Another leak post...

[Alimar]

Hi all, I've noticed a leak at the rear of my car, but apparently the seals have already been changed. Can anyone suggest where the leak could be coming from? I've taken pictures. It is wet between the top of the window and the lining. There is a small amount of water in the spare wheel well. I've also added an image of a loose seal on the top of the car at the back; could this be the culprit?

[Mjolinor]

The best way to find a leak is with a whiteboard marker. Water will wash it off so you can see where it was.

It does make people look at you strange when they see black (or any colour) lines drawn all over the inside of your car though. 🙂

[Alimar]

That's a good idea thank you!

[APS]

Third/high brake light? 

[Bper]

Hi Adam, the third photo does seem the boot trim is damaged then this is the prime candidate that water is coming In to the wheel well.

Water can leak through poorly sealed body seams around the boot.Regarding the loose seal. The loose seal you pictured might be a contributing factor, but it depends on its location. Look for where the seal goes and if it's supposed to be attached to the roof or the window itself. A gap around the roof could allow water ingress.

Double check the third brake Light seal,inspect the seal for any damage etc. Locate the drain holes and ensure they are free of dirt or debris. According to some Corolla owners, there has been reports of leaks around the brake light assemblies on older models. These leaks can cause water in the boot or spare wheel well. Check the gaskets around the  lights for wear or damage.Hope this helps.

[DerekHa]

Hi Alimar,

Just having a read through this.

Had water getting into the boot/spare wheel well of a 2006 Citroen Aygo. Not sure if the rear hatch is similar on your Corolla to the Aygo but likely same locations will be problematic. The seals on the rear light clusters and the highlevel brake are all favourite. There are also rubber type  seals applied to two air vents located below the boot opening, they can't be seen or accessed without removing the rear bumped first! The bumper isn't that difficult to remove with only a few fixings and giving a good tug, at least on the Aygo. New seals or a silcone type sealer will do the job here to.

I'd done all of the above, the boot seal wasn't leaking, but still had rain in the wheel well. I noticed as you have that the roof strip had come free near the hinges. On checking this found that there is a rubber gasket that seals the hinges to the body/roof which had distorted.

You have to be careful as the tailgate is glass of course. I released the hinges one at a time, cleaned the mating faces really well and also the rubber as crap collects there then applied a black sealer and refitted and tightened the fixings. Rain water can run inside the upper box sections tracking along the the holes for the hinge fixings and then find it's way into the boot with little to show how it's getting inside.

You won't be able to do this as the Aygo has a small glass rear hatch and your Corolla is steel and a lot heavier. You'll need two to work on your tailgate to take the full weight and remove if need to do this.

[flash22]

It's an MK2 Aygo and it's the classic 3rd brake light leak replace the brake light

5 hours ago, Mjolinor said:

The best way to find a leak is with a whiteboard marker. Water will wash it off so you can see where it was.

It does make people look at you strange when they see black (or any colour) lines drawn all over the inside of your car though. 🙂

maybe something lost in the translation

A whiteboard is a plastic-coated surface that you use a whiteboard marker/pen on

A Blackboard (the politically correct term is chalkboard) is a coated surface you use chalk on

 

Tracing leaks you want to use a powdered French chalk (magnesium silicate) more commonly called and sold as Talc, Talcum powder or Baby powder which is a scented version for human use

[Mjolinor]

11 minutes ago, flash22 said:

It's an MK2 Aygo and it's the classic 3rd brake light leak replace the brake light

maybe something lost in the translation

A whiteboard is a plastic-coated surface that you use a whiteboard marker/pen on

A Blackboard (the politically correct term is chalkboard) is a coated surface you use chalk on

 

Tracing leaks you want to use a powdered French chalk (magnesium silicate) more commonly called and sold as Talc, Talcum powder or Baby powder which is a scented version for human use

Does this remove your confusion? 🙂

The problem with using talc is that you cannot get rid of it afterwards.

[flash22]

I would rather clean up talc than board marker, and oh boy if you use the wrong type of marker

 

yes I had to get Sharpie off an interactive white once that was 2 weeks old and the best part of £3k

[Mjolinor]

1 hour ago, flash22 said:

I would rather clean up talc than board marker, and oh boy if you use the wrong type of marker

 

yes I had to get Sharpie off an interactive white once that was 2 weeks old and the best part of £3k

To get permanent markers off a white board you just use the correct pen over the top and wipe it straight away.

I have no idea how to get talc off once it has been wet. It sets like concrete and gets everywhere.

Each to their own.

 

[Alimar]

I've had a look and the seal for the top brake light does indeed look  perished; I've got another on the way. Hopefully this will fix it!

[Cyker]

4 hours ago, flash22 said:

I would rather clean up talc than board marker, and oh boy if you use the wrong type of marker

 

yes I had to get Sharpie off an interactive white once that was 2 weeks old and the best part of £3k

I've had to deal with that too!  

But I learned a good trick for that - Just scribble over it thoroughly with a proper 'dry erase' whiteboard marker (Which is what people should be using on whiteboards, not PERMANENT marker!!! ), and by some miracle of chemistry this somehow converts the permanent marker to semi-dry-erase and it will wipe off!  

The first time someone showed me this I was not happy, as obviously it looks like it's making it much worse, but for reasons I still don't fathom it actually works!

You may need to go over it a few times but it'll get fainter and fainter and then multi-surface cleaner will usually take care of the rest. Genius!