How Do I Stop Water Leaking in Trunk
#1
08-29-2008, 02:22 PM
How Do I Stop Water Leaking in Trunk
I have the classic water in the trunk problem on my 3.0 2K S-Type. I have read posts of people putting holes in the floorboard of the trunk which is fine but it doesn't solve the problem. I want to stop water from getting in the trunk.
Just after the last rain, I remove the rubber seal to determine the path the water is taking to get into the trunk. The problem is that I didn't see an obvious way for water to enter in the trunk. There doesn't seem to be any holes in the metal lip (that the rubber seal attaches to) that is along the periphery of the trunk opening. My initial plan was to apply silicone sealant at the base of the seal (on both sides of the metal lip) but based on my observations, I don't see how that will help (since I cannot image the water is traveling up the metal lip and then over it while the rubber seal is attached to it.
I did notice that there is some minor rust at the top the metal lip near where the door latches to the body. I have attached a picture of this (with the rubber seal removed). In addition, I noticed some water on the inside of the metal lip in this same location. Again, I have no ideal how water can get pass the metal lip and the rubber seal since I didn't see any holes in the metal lip.
So has anybody fixed this leak problem? Please help!
[IMG]local://upfiles/3449/ADEBB36DB47F41CEBF6D384E07162128.jpg[/IMG]
Just after the last rain, I remove the rubber seal to determine the path the water is taking to get into the trunk. The problem is that I didn't see an obvious way for water to enter in the trunk. There doesn't seem to be any holes in the metal lip (that the rubber seal attaches to) that is along the periphery of the trunk opening. My initial plan was to apply silicone sealant at the base of the seal (on both sides of the metal lip) but based on my observations, I don't see how that will help (since I cannot image the water is traveling up the metal lip and then over it while the rubber seal is attached to it.
I did notice that there is some minor rust at the top the metal lip near where the door latches to the body. I have attached a picture of this (with the rubber seal removed). In addition, I noticed some water on the inside of the metal lip in this same location. Again, I have no ideal how water can get pass the metal lip and the rubber seal since I didn't see any holes in the metal lip.
So has anybody fixed this leak problem? Please help!
[IMG]local://upfiles/3449/ADEBB36DB47F41CEBF6D384E07162128.jpg[/IMG]
The following users liked this post:
piero dagostino (11-21-2014)
#2
08-29-2008, 03:50 PM
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Toronto
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: How Do I Stop Water Leaking in Trunk
I have the same issue in my 03' STR during hard or long rains when it sits outside and I've had plenty of people and shopslook at it and they can't figure it out either, unfortunately I have had to result to unscrewing the bolt that holds down the spare to create a hole for water to drain out of, the spare sits pretty tight so I have not had issues of it sliding around while driving....
#3
08-30-2008, 02:13 AM
RE: How Do I Stop Water Leaking in Trunk
Lift the rubber seal near the tail lights where you see the body seam. Apply a wee bit silicon sealant an inch or so above and below the seam on the outside of the ridge the seal sits on then push the rubber seal back on. You only need a small amount of sealant!
The following 2 users liked this post by 12RM:
el tigre (06-29-2020),
Jumpin' Jag Flash (09-30-2016)
#4
08-30-2008, 06:24 AM
RE: How Do I Stop Water Leaking in Trunk
I think 12RM is heading in the right direction. I am trying to remember the exact situation but I believe the issue is the weatherstrip seam lining up with a sheet metal seam. I have heard the fix is to remove the weather strip and reinstall it so that the seams are not on top of each other. I'll look through my files.
#5
08-30-2008, 09:26 AM
#6
08-30-2008, 12:57 PM
RE: How Do I Stop Water Leaking in Trunk
I know Im right!
It is not going through theseam, it's over the lipat the seam where it joins.Some water hides under the battery and when the car is used it comes out and goes to where you can see it (mine only leaked on the right hand side).
Put the sealant an inch above/belowthe seam on the outside of the lip and refit the rubber.
You'll be surprised how much water can gather over a relatively short time.
Ive posted this elsewhere and it works.
Edited due to extra ' being added in when posted! Removed them!
It is not going through theseam, it's over the lipat the seam where it joins.Some water hides under the battery and when the car is used it comes out and goes to where you can see it (mine only leaked on the right hand side).
Put the sealant an inch above/belowthe seam on the outside of the lip and refit the rubber.
You'll be surprised how much water can gather over a relatively short time.
