Dam it! I say.
Sometimes simple is simple.

Divert the flow by damming it before the hot spot.
Here is the old V8 undressed. I've pointed to the Intake Horns and where the dribble enters via light assembly. [Just Magic Engineering - 😕 hmmmmm.]

I suggest the least invasive fix is adhesive door seal. No need to undress the Touareg unless you're keen to remove a locust swarm from the intercoolers & rad (originally why the front clip was off).

By placing 2 strips of door seal across the light one at inner end & the other to the between the lights. I don't think the stream volume would be enough to interfere with the lighting, but maybe leaf tannin deposit buildup would. V6 2 strips for good measure on top of the left light assembly, & V8 2 each side. It'll cost the same as minimum length order is 1mt.

VW Australia - yous owes me 🤓

 

Dam it! I say.
Sometimes simple is simple.

Divert the flow by damming it before the hot spot.
Here is the old V8 undressed. I've pointed to the Intake Horns and where the dribble enters via light assembly. [Just Magic Engineering - 😕 hmmmmm.]

I suggest the least invasive fix is adhesive door seal. No need to undress the Touareg unless you're keen to remove a locust swarm from the intercoolers & rad (originally why the front clip was off). View attachment 253610 View attachment 253611

By placing 2 strips of door seal across the light one at inner end & the other to the between the lights. I don't think the stream volume would be enough to interfere with the lighting, but maybe leaf tannin deposit buildup would. V6 2 strips for good measure on top of the left light assembly, & V8 2 each side. It'll cost the same as minimum length order is 1mt.

VW Australia - yous owes me 🤓

Would you be able to send a photo of the final location of the door seal above the headlight? I'm not confident that I understand where to put the door seal using your posted images.

Thanks in advance.

 

Is it just the water running off above the headlights that causes the air filter to get wet or is it also water splashing up into the air intakes? If it's the former then I'm going to buy a metre of door seal ASAP.

 

It's the former.
Of course, keeping the drains clean is also a priority, but the opportunity for water to get in via the drains is about 1% compared to 99.9999999% chance of water getting in via the headlight run off area.
Someone on the Facebook page (Touaregs - Australia) just copped a $6k+ bill for turbo replacement etc for this exact same issue.

 

Good question, I've just escaped Victoria and seen a pile of people driving through flood water at speed and huge plumes thrown up and over the bonnet. Without worrying about the intake drains, is there a chance that water may enter via the air box inlets in some models. This is one situation where a proper snorkle gives a layer of protection even if it doesn't look swish.

 

I just pulled the grill off my 2014 and the first part (7P6805962C) is not fitted. So, no chance of a headlight deflection plate without "part A".

I will still get a cost from VW for BOTH now as it is not only the headlight that is "protected" when you have both parts fitted. Not fool-proof, but better than the currently installed wide "open clown mouth". (Maybe paint some lippy on it, add a couple of eyes and get a few ping pong balls and you could make some money out of it at the local fair) 😊

 

I just pulled the grill off my 2014 and the first part (7P6805962C) is not fitted. So, no chance of a headlight deflection plate without "part A".

I will still get a cost from VW for BOTH now as it is not only the headlight that is "protected" when you have both parts fitted. Not fool-proof, but better than the currently installed wide "open clown mouth". (Maybe paint some lippy on it, add a couple of eyes and get a few ping pong balls and you could make some money out of it at the local fair) 😊

Bugger, It must only be the facelift models that have the 7P6805962C fitted. I didn't pull the grill off mine however I could see that it was there.

 

A real concern. It's one thing getting water in from enthusiastic fording and another all together from heavy rain. My Treg is old and fortunately seems to escape the air filter element issues of newer ones. I'm not normally a fan of the non paper filter mediums with Turbo engines but I can see a very good reason to consider them in certain models.

 

If I were to see any sign of moisture on my air filter element then this is what I'll replace it with. Not cheap but better than disintegrating paper.

 

Isn't the real problem, no matter the filter design material, the fact that water can get past the filter and hydro-lock the engine?

