2001 Avensis Leak In Boot

[yme402]

My 2001 Avensis vermont hatch has a water leak in the boot- I have stripped it out, and by process of elimination, I can only assume that water is finding its way in via the top of the boot opening (near the hinges), and finding its way down and entering near the rear lights. Has anyone else had a similar problem, as I am running out of ideas, if this is not the case.

[Avensis luna 03]

I managed to solve the same problem just by taking off the rubber seal which surrounds all of the boot opening and moving the position of the seal by someting like 90 degrees and refitting. I hope this is understandable from my explanation.

[newwy]

Hi

I have just bought a 2000 (X plate) Avensis Vermont 1.8 the other day and on examining a musty, damp smell in the boot I have also found a small pool of water in the boot recess near the lights on the drivers side. The carpet was also mouldy and smelly underneath. It is so bad that I have decieded to throw it away and try and find a new one from a scrap yard. The hardboard underneath the carpet is swollen and water damaged.

I cleaned up and dried the water, however after a light shower last night the water has returned. Could the previous poster explain what he did with the rubber seal by removing it and turning it 90 degrees ?? I really have to try and solve this problem.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I feel that non-Japanese built Toyotas are just not up to the same build quality. Over the past many years I have had several Corollas, a Celica, a Carina, a Camry and now an Avensis. All the other cars, apart from the Carina, have been Jap built and I never had any issues/problems with them. The British built Carina was a dog and I quickly got rid of it after it developed a mis-fire that no one could sort out. It is too early to tell yet whether this Avensis is as well built as the Jap cars, but this water ingress is a little bit of bother and not what I am used to.

Anymore info and solutions to the leak then do please post.

Regards

Dave

The (Japanese built ) car in front is a Toyota !

[yme402]

Hi

I have just bought a 2000 (X plate) Avensis Vermont 1.8 the other day and on examining a musty, damp smell in the boot I have also found a small pool of water in the boot recess near the lights on the drivers side. The carpet was also mouldy and smelly underneath. It is so bad that I have decieded to throw it away and try and find a new one from a scrap yard. The hardboard underneath the carpet is swollen and water damaged.

I cleaned up and dried the water, however after a light shower last night the water has returned. Could the previous poster explain what he did with the rubber seal by removing it and turning it 90 degrees ?? I really have to try and solve this problem.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I feel that non-Japanese built Toyotas are just not up to the same build quality. Over the past many years I have had several Corollas, a Celica, a Carina, a Camry and now an Avensis. All the other cars, apart from the Carina, have been Jap built and I never had any issues/problems with them. The British built Carina was a dog and I quickly got rid of it after it developed a mis-fire that no one could sort out. It is too early to tell yet whether this Avensis is as well built as the Jap cars, but this water ingress is a little bit of bother and not what I am used to.

Anymore info and solutions to the leak then do please post.

Regards

Dave

Hi there.

Touching wood, (and anything else that comes to hand), I am cautiously optimistic that I may have cured the leak on my 2001 Vermont d4d hatch.

I have applied clear external sillicone sealent in 2 areas.

The first area is seal completely right the way round the rear lamps, as on doing a water test, water was running down the drainage channel beside the rear hatch opening, and was disappearing down the gap between the lamp and the metal bodywork. If applied neatly, and pushed into the recess, the sealent is not at all noticeable. (I used UNIBOND external and internal clear sillicone.)

This greatly reduced the ammount of water entering the car via the area just below the bootlip opening (I stripped out the internal panels-quite a simple job, so i could identify exactly where it was entering). There was however still a little water entering, when water hit the drainage channels via the roof. I identified that water was coming off the roof, and entering the seal along the top of the boot lid opening, so although it is quite fiddly, I sealed right along the area where the seal meets the metal in this area, and so far so good!!

I have tried to explain this as best as I can(apologies if it is a bit long winded), but do please get in touch If I can help any further .

Regards

Tony.

p.s let me know if it does cure it.

[Avensis luna 03]

Sorry newwy. I knew as I was typing that it would be difficult to understand. Let me try again.

If you mark a spot on the rubber seal before you remove it completely, then refit the seal with that mark about 3 feet (say) clockwise from where it originated. Does that make any more sense?

[newwy]

Thanks Avensis Luna 03, your further description made more sense...lol. I may give it a go but I will try the idea by yme042 (above) first as it may be a little easier to do. I don't want to start removing the rubber seal unless I really have to as I always seem to make things worse when I try something like that. DIY disaster area me !