Ive posted this elsewhere and it works.
Edited due to extra ' being added in when posted! Removed them!
The following users liked this post:
Jumpin' Jag Flash (09-30-2016)
#7
08-30-2008, 08:56 PM
Trending Topics
#8
08-31-2008, 02:32 AM
RE: How Do I Stop Water Leaking in Trunk
That is a possibility but I did mine one step at a time. To be honest my car did not leak until after I was chatting to someone that came to see me, the boot was open and they leant on thecar and fiddled with the seal by the light.I thought nothing of it till much later and afterI noticed and sorted the problem. Maybe coincidence. I also suspected that seam you mentionfrom memorybut I discounted thatwhen I had the cluster out.
I noticed the leak in the winter time and it caused at bit of light condensation inside the car on the metal around the area by the rear light but if you looked closely there were small tracks where drops had run down and that was just below the seam area. I removed all the trim to inspect the area.
I took the light out but it was clear that no water was getting past the seal on that once I had it out.
If the source is the same as mine it is a two minute job if you do not dig too far, go for the easy fix first. If that does not sort it you will need to look again.
I noticed the leak in the winter time and it caused at bit of light condensation inside the car on the metal around the area by the rear light but if you looked closely there were small tracks where drops had run down and that was just below the seam area. I removed all the trim to inspect the area.
I took the light out but it was clear that no water was getting past the seal on that once I had it out.
If the source is the same as mine it is a two minute job if you do not dig too far, go for the easy fix first. If that does not sort it you will need to look again.
The following users liked this post:
Jumpin' Jag Flash (09-30-2016)
#9
09-14-2008, 02:00 AM
RE: How Do I Stop Water Leaking in Trunk
ORIGINAL: 12RM
Lift the rubber seal near the tail lights where you see the body seam. Apply a wee bit silicon sealant an inch or so above and below the seam on the outside of the ridge the seal sits on then push the rubber seal back on. You only need a small amount of sealant!
Lift the rubber seal near the tail lights where you see the body seam. Apply a wee bit silicon sealant an inch or so above and below the seam on the outside of the ridge the seal sits on then push the rubber seal back on. You only need a small amount of sealant!
#10
02-09-2010, 06:50 PM
Guest
Posts: n/a
I have stopped water leaking into the boot of our 2001 S-Type
The boot / trunk on our 2001 S-Type Jaguar slowly filled with water whenever it rained. Water collected under the battery and eventually filled the dimples in the floor pan.
The rubber seal round the boot lid was OK.
I traced the problem to the bolts holding on the rear bumper / fender. One of these (I think there are twelve in all) was loose and the water trickled, or rather dripped in past it. Even the lightest of rain filled the boot. It was the length of time it was raining that mattered not the strength of the down pour, so using a hose did not help to find the problem.
To get to the bumber bolts:
1. Open the boot lid and fold back the floor,
2. Remove the plastic trim which goes across the back and around the lock (two screws and four pullout plastic studs, then pull straight up to avoid breaking weak plastic clips along the top edge).
3. Next remove the screws, disguised as black hooks for holding cargo netting, from the top rear corners of the side boot trims and hinge back the side panels as you would to change a rear light bulb.
The bumper bolt that was leaking on our car was visible through an apperture in the rear chassis next to the driver's side (RHD) rear light cluster. I simply put a length of PTFE tape either side of the captive washer, but just tightening the bolt would probably have worked OK.
There are three other bolts along the rear panel, each accessible through a hole in the chassis and, I believe four more along each side, but I never got to these, as the one bolt did the trick on our car.
The bolts near the lights are where the full flood of water from the rear roof area, rear window and boot seal drain, so they are in a constant flow even in the lightest rain.
Good luck fixing this, your sensitive electrics are at risk if you don't.
The rubber seal round the boot lid was OK.
I traced the problem to the bolts holding on the rear bumper / fender. One of these (I think there are twelve in all) was loose and the water trickled, or rather dripped in past it. Even the lightest of rain filled the boot. It was the length of time it was raining that mattered not the strength of the down pour, so using a hose did not help to find the problem.
To get to the bumber bolts:
1. Open the boot lid and fold back the floor,
2. Remove the plastic trim which goes across the back and around the lock (two screws and four pullout plastic studs, then pull straight up to avoid breaking weak plastic clips along the top edge).
