Mold and rust in boot

September 6, 2020

I'm in the process of sound deadening the entire car and today I took out the trim in the boot. Boy, was I in for a surprise! Turns out the car had been in some sort of an accident that hasn't been registered at Toyota, and judging from the yellow pain markings on the backside of the left lamp housing, the car was fixed up with second hand parts.

I can live with second hand parts and some dinged up body panels. However, there seems to be some rust developments where the rear bumper is mounted on both sides. Since it hasn't rusted through and the inside of the car isn't going to be on display, is there an easy way for me to stop the rust from spreading without sending the car to a paint shop?

Also, when taking off the trims, I noticed some white powdery stuff. I suspect that this is mold of some sorts. Is there a way for me to get rid of the mold, or am I better off sourcing out some second hand trim? I suspect that even secondhand trims are going to be expensive but at the same time, I don't want to inhale the mold when I'm sleeping in the car on road trips.

Any tips would be appreciated!

September 8, 2020

The mold is actually pretty hard to get out... I noticed that there was some more mold on the opposing trim as well, right at the very bottom edge. Seems like it has started from the "wells" on either side of the spare wheel well. I think I can save the right hand side trim, as the mold didn't seem to have grown into anything major on that side yet. The left hand side, however is really bad. I started cleaning it earlier today with warm soap water mixed with baking soda (didn't have vinegar at hand) and the panel is stained brown. I am assuming the sound deadening felt contains mold as well, since there is mold on either side.

I called Toyota and they told me it would be over £400 for the trim on one side. None of my local breakers have that part available, and the used parts databases here don't even have that part listed. Anyone who have dealt with this before who wants to give me any pointers as to what I can do?

September 9, 2020

Finally found a breaker who had boot trims, £40 in total. It was a 2 hour drive, but better than paying £800 for new parts. Parts were off a 2004 model of lower spec but for some reason, the parts seemed to be of higher quality. For instance, the compartment covers had a sturdy plastic backing, which my old ones didn't have. Also, there was some decoupling foam for the rollover mounting points.

Now that the mold has been taken care of, would that rust be a problem if left untreated? Should I just spray it with some Hammerite and call it a day?

July 4, 2023

Sorry for the late response, but I thought I'd share some insights for others who might have a similar question. Dealing with rust and mold in your car can be a real pain, especially when you're on a budget. For the rust, if it hasn't rusted through, you can try using rust converters or inhibitors to stop it from spreading. They're available in spray or brush-on form and can be found at auto supply stores. As for the mold, it's best to prioritize your health and safety. If you suspect mold, it's advisable to hire specialists who can properly assess and remove it. Inhaling mold can be harmful, especially during road trips when you're spending a lot of time in the car. Also, I recently stumbled upon a webpage at https://www.mrmoldofmichigan.com/. They provide some helpful information about mold removal.