Cleaning out leaves from lower mudguard well...Golf Mark V and Mark VI, maybe others

[9inchRob]

The design of the lower windscreen area, where there is a lot going on, including the wiper mechanism is a "weak design" with regard to controlling the entry of leaves to the upper mudguard (fender for the Americans), and also to the firewall area.

There is a raised slotted "bar" in the black plastic panel running the full width of the car, but it seals up against the closed bonnet far better on the passengers side than on the drivers side. The clearance gets much wider progressively across the car, ending up probably 15-18 mm near the drivers side bonnet hinge, allowing plenty of leaves to enter , and then drop down either inside the car to the firewall, or to enter one of the many holes and other nooks and crannies. If to the mudguard it all collects at the bottom where you'll see it from the door hinge area when open, but it will be hidden by the plastic inner guard when viewed from the wheel arch.

I cleaned mudguard area, again, today after only a couple of months.

You do need to get down and undo the two Phillips head screws at the bottom of the guard, and ease out the plastic inner guard and get in there with your fingers.....

I've taken a picture, and you'll see how many leaves were there just after a couple of months.

These, of course, over time, if left in place decompose to acids, and will eventually rust the car, no matter how good VW are at applying rust proof coatings.



This is my first attempt at posting a pic so I hope it works.

I took the pic after I'd done the screws up again.

If you don't have them, you'll need to buy a set of Phillips hexagonal bars (metric I guess) and work out which one to use.

I have had my service guy blow out the leaves from the firewall at a few of my services. ( I change at least oil and filter at either 5,000 or 7,500 km). None of this 15,000 km for me.