My Bug is Leaking! Help!

[alienbogey]

My 2002 NB recently developed a leak. We've had a lot of rain recently, not that rain has ever bothered the Bug before, but the other day I reached down to grab something off the floor and it is SOAKING WET.

More details: The driver's position floor area is completetly soaked, the soaked area seems to extend a little bit up the left vertical area prior to the door sill. The firewall area under the pedals and the right side vertical area of the tranny tunnel are dry.

The driver's side backseat footwell is soaked as well, however, only the lowest horizontal surface, no vertical surfaces wet at all.

The door seems to be completely dry. I can find no evidence of water anywhere in the interior other than as described.

I put the car on ramps and could find nothing noteworthy underneath or in the wheelwells or under the hood near the firewall. No damage that I could see.

So........two main questions:

1. Is there a "typical" or "common knowledge" weak link that might cause a leak like this? Anywhere else to look?

2. Would you take it to the stealership or a body shop? It's out of warranty, but I'm thinking the dealership knows Bugs, on the other hand I'm guessing that a body shop would be familiar with sealing up cars after body work and tracking down leaks.

Suggestions? Comments?

Thanks in advance.

[Fowvay]

You have a sunroof

There are drains built into the sunroof that drain down little tubes in each A-Pillar. If they get clogged or damaged they will allow the interior to flood exactly as you described.

[alienbogey]

Oh man! I HATE SUNROOFS FOR EXACTLY THIS REASON!!

The only reason I have a sunroof is that I couldn't find a Bug with the leather interior that DIDN"T have the sunroof. I finally decide, regretfully, that I wanted the leather more than I didn't want the sunroof.

Sorry, rant over.

Thanks much for the reply. Based on your reply and a search I found a thread on how to clean out the blocked tubes.

Thanks again.

On edit: Here's the link to the How-To for finding and fixing the clogged sunroof drain:

http://www.newbeetle.org/forums/show...highlight=leak

It worked perfectly for me, problem solved