by clips now.
Lift panel so the top clears door lock knob and plastic bracket below window.
Carefully pull out – there are several wires attached.
Unplug all connectors (squeeze clips at side of connector and pull to unplug) – for alarm LED (drivers side), small speaker, door light, electric windows switch.
Unclip cable to door latch lever.
This black painted panel is removable and is the ancillaries carrier panel.
The leaky seal is on rear of panel (yellow line shows position).
Rear of panel showing deteriorated foam seal (which ripped when removed) and water marks. Part of the speaker is also shown.
The speaker is riveted to the panel and also has a foam seal around it (on front side of panel).
If a different speaker is fitted it is important to seal it well. And also to leave the plastic surround which can be seen protruding on the photo. This plastic surround deflects the water running down the panel and stops it running onto the speaker cone.
View of inside of door, looking downwards. Drain holes are circled in red.
Seal around outer edge of door. Viewed from underneath door facing up.
Arrow shows one of the oval drain holes in the door and corresponding drain hole in seal.
Outer lip of seal has to be pulled back to see the drain holes.
The drain holes can be blocked by too much wax which is used to prevent rusting inside the door.
Can be checked and cleaned without removing anything : pull the rubber seal to expose the holes and wipe with a damp cloth to remove dirt, and poke a cotton bud up the drain holes (there are 3 oval shaped ones) to clear them.
Cross sectional diagram of door and seals. Water runs down the insides of the door, this is normal in any car since it is impossible to get a perfect seal with a moving window.
The water runs out of the drain holes in the bottom of the door and through the holes in the seal to outside (blue line at left of diagram). Water can build up inside the door if all 3 of the drain holes are blocked with wax or dirt.
The problem is with the foam seal (coloured red on diagram) on the ancillaries carrier, the foam is porous and deteriorates over time, water leaks through this (blue line at right of diagram) and can get onto the carpet in the footwell.
Properly sealing around the foam seal with silicone sealant will stop the water leaking through it, and this water should then also exit via the drain holes.
This will fix the leaking problem in most cases, but water can also leak through holes in the panel. The clips holding the wiring to the panel are fitted through holes – the clips have a foam backing. The speaker seal may also leak or the foam seals for the window motor.
I completely removed the panel to replace broken window clips.
But it is a lot of hassle to remove the ancillaries carrier panel completely since the door lock and window are attached to it.
Check out this guide if you want to :
Door dismantling instructions/Window repair - VWvortex
Could seal around edge of panel whilst in place with silicone sealant, but a better job will be done if silicone sealant is put between the panel and the door where the foam seal is.
Remove all the bolts around the edge of the panel except the ones at the top edge, 10mm socket/spanner needed. Pull the panel carefully outwards at the bottom (might be stuck due to old seal).
Clean around the edge of the panel and old seal with a damp cloth or preferably isopropyl alcohol.
Pull the panel just enough to insert the nozzle of the sealant gun so that the panel does not bend and the window and lock are not damaged.
Use plenty of sealant so that it flows to fills all the gaps when the panel is bolted back in place. Need to completely seal the lower edge of the panel and about half way up the sides.
It is a good idea to put some silicone sealant on the holes before replacing the bolts so that they are well sealed.
There are several different types of silicone sealant. Obviously it is not important what colour it is as it will be hidden. A weatherproof type suitable for outdoor use needs to be used.
There are acetic and neutral cure types, the acetic cure dries quicker but has a strong vinegar smell for a few days which is unpleasant inside the car. I chose a low modulus, neutral cure type since it is more flexible, does not smell during curing and sticks better to porous materials (the foam seal).
The type I used was EverBuild Premium+ 450 Builders Silicone from Machine Mart, cost £2.69
Machine Mart - Silicone Sealant
Need about ½ a tube for each door, and an applicator gun.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Word document version of guide
Last edited:
i'm off to get the stuff i need and i'm going to do it myself. 