Thanks for the information Tony and avensis luna 03

Off to B & Q on sunday to buy some silicone sealant.

I will keep you informed. Its just a shame that this seems to be a problem on some models. I never had any leaking problems on my Jap built Toyota's.

This just adds further evidence to my stance that Japanese cars, built in Japan are better.

Anyone else having a leaking Avensis please add your comments.

Regards

Dave

[yme402]

Thanks Avensis Luna 03, your further description made more sense...lol. I may give it a go but I will try the idea by yme042 (above) first as it may be a little easier to do. I don't want to start removing the rubber seal unless I really have to as I always seem to make things worse when I try something like that. DIY disaster area me !

Thanks for the information Tony and avensis luna 03

Off to B & Q on sunday to buy some silicone sealant.

I will keep you informed. Its just a shame that this seems to be a problem on some models. I never had any leaking problems on my Jap built Toyota's.

This just adds further evidence to my stance that Japanese cars, built in Japan are better.

Anyone else having a leaking Avensis please add your comments.

Regards

Dave

Hi there.

Just wondered if you had cured your leak?

[Parts-King]

If you are going to seal the rear lamps, remove the lamp and re-seal rather than just sealing up the gap, it is not unknown for water to ingress past the lamp and into the boot

Kingo

[newwy]

Hi

An update on the leaking Avensis boot.

Managed to reduce the amount of water ingress, however there is still some water getting in. I used the ronseal method and put some silicon around the whole rubber seal, seems to have helped a bit. I am not impressed at all, thinking of getting rid and ending my 15 years of driving Toyotas. I have always sworn by Toyota but the last few years the quality has slipped, indeed ever since they started production in Burnaston in Derbyshire in the mid 1990's the quality is just not like the Japanese built ones.

I am looking out for a 1999/2000 BMW 318i and spending a bit more than I would usually in the pursuit of a car I can rely on for years to come.

[yme402]

Hi

An update on the leaking Avensis boot.

Managed to reduce the amount of water ingress, however there is still some water getting in. I used the ronseal method and put some silicon around the whole rubber seal, seems to have helped a bit. I am not impressed at all, thinking of getting rid and ending my 15 years of driving Toyotas. I have always sworn by Toyota but the last few years the quality has slipped, indeed ever since they started production in Burnaston in Derbyshire in the mid 1990's the quality is just not like the Japanese built ones.

I am looking out for a 1999/2000 BMW 318i and spending a bit more than I would usually in the pursuit of a car I can rely on for years to come.

Sorry to hear how disappointed you are with the Toyota. Your predicament sounds exactly like the one I had (nearly cured, but not quite?) However, very quickly just try the following, as it completely cured the problem for me:

You will see running along the roof a black strip on both sides covering the drainage rail, where you might for instance mount a Roof Rack. Prize this up gently at the rear of the roof, and you will see underneath it, right at the edge, before the drop- down to the hatch recess a join where two body panels are welded together. Seal this join up with the sillicone, stick the black strip down again and bingo!! I am now optimistic that after a few good rainfalls and water tests, that I have solved the problem, as my boot is still dry.

I have been in the used car business for nearly 12 years now and although I still get it wrong from time to time, I would be giving your Avensis a bit longer. I have seen plenty of these pass through the books in my time, and I would still challenge anyone to show me a car that is more reliable over a long term. A simple rule of thumb in my business is that if Cabbies use them, they must be reliable!!. As far as the 3 series is concerned, do not be too romanced by the "build quality" being better than the Avensis. Granted, the bits you can see (interior/dash/panels etc) are superior to the Toyota, but the bits underneath as far as durability are concerned definatly are not, and are costly as well - just some food for thought.

Good luck

Tony

[Parts-King]

I am looking out for a 1999/2000 BMW 318i and spending a bit more than I would usually in the pursuit of a car I can rely on for years to come.

I have been in this job a long time and have commented on build quality of Toyota on numerous occasions. Please don't think that buying a German marque will bring an end to build quality and reliability issuse. I will refrain from mentioning particular makes, but let me assure you that by buying German, you will NOT be buying a superior product.

Anyway back to topic. Most problems with water ingress nto the boot is caused by the seals leaking around the rear lamps, on rare occasions its because of poor sealant in a welded joint (qtr panel to roof for instance) I hope you get it fixed but like the previous poster says, if a cabbie runs an Avensis, they can't all have poor build quality

Kingo