 

I think the problem is that the air filter falls apart and gets sucked into the engine. That's what causes the engine to cease (I think ).

 

I gave the thread below a good read a while ago. I don't recall anyone mentioning filter parts as much as the water itself, but I could be wrong.

Link >>>>

2017 Sport w/Tech Engine Ingested Water

Thursday, July 6 big rain (3" between midnight and 6 AM), still raining hard at 9:00 AM. Wife left for work (in hard rain), vehicle limped briefly then quit running after 100 yards. Did not drive through standing water. Vehicle transported to dealer via roll-back. Dealer says water in engine -...

www.clubtouareg.com

 

If you manage to hydrolock a running engine then the turbo is already dead, but you can kill the turbo with filter detritus easily without damage to the engine itself, unless of course impeller fragments are ingested, which has happened to one of my turbo engines. I don't see the filter element material change as a solution, rather a mitigation to certain types of damage. The solution is preventing the ingestation of water into the filter housing and that is a design issue with complicated work rounds. Even the baffle mentioned is a work round of sorts.
Forgot photos

 

Ouch to those photos. Engines definitely don't like unnecessary components being ingested.

 

You sound like you know more about this than I.

I just drove from Genoa to Orbost (Vic) in the pounding rain. I was in a brown pants condition all the way, wondering if I was about to damage my engine. I need to do something about this when I get home to prevent stress.

 

In the meantime a few stiff Gins will ease the thought processes. Yes, not pleasant and a bit worse when you can't trust the roads to be pothole free. Agree, the potential for damage exists in some models and after any run in really wet conditions I just do a very quick check of the filter to make sure it remains dry.

 

I took my tools out to reduce weight so I'll have to wait until I return home to check the filter.

It looks like G&Ts until then. 😜

 

Whoops 🛠 What did they say in yes minister, "that's a courageous decision". My Daughter went to that Caravan, camping and lifestyle thing at EPIC on Sunday and bought two bottles of gin for $150 so she must have had a premonition that you would need some long distance sympathy. I'm told that drinks on Zoom is the thing???

 

Whoops 🛠 What did they say in yes minister, "that's a courageous decision". My Daughter went to that Caravan, camping and lifestyle thing at EPIC on Sunday and bought two bottles of gin for $150 so she must have had a premonition that you would need some long-distance sympathy. I'm told that drinks on Zoom is the thing???

I guess thats the drink you are having when not really having a drink !

 

1mm, luckily. Too much more and it wouldn't be able to take the 500HP output.

 

Thanks.
I'll have a look to see if I can work it out.

 

Hi Sophie,
I had similar issue causing engine failure. Volkswagen Group Australia deny all knowledge of issue and refuse to fix. I am keen to hear from other Aussie Touareg owners with experience with this problem as I need a body of evidence to present at upcoming hearing of NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. I have prepared a detailed case including extensive internet research into this design fault which I am happy to share with forum members. My contact is 0419 405 501 on donm@outlook.com.au

 

Hi Sophie,
I had similar issue causing engine failure. Volkswagen Group Australia deny all knowledge of issue and refuse to fix. I am keen to hear from other Aussie Touareg owners with experience with this problem as I need a body of evidence to present at upcoming hearing of NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. I have prepared a detailed case including extensive internet research into this design fault which I am happy to share with forum members. My contact is 0419 405 501 on donm@outlook.com.au

I have the same experience as you - 2016 TDI. I can send photos and receipts for repairs if it helps. VW do not respond at all.
I sense VW have gagged dealerships as they are repairing touaregs but claiming it’s not a problem. I have replaced the turbo and intercoolers. It was also a big safety issue for us when the engine lost power.

