Anyone with Seville Trunk water leaks - Look here

[Gearheaad43]

I was changing the taillight bulbs yesterday and while I had the taillights out, I decided to check for the common "water in the trunk".

Here is what I found:

One: It appears to me that leaking taillight alone would not cause the trunk to take on water. There is a rubber grommet seal which seals off the access hole in the trunk sheet metal. Now I noticed when pulling the tail light assembly to replace the bulbs, that the wiring was already tight so when I pulled the light assembly out a bit, it pull the rubber grommet out from the access hole.

Two: I pulled the spare tire out. It was wet. But ONLY ON TOP. The bottom of the trunk was dry. (I suspect the water came in while the trunk lid was open just after washing the STS, the water was dripping off the trunk lid into the trunk.) .. Dried the spare and reinstalled it.

Now, I turned my attention to the taillight assembly, I popped the new bulbs in, seeing I could not pop the rubber grommet from the outside while the tail light was loose, (Short wiring) I went ahead, attached the taillight back to the STS with all the screws, then I reached into the trunk and pulled the rubber grommet inward until I heard a click. This should reseal the access hole. I am suspecting that alot of folks with the water in the trunk problem have not checked this rubber grommet to see if they (Or someone else before them) had not reinstalled the seals properly, water would enter easily from the access holes.

From what I can see, even if the taillights leaked, the water has no access to the trunk EXCEPT thru that rubber grommet or the trunk weather seal stripping.

[goldwing1989]

Thanks for the information, I will check that on my sts when I get around to fixing my leaking trunk. I believe I have more than one area to deal with because of the amount of water that comes in. If the guy who leased this car before me cared, he would of had the dealer fix it when it was under warranty...what a dick head .
Mike

[Ur7x]

Originally Posted by Gearheaad43

I was changing the taillight bulbs yesterday and while I had the taillights out, I decided to check for the common "water in the trunk".

From what I can see, even if the taillights leaked, the water has no access to the trunk EXCEPT thru that rubber grommet or the trunk weather seal stripping.

Thanks for sharing your point of view... Next time I'm back there I'm going to have to take some digital pictures to better illustrate the problem.

The issue is almost never a gasket.

If you look closely you will discover there are a myriad of body seams at the back and in the trunk of these cars... The ones near the tail lights are problematic as are the ones at the top near the back glass.

Of the five cars that I personally know (either owned by me, neighbours, friends, or co-workers) all of them leak(ed) and all of them leaked at a body seam.

[Gearheaad43]

Originally Posted by Ur7x

Thanks for sharing your point of view... Next time I'm back there I'm going to have to take some digital pictures to better illustrate the problem.

The issue is almost never a gasket.

If you look closely you will discover there are a myriad of body seams at the back and in the trunk of these cars... The ones near the tail lights are problematic as are the ones at the top near the back glass.

Of the five cars that I personally know (either owned by me, neighbours, friends, or co-workers) all of them leak(ed) and all of them leaked at a body seam.

If your problem happens to be a body seam leak, You should be able to locate it using a garden hose (Strip the trunk down bare) once the leak location is known, it should be easy to plug using a tube of silicone sealant.

I don't think mine is a body seam leak. Unless the leak happens to be coming from the base of the rear window seal. But you can bet your hiney I will be checking that trunk again after the next wash or rain.

Oh well, now it's time to fix that dammed FPR!

[chazglenn3]

The body seam leaks are more common on the 98-up Sevilles...I see you have a 97 STS. The taillight gasket may in fact be a problem area on that generation.

[Ur7x]

Originally Posted by Gearheaad43

If your problem happens to be a body seam leak, You should be able to locate it using a garden hose (Strip the trunk down bare) once the leak location is known, it should be easy to plug using a tube of silicone sealant.

BTW if your fixing body seams... do not use silicone sealant... Go to a NAPA or Pepboys an buy a proper tube of automotive body seam sealer... Unlike silicone sealant... Automotive goo will last the life of the car...

Silicone will crack, split and will leak again in 6 months to a year.

[Gearheaad43]

Well, I finally got around to stripping the trunk BARE. Did a water test... No water at all...... ANYWHERE... Ran water for a good 15 min too.. Over and under, sideways, 15 degrees right, 15 degrees left, 45 degrees, 30 degree.. Well OK... You get the IDEA.... No water.... YEAA!! Reassembled trunk.... Waited for the BIG rainstorm... Yep one hit 2 days later... Rained for 3 days...POURED CATS & DAWGS.. This weekend I go check the trunk, No cats and no DAWGS..(Thank God, fur, blood, and guts would've been harder to clean out). BUT it's WET again!!! GRRRR... So I stripped it down AGAIN. After drying it out and getting the mat day, I've notice the water appeared to be entering from the top lip of the trunk where the trunk latch is...

