Avant Tailgate issues

[MB2]

I am afraid this won't be one of Surrey Sam's excellent tutorials but thought would post a few pointers in case helps anyone else in the future.

My RS4 has been having issues with the boot pop for a couple of months so on Saturday I decided to investigate. The trim is fairly easy to remove but a bit tricky too. There are 4 screws you then push down gently to release some clips and then have to push "up" parallel with the glass to remove the panel. Will try to take some photos of the clips before I reassemble. If anyone who needs some help let me know.

When I had the trim off I took apart the boot lock and it seemed to work again but then played up - it looks like the actuator gear has gone (plastic) so I ordered a new lock via Aberdeen Audi on eBay for 37.00.

While I was there I noticed leaking washer fluid...

The motor/washer had failed in that the seal around the bottom of the washer pipe the water comes up through had failed and water was leaking both into the mechanism - all very rusty although still working and out of the back of the washer mechanism into the tailgate. I was tempted to DIY a repair but found a new Valeo (OEM) motor for 60 on eBay so ordered that as a complete fix. This part is shared with the A3/A4/A6 across many generations so I expect a fair few will have failed.

All good I thought - until I blew down the washer hose and heard whistling... The corrugated hose had broken (split) both sides of the hinge. This took a lot of work to get at - the hose is bound with the wires in harness tape and you have to remove most of it get enough slack to undertake a repair.

Micro irrigation joints (http://www.easywatering.co.uk/acatal...TRAIGHT_4.html) almost work. The Audi tubing is just too small and unlike rubber hose doesn't respond to heat or have any "give" in it. So I "turned them down" using a drill and file as a makeshift lathe, added a bit of sealant and covered the lot in heat shrink tubing.

Fitting the new parts was very easy. Just 2 bolts for the tailgate latch and 3 for the wiper motor and everything is fully operational again so a good fix. Will leave the trim off for a while as may revisit the hose repair as although I am confident in the seals may see if there is a better way to keep the hose away from the hinge.

When I took the motor apart and it was full of rust and would only have been a matter of time before the gears seized and potentially overheated the motor - not to mention the leaking washer fluid which I expect contributed to the latch failure.

[weekenny]

The seals go in the wiper assembly all the time allowing washer fluid in the motor. A tell tale sign is the jets blocking frequently or rusty discharge from them.

[PetrolDave]

The seals go in the wiper assembly all the time allowing washer fluid in the motor. A tell tale sign is the jets blocking frequently or rusty discharge from them.

And as the front and rear wiper motors share the same fuse if the rear motor jams an d you have to pop the fuse then you have no front wipers either!

Fortunately removing and refitting the wiper motor is a quick job - when I had to do it a few years ago it took less than an hour from opening the tailgate to closing it with the new motor fitted and all the trim refitted.

[MB2]

Having studied the wiper and the dead one I realise I made a bit of a mistake - the water DOES rotate with the arm. The only external sign the seals have failed is rust in the nozzle - this is easy to check without tools.

I got confused as the repair kits are meant to resolve the "rotating washer jet" problem but this must be earlier cars.