3. Next remove the screws, disguised as black hooks for holding cargo netting, from the top rear corners of the side boot trims and hinge back the side panels as you would to change a rear light bulb.
The bumper bolt that was leaking on our car was visible through an apperture in the rear chassis next to the driver's side (RHD) rear light cluster. I simply put a length of PTFE tape either side of the captive washer, but just tightening the bolt would probably have worked OK.
There are three other bolts along the rear panel, each accessible through a hole in the chassis and, I believe four more along each side, but I never got to these, as the one bolt did the trick on our car.
The bolts near the lights are where the full flood of water from the rear roof area, rear window and boot seal drain, so they are in a constant flow even in the lightest rain.
Good luck fixing this, your sensitive electrics are at risk if you don't.
#11
02-09-2010, 08:57 PM
Veteran Member
#12
02-09-2010, 11:55 PM
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: PHX some of the time
Posts: 116,700
Received 6,243 Likes
on
5,444 Posts
That would need to be a good buddy. 
We had rain a couple of weeks ago and just for fun I had a look in the boot/trunk and lo and behold the bugger was leaking, no biggie as it probably won't rain for six months but if I move the silicone will be out.
We had rain a couple of weeks ago and just for fun I had a look in the boot/trunk and lo and behold the bugger was leaking, no biggie as it probably won't rain for six months but if I move the silicone will be out.
Last edited by Norri; 02-09-2010 at 11:58 PM.
The following users liked this post:
Jumpin' Jag Flash (09-30-2016)
#13
02-10-2010, 06:53 AM
Veteran Member
Did the exterior design refresh in 2005 (raising the rear end just over an inch and changing the contour of how the tailight clusters fit into the sheet metal) put an end to these trunk leaks? Most of the trunk leaks I've read about seem to happen to pre-2005 S-Types and I'm hoping that this is an issue I won't have to be concerned about....
#14
02-10-2010, 08:33 AM
I tried the DIY method to no avail. Water in my trunk caused me a lot of headaches I.e. CATS module failure, reverse parking sensor failure, and the amp for the stereo system. They are all located in the trunk. Make sure you get this fixed asap. Until then, if it rains make sure you drain the water by unplugging the drain. Anyways I had my dealer replace the trunk seal, and tighten up the trunk by adjusting the arms (or whatever they are called). Not very expensive, but I can't stress enough to get it fixed immediately or you will ruin some of the modules in the trunk which are very costly.
The following users liked this post:
Jumpin' Jag Flash (09-30-2016)
#16
02-10-2010, 01:54 PM
Be aware that the tail lights can also be the water entry point. One way to find out where it is coming from. Get in the trunk and close the lid. Make sure you have a flashlight (torch) with you. Have someone on the outside spray water over the back end of the car. Try to concentrate on the body seams and the tail lights. Let the list know if you find it!!
.
.
.
.
.
.
#17
02-10-2010, 04:01 PM
Veteran Member
#18
02-11-2010, 10:43 AM
I had water leaking in the trunk after taking the car through the touchless car washes. The seal near the bottom part of the trunk didn't seem to seal properly since there was a large amount of water coming through that area. The dealer replaced the seal around the trunk and applied some black silicone across the tops of the tail lights. I believed they replaced one of the taillights as well due to condensation inside the light. No more leaks during the last 2 car washes.
#19
02-11-2010, 11:18 AM
Veteran Member
That's one reason why I always prefer to wash our vehicles in our driveway. I use the least amount of water possible - a quick hose squirt to the body panel, then scrubbing with my soapy cloth diaper, then quickly rinsing the area just scrubbed. Less water waste, and certainly less water directed at the seams and edges to find its way where it doesn't belong....
Last edited by Jon89; 02-11-2010 at 01:23 PM.
#20
02-11-2010, 11:29 AM
Frankly, we should not have to avoid touchless car washes, its not like we are driving 1982 Civics. I have NO choice in the winter but to use them. The private well water is shut off because of the potential the pipes would freeze. Like Hit1 said, bring it to the dealer, have them replace the seals throughout, and tighten the trunk down. They also use the "lock someone in the trunk with a flashlight and power wash the back of the vehicle" method. Quite humerous.
After they replaced the seals I have had no problems. I got the impression from the tech that it is not only the sealant that goes bad but the actual seals themselves. Just my .02
After they replaced the seals I have had no problems. I got the impression from the tech that it is not only the sealant that goes bad but the actual seals themselves. Just my .02