While swapping a new LF fender onto my 2015 GTI yesterday, I came upon two related issues that I wasn't expecting. First was the amount of mud built up inside the fender between the liner and the door. I'm assuming that was rotting leaves and organic material fell through the cowl drains and settled in there. I was able to clean that out with the fender off. The second issue, which I wasn't able to address because I needed to put the car back together was that the bottom of the foam insulator that fills in gap between the fender and the pillar was absolutely saturated with water. As I moved it out of the way to access the two bolts at the bottom of fender, the water just poured out. The replacement fender didn't have this foam, so I peeled it off the old fender, stuffed it into place, and put installed the new fender.
Has anyone else run into this? I'm thinking about ordering new foam for both sides, then taking the front fenders and bumper off and really going to town with a hose or pressure washer to clean out all that debris. There's no rust yet, but all that moisture is just asking for it to happen.
Has anyone else run into this? I'm thinking about ordering new foam for both sides, then taking the front fenders and bumper off and really going to town with a hose or pressure washer to clean out all that debris. There's no rust yet, but all that moisture is just asking for it to happen.