Audi TT cabriolet with mould on the steering wheel, soaking seat belt, wet footwell, intermittent dash controls, and engine management light. Three entry points found: stuck-open rear air vents, blocked sunroof drains, and a detached roof 'sock'. Hood cleaned, wheels refurbished, 30-day monitor arranged.
This Audi TT cabriolet came in with multiple problems at once: mould on the steering wheel, a driver's seat belt that soaked whoever put it on, wet passenger footwell, intermittent dashboard controls, and an engine management light. All of those things had been quietly building for a while. The car was also booked in for a hood clean, reproof, and alloy refurbishment -- so by the time it left, it was going to look and perform very differently from how it arrived.
James ran the 28-point check and found three entry points. First: the rear air vents behind the bumper were stuck open. They are supposed to close, but on this car they were not. In heavy rain, water kicks up off the rear wheels and goes straight in. A flexible camera showed daylight at the top of the boot area where a cable grommet had no bung -- that was sealed. Second: the sunroof drains on both sides were completely blocked. Water had been backing up into the cassette and overflowing down into the footwells. Third (found later, after delivery): the roof's fabric "sock" -- the half-moon-shaped housing that the hood sits in when it folds down -- had come unglued. James spotted it after Steve, a cabriolet roof specialist, confirmed he had seen the same thing on other TT Audis.
The scuttle area was investigated as a precaution after a small amount of residual dampness was found on the passenger side after the main leaks were fixed. Gary and James removed the wiper mechanism, cleaned the scuttle out, and resealed the bulkhead vents -- photographing everything before and after. Wiper spindles were greased so they could be removed again in future if needed. The dampness under the carpet was minor and they were confident it corresponded to the scuttle rather than a new leak. The car was returned on a 30-day monitor arrangement: if water returned, the drying would be done free and further investigation hours would be recommended.
Both alloy wheels refurbished -- they came out beautifully. Hood cleaned and reproofed. Roof sock reglued. All drains flushed and running clear. Car returned dry, sealed, and looking completely different.
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