So now I'm wondering if I should replace the rubber weather seal around the trunk edge, or does the trunk pull-down need to be adjusted?

If the trunk latch needs to adjusted, how do I do this?

[Ranger]

It's not the latch or pull down. It is either the gasket or a body seam seal.

[iametarq]

Gearhead, when you open the trunk lid after a large rain or even a car wash, do you get water dripping off of the trunk lid from at all? I get a nice waterfall off the bottom of the tail lights that are attached to the trunk lid. Drives me nuts gets anything I have in the trunk all wet. but this is my only "leak"

Anyone else have that problem?

[irebroff]

Is the sunroof drain pipe broken? That was my wet trunk fix!

[2000 Seville SLS]

Interesting you posted this I have a 2000 Sevile SLS and I Pulled the spare yesterday and found the wheel well was filled with water I had just got the car washed the day before. Interesting thing was the trunk was dry. Only the well which holds the spare was holding water. Any one else with this problem and has a solution?

[Dadillac]

Originally Posted by 2000 Seville SLS

Interesting you posted this I have a 2000 Sevile SLS and I Pulled the spare yesterday and found the wheel well was filled with water I had just got the car washed the day before. Interesting thing was the trunk was dry. Only the well which holds the spare was holding water. Any one else with this problem and has a solution?

Do this: remove the trunk carpeting as well as the rear black plastic shield. Go into the back seat and open the trunk pass through and look through it with a flashlight. Have somebody douse the trunk area including the rear glass with water. You will see water entering the trunk by the latch in about 10-15 seconds. Buy a new seal and some weatherstrip adhesive. Remove the old seal and discard. Put weatherstrip adhesive (I used 3M and it was yellow in color) around the entire perimeter of the gasket flange. Install new gasket. When replacing the rubber strip that is between the rear glass and trunk lid, use silicone sealer to seal the four plastic screw lugs. Let it set for a few hours, and repeat your water dousing test. You will be surprised and elated. Let the trunk carpet dry out for several days and reinstall it.

It worked for me.

Don

[2000 Seville SLS]

Thanks. I am going to the store after work. I'll post to let you know how this works

[Ur7x]

Originally Posted by Dadillac

Do this: remove the trunk carpeting as well as the rear black plastic shield. Go into the back seat and open the trunk pass through and look through it with a flashlight. Have somebody douse the trunk area including the rear glass with water. You will see water entering the trunk by the latch in about 10-15 seconds. Buy a new seal and some weatherstrip adhesive. Remove the old seal and discard. Put weatherstrip adhesive (I used 3M and it was yellow in color) around the entire perimeter of the gasket flange. Install new gasket. When replacing the rubber strip that is between the rear glass and trunk lid, use silicone sealer to seal the four plastic screw lugs. Let it set for a few hours, and repeat your water dousing test. You will be surprised and elated. Let the trunk carpet dry out for several days and reinstall it.

It worked for me.

Don

Nooooooo

Before you buy anything....Do the hose thing... Most times it is NOT the gasket... Gasket failures are quite rare... On my 02 I had exactly your problem turns out I had 3 leaks... NONE at the gasket... 2 were at the body seams in the rear corners behind the tail lights and 1 was at the top where the filler strip screws down at the base of the back glass....

Replacing the Gasket is the LAST THING to fix... not the first...

As well NOOOOO to silicon... Silicon sealers over time will harden peel and leak... Use AUTOMOTIVE GRADE BUTYL SEALER... This is what they used at the factory. It stays soft (almost) forever and will seal your leak... It also stays flexible and sticky and will "move" with the car. The butyl goo will last the life of the car Silicon goo will last 2 years tops and then you have to fix it again.

PS if you do replace the gasket buy the black 3M adhesive.. It looks better then the yellow stuff and it is what they used at the factory.

[Mountie]

Originally Posted by iametarq

Gearhead, when you open the trunk lid after a large rain or even a car wash, do you get water dripping off of the trunk lid from at all? I get a nice waterfall off the bottom of the tail lights that are attached to the trunk lid. Drives me nuts gets anything I have in the trunk all wet. but this is my only "leak"

Anyone else have that problem?

Yea, the stupid design at the lights is a pain in the ass. I use a windshield sunshade, by opening it up and laying it over the inside/ upper trunk - like an "under-roof" to divert the drips to the side.... & a quick wipe with a hand towel............ it works pretty good.