Can anyone tell me what this is? (C5 RS6)

[dmross]

The RS6 I purchased had a rear end collision in the past that was repaired. I was looking in the compartment on the passenger side of the trunk area and noticed a piece of a line that was cut off under the speaker -

http://chrono.firex.org/images/inside1.jpg

It goes from the compartment to the underside of the car, to the right of the rear muffler, coming out of this orange thing -

http://chrono.firex.org/images/under2.jpg

Any ideas what it is/was?

[V8weight]

That's supposed to be your battery vent tube. Where the hell is your battery venting then? Is this possibly why the sound deadener material looks eroded in your picture, or is it just the picture quality?

[dmross]

Well I am fairly certain that there may have been a small fire in the compartment during the rear collision, it just looks like it wasn't fully repaired.

So where does this vent tube normally route to? The battery box in the trunk? I'm guessing I should run a new line there.

[V8weight]

Well I am fairly certain that there may have been a small fire in the compartment during the rear collision, it just looks like it wasn't fully repaired.

So where does this vent tube normally route to? The battery box in the trunk? I'm guessing I should run a new line there.
No, there was a fire in the trunk during the collision repair, not the collision. The tech that fixed your car probably used a stud gun to fix the quarter or rear body panel, which causes a lot of heat, but didn't bother to remove the sound insulation from the inner quarters, thus starting a fire. I'm a body technician for a living and seeing things like this infuriates me. Those kind of mistakes are not admissible on a Kia Rio, much less an RS6.
But anyhow, the vent tube connects to the battery inside the battery box, and is then routed down the the inner quarter, then out through that rubber gasket.

[dmross]

Great info to know, thank you. It's a shame that it's so hard to find quality workmanship. I'm sure the prior owner didn't even know.

I found the other end of the plastic line going to the battery box and used a plastic coupler to connect it to a vacuum hose that I routed back through the grommet.

I think I'm just going to pick up some dynamat and cover the inside, and maybe try to get some of the creaks out of the door cards while I'm at it. :)