 

I don't know if this is the same problem that this tread is about, but I just got today my TR2017 drain valve removed from the intake box by the dealership since it is a recall fix from VW. I attached the pdf document associated with it. If that can help anyone

 

I had my air filter recently checked by the service centre because I've been driving through a lot of rain in Victoria. Not a good result so I had it replaced. Here's an image of the old one:

 

I had my air filter recently checked by the service centre because I've been driving through a lot of rain in Victoria.

having also driven through a great deal of heavy rain and minor flood water on our recent trip towing through South Australia and Victoria the air filter was one thing I was very conscious of and worried about. Fortunately for us it was dry and like new. My Touareg is a 2018 build 7P so wondering if maybe there is a slight difference in the last of the build.
One day I will get that grille off 😬

 

Who installed that filter @Petesuth ?
I suspect the airbox was not sealed correctly.
When you say "new", how old was the filter when that photo was taken?

 

Who installed that filter @Petesuth ?
I suspect the airbox was not sealed correctly.
When you say "new", how old was the filter when that photo was take?

Dealer after changing the turbo and intercoolers - don’t underestimate this problem.
That filter was about 3 months old.

 

I'd say the damage had been done before "driving in the rain" - it had to be parked up sometime in that 3 months and that is when I believe the onset of the damage would have occurred

I don't underestimate the problem, I have had first hand experience.

 

After buying a 2017 sportline and reading the posts here i was motivated to prevent any damages due to simply driving in the rain. The rubber plug on the air inlet pipe was easy to reach and pull out by hand. I then had my garage pull the front grill and cut a piece of plastic from a windshield washer fluid container and place secure it as pictured. Took all of 15 mins. No problems since . As you can see though the filter was starting to get wet on the bottom before i fixed the problem. Thanks to this fourm.

 

The rubber plug on the air inlet pipe was easy to reach and pull out by hand.

if you have removed the plug (it’s actually a water bleed valve) you have also reduced the fording depth of the vehicle from 500mm to about 300mm as you now have a water ingress point lower than the air intake

 

My sons 2016 was written off due to this issue. Water easily gets into bottom of filter box just by washing the car. Bottom of air filter disintegrates, turbo sucks in the wet paper, breaks off the tips of the turbo blades, metal fragments sucked into intercooler and engine, loss of power , insurance write off. Sad VW does not acknowledge this design issue and remedy for its customers.

 

I'm not sure if I've done the right thing to prevent water running off the headlights, down and into the air intake. I had a look at this video:

Removing Touareg 7P grill

and it didn't seem like it allowed access to the headlights.

It seems to me that the water runs off the bonnet and then down, over the plastic cover that's over the headlights:

So I've stuck some rubber strips - I've probably overdone it - like this:

This is a temporary solution until I get back from my trip and, hopefully, the part will have arrived from overseas to be installed by a qualified mechanic, unlike me.

 

I'm not sure if I've done the right thing to prevent water running off the headlights, down and into the air intake. I had a look at this video:

Removing Touareg 7P grill

and it didn't seem like it allowed access to the headlights.

It seems to me that the water runs off the bonnet and then down, over the plastic cover that's over the headlights:

View attachment 257762

So I've stuck some rubber strips - I've probably overdone it - like this:

View attachment 257763

This is a temporary solution until I get back from my trip and, hopefully, the part will have arrived from overseas to be installed by a qualified mechanic, unlike me.

The link is incorrect try this one VW Touareg 7P Grille Removal - YouTube thanks for the post seen VW Aust has run out of the required bits on back order.

 

@Deli Llama
Your positioning of the diverter strips is pretty much spot on.
I did the same using a bead of silicone, as well as removing the bungs in the "P" trap of the intake (runs from near the headlight to the base of the filter box).
The video showing how to remove the grill is probably the best explanatory video I have seen on this subject. Nice find.

 

@Deli Llama
Your positioning of the diverter strips is pretty much spot on.
I did the same using a bead of silicone, as well as removing the bungs in the "P" trap of the intake (runs from near the headlight to the base of the filter box).
The video showing how to remove the grill is probably the best explanatory video I have seen on this subject. Nice find.

WHOOHOO! I've managed to do something without stuffing it up. 😃

I agree about that video. I watched some others and I felt sick as the camera was violently swung around and showed the more of the operator rather than the objects to be processed. Some people should never post videos.