Does anyone know what could be the cause of the sloshing sound that I hear when i corner, accelerate or suddenly come to a stop? It seems as though there is an accumulation of water under the left side of the vehicle. I've been dealing with it for the past 3 weeeks and it is not getting any better.
Any ideas greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Peace sign..
Graz

Would have to be the fuel tank since nothing else is under there to hold any fluid, but I can't say I have ever heard my tank sloshing from in the car. I generally always have the radio on as well.

 

Yeti -

I meant to say the passanger side of the vehicle. It seems as though there is at least a gallon if not more of fluid that is sloshing around. I know it's not the gas tank as this sound occurs when empty and full.
Hmm??

 

You might have a leaky sunroof, I've seen some recent posts about this. Water apparently collects under the passenger floorboards.

 

If you have a leaky sunroof it could be filling up the wire tracks along the side and may be moving back and forth in that. Only way to know is to pull up the molding and see what is going on. As I said before there is really nothing else under the car other then the fuel tank.

 

X2 for the leaky sunroof.

Cya

 

Sloshing Touareg

Hi Graz

I had the same problem after a stint of driving through some deep dirty water while doing some off road driving. Traced the problem to the following.

Along each side of the body of the Touareg just under the doors is a cavity that is closed off with 4 (maybe 5) rubber plugs along the length of the car.

My solution was to back the Touareg up a slight rise so that the front was down and I popped the front plug out. This plug has a built in drain which I cleaned while it was out. Left The Touareg to drain (got about 5 litres out). About 2 hours later popped the plug back in. No problems since.

Best of luck and hope this helps

Regards poolwater

 

Hi Graz

I had the same problem after a stint of driving through some deep dirty water while doing some off road driving. Traced the problem to the following.

Along each side of the body of the Touareg just under the doors is a cavity that is closed off with 4 (maybe 5) rubber plugs along the length of the car.

My solution was to back the Touareg up a slight rise so that the front was down and I popped the front plug out. This plug has a built in drain which I cleaned while it was out. Left The Touareg to drain (got about 5 litres out). About 2 hours later popped the plug back in. No problems since.

Best of luck and hope this helps

Regards poolwater

THANKS poolwater ............just drained gallons and noise gone.

 

Wife had ours in for what sounds like the same noise, dealer has yet to inform me of what the noise was..and yes it was not the gas tank topped of two times to check before taking it to the dealer.

 

scratch that last post temp outside just got above freezeing and with no supprise at this point sloshing is hear agian....note to all being a service advisor myself spokane vw SUCKS!!! I know sorry bout the caps but really they have proved their lack of a repair for almost anything up to this point...we where told this had been taken care of..

 

After I took our '04 V6 Touareg (18K miles) through a high-water-pressure brushless car wash, we found the front passenger-side floorboard water soaked. The I-love-anything-German mechanic who services my '88 Porsche 911 was out of town repairing a state ferry engine and another VW-specialist garage said we don't do water leaks, take it to a body shop. Body shop said this is Alaska, we don't do water leaks in winter (Huh?). I thought it might be a windshield seal, so I took the Touareg to a bright, conscientious young guy at Speedy Glass who previously charged me only $6 to perfectly cut a piece of mirror glass to replace a broken mirror from an outside rear view mirror ($200+) on the 911. He suspected a plugged drain at the bottom of the fire wall but a visual check was blocked. He removed the entire windshield wiper assembly so he could also access and remove the plastic cladding across the bottom of the windshield. Eureka! Now he could see down into bottom behind the engine. A drain hole at the bottom of the fire wall was plugged with sucked in leaves. He used a vacuum to suck out the leaves and crud and a couple gallons of water poured out. Per a previous website tip here, he also checked the sunroof drains but they were fine. And Speedy Glass/Juneau now has a chap named Doug who actually knows how to carefully remove and adjust those mad-scientist windshield wipers.
Cheers,
jholbert (Josef)
Juneau, Alaska

 

The firewall cavity has left and right-side drains for water running off the windshield. The drains have teat-like rubber fittings that open when adequate water accumulates, but remain almost closed during dry times. They are rather easily accessed by removing either the left or right front wheel, and using a torx head, (one small, one large) loosening the plastic wheel well skirting near the fire wall. This plastic can then be gently pried forward and the rubber piece can be seen about halfway up the firewall. I probed the rubber piece and was baptized with a shower of foul water, tree leaves and needles. I repeated this on the other side and got the same results. No sloshing now. The first side took 30 minutes. The second took 20. Hope this helps others.

