Water in the boot

Post Tue Oct 02, 2012 7:47 pm

Hi,

I've noticed that there's some water coming in to the boot of my car! I'm guessing that the seals may be leaking water through, but I just wondered if anyone had similar issues!

Post Tue Oct 02, 2012 8:14 pm

Its a very common problem.

Post Tue Oct 02, 2012 8:26 pm

willnz wrote:Tail light seals are the most common. If you park nose down, water can pool in the channel below the rear screen and leak through the seal. Rust in the channel and above the tail lights is also common. Electric aerial can also be a cause.

Yep, I've parked it the nose up, so I'm not sure what the problem is...

If it's the aerial or the tail lights... what's the solution? Do I need to buy new tail lights??

Post Tue Oct 02, 2012 8:28 pm

juser wrote:
willnz wrote:Tail light seals are the most common. If you park nose down, water can pool in the channel below the rear screen and leak through the seal. Rust in the channel and above the tail lights is also common. Electric aerial can also be a cause.
Yep, I've parked it the nose up, so I'm not sure what the problem is...

If it's the aerial or the tail lights... what's the solution? Do I need to buy new tail lights??

New gaskets is what you will need.

Depending on their condition, a temp fix for the rear lights is to remove them, clean everything up and switch the gaskets on them over so they are on opposite sides.

Post Tue Oct 02, 2012 9:54 pm

OK - Thanks for the advice! I'll check all of this out tomorrow when I'm back from work

Post Tue Oct 02, 2012 10:05 pm

Have you got a sunroof?
Sunroof drain tubes can cause water to collect in the wells at the side of the boot.

If it's the rear light gaskets, smearing them with Vaseline will cure it in the short term

Post Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:26 am

greg124 wrote:Have you got a sunroof?
Sunroof drain tubes can cause water to collect in the wells at the side of the boot.

If it's the rear light gaskets, smearing them with Vaseline will cure it in the short term

I've got a sunroof, but I immediately checked after the advice I was given and noticed on the rear left light there was indeed droplets of water coming through!

I called up BMW this morning and ordered two gaskets for the lights, so I can just change both!

Obviously, I will continue to monitor and check for rust where the lights are!

Post Tue Oct 09, 2012 9:47 am

I've replaced the tail light gaskets, and I've found more water coming in...

I'm going to lay some kitchen towels across the boot to see where the water drops... Typically, today where I am, there isn't a cloud in the sky!

I'm guessing it my be the boot gasket now...

But does anyone have any idea to tell if it's the aerial and what to do if it is?

Post Tue Oct 09, 2012 11:01 am

On my rot box, the spot weld on the boot lid hinge broke leaving a hole in the panel just behind the seal. Took me a while to spot this and still not fixed it!

Post Tue Oct 09, 2012 11:26 am

diable wrote:didn't someone post up that they had small pin prick holes where the battery was located and the water was getting in that way?

As suggested check the aerial as well.

Yeah that was probably me... I know about that problem and while I find a welder, I have bought some chemical metal to seal the hole (as a pragmatic solution). What's annoying me is I'm finding water down the other side, in the other arch... I thought I'd fixed that problem by getting brand new taillight gaskets! The problem seemed so obvious as I was finding water INSIDE the taillight itself!

So now what's puzzling me is where the hell is it coming from? I thought it would have been finished! Obviously not!