 

Orthoreg, i am having the sloshing problem. I took it to a dealer and they said i had a sunroof leak. they said i should take the car to them for $400. Well i know my sunroof doesnt leak cuz none of my carpets are wet. This problem started after i started parking under a tree that sheds leaves and pollen every day. anyway, i have no clue what the firewall cavity is. i ran my fingers under the car on the drivers side and felt some screws (The water sloshes under the drivers side). is there a picture somewhere i can see what exactly you are talkin about?

 

I have no photon skills...just undo the fasteners in the wheelwell along the fender and above the axel. That will loosen the skirt in the wheel well. Then, pull it out enough to visualize the forward part of the fire well that would be protected by the skirt. You'll see the rubber parts, and if you can't see them, just jam your hand up there until you find the only soft rubber thing. Call me at (425) 754-7726 with q's. Orthoreg

 

any luck, Dream-T?

 

This thread was informative and useful for me. I had the same sound coming from the passenger side rocker area. A quick peak under the car, and I found the plugs that "Poolwater" had mentioned. I pulled the plug at the front of the rocker (towards front of vehicle) with a screwdriver and discovered roughly 2 gallons of water hiding inside of the rocker. I noticed that the plugs on both sides of the vehicle, at the front of the rockers had a ball float/valve drain sorta thing. I think the ball valve was hanging up and not allowing the water to drain. The driver side of the car resulted in no water found. How the water actually got into the passenger side rocker, I do not know.

Thanks for the great info guys.

SHMO

 

Problem solved: I had water sloshing under the car, and couldn't figure out where until I read some of the posts in these forums. I looked under the car and was able to easily remove both of the drain plugs (driver's side and passenger's side) that were located directly under and slightly forward of the front doors. I released 4.5 gallons of water. Left the plugs out in order to avoid more water build-up, but I have located the problem being plugged drains under the car. And, until I have time to correct the problem I am glad I was able to take care of the problem without a long trip to the dealer, and $100+ spent on them removing rubber plugs.

 

What "plugged drains under the car" are you referring to?

SHMO

 

The ones I pulled have holes in them, and are meant to drain but are plugged. Sorry for the confusion.

 

Awesome bunch of posts. One of those goofy quirks that can drive you nuts. Thanks for sharing. I don't have any issues myself but I'll make it a Spring project to check the drains for leaves and junk.

 

I know that this topic is dead, but I just wanted to thank everyone for the advice. Plugged the plug, a bunch of watch came out, and tada it's quiet again!

 

I have a 2005 Touareg with the same problem. I've checked the drains by the wheel wells and they were not clogged. The comment seems to indicate a center drain point. Is this accessible from below the car? I was stopped by the windshield wiper panel being attached to the glass. Is there a way to remove this without destroying the seal?

 

Water in Firewall area

Ooh, don't unseal anything! In the front wheel wells are plastic wheel well liners that can be removed by taking out multiple screws. This can be done without removing wheels or jacking the vehicle up...remove the plastic liners, one on each wheel well.

After the plastic liner is removed on one side, you may be able to see a round, and flat shaped rubber plug-like flow-thru device about 1.5 inches in diameter that is inserted into the firewall. Normally water can gravity flow downward from firewall cavity to the wheelwell where it just goes back onto the road. However, the firewall cavity can accumulate needles and leaves and other organic debris that will effectively plug it up. Stick your finger or thumb into the rubber device and you will get a shower of very muddy water and some debris. The plug can actually be removed to let you get your fingers into the firewall cavity drain area and finger sweep more debris out. This takes a couple of minutes, but you will be rewarded with no sloshing on that side. Replace the rubber plug-like device. Put the wheel well liner back on. Repeat on other wheel well.

Avoid parking under coniferous and deciduous trees, or use a car cover to avoid future leaf/needle/water accumulations. Call me at 425 754-7726 with questions. Enjoy the day. Orthoreg

 

I have a 2004 touareg, pool of water on the passenger side front seat carpet either from water or airconditioner where is the begenning point of the drain system

 

If it is one of the drains blocked in front of the windscreen, there is an outlet in the front wheel arch each side - pix and threads already on here.

It needs dealing with immediately or the water screws up ECUs.

Some of the previous posts in this thread have the how to as well if you read them.

 

See post #9

Water Ingress in Bulkhead/Footwell - Step By Step Guide - myTreg forums

 

I had similar symptoms to what poolwater described, as a result of the recent deluge in the mid Atlantic states Here are my results

Approximately 8L taken from driver side

 

I had similar symptoms to what poolwater described, as a result of the recent deluge in the mid Atlantic states Here are my results

View attachment 14092

Approximately 8L taken from driver side

Holy in desperate need of a urinary catheter, Batman!