HELP! Standing water in my spare tire well

[finaltable]

Driving to church this morning I heard a "sloshing" sound coming from the back of the car. I thought to pull up the spare tire cover and discovered about an inch of water in there. It did rain last night but it hasn't done this before to my knowledge.

1. Is there a probable source for the leak?
2. What do I need to replace to prevent a recurrence?

[Pretaco]

Is it a targa?

That is where I would look first.

Two ways to find it:

1. Start engine, close all doors and put windows up, turn on blower to high, and put on outside air, then feel around the outside of the windows, etc... to find air blowing out.

2. Sit in back seat while buddy splashes water on car from hose or car wash, look for water and follow to highest point, may have to remove all interior trim around headliner to find leak.

Hope that helps.
Ray.

[finaltable]

As noted in my sig, my car is a targa. I really don't think that is the source of the leak as nothing else in the car is wet. I'm guessing that came from the seals in the back as there are some areas under the spare tire cover that are wet and other that aren't. I guess what I need to do is take it to a car wash and spray it down with someone inside looking for leaks.

[CyFi6]

Originally Posted by Pretaco

Is it a targa?

That is where I would look first.

Two ways to find it:

1. Start engine, close all doors and put windows up, turn on blower to high, and put on outside air, then feel around the outside of the windows, etc... to find air blowing out.

2. Sit in back seat while buddy splashes water on car from hose or car wash, look for water and follow to highest point, may have to remove all interior trim around headliner to find leak.

Hope that helps.
Ray.

can even do number 1 but spray soapy water outside on the seams and look for bubbles

[plaaya69]

I would say you have leaky taillight gaskets or loose trim around the rear window.

[Chambers]

Just like plaaya69 said, check the lower trim piece on the hatch on the window, the lower trim piece on the hatch on my car has deteriorated, and I have one bad taillight gasket, the water every time it rains sips under the trim and sits in the bottom of the hatch, when I start driving it will slosh round a bit and goes into the spare tire well.

It's been like that for so long that there are rust holes in the tire well and the water runs right out. You will need to remove the inner hatch cover, if it is wet then you know that the trim piece is either loose or deteriorated, you will also need some deep well sockets to remove the trim piece if it is bad. Hope this helps.

[OfnaRcR]

LOL. Spare tire leak happens to every MK3. Its either the hatch seal, taillight gaskets, or the wing holes.

[finaltable]

Last time it rained I had a taillight go out. I wondered at the time if the cause was water getting on the bulb and now I really think that it was. I have a bad, bad feeling that the tail light seals are leaking. Replacing those is going to suck.

[OfnaRcR]

Originally Posted by finaltable

Last time it rained I had a taillight go out. I wondered at the time if the cause was water getting on the bulb and now I really think that it was. I have a bad, bad feeling that the tail light seals are leaking. Replacing those is going to suck.

not really. Pretty easy actually. I just thought of something tho. Look at the tallight lense and the taillight body and make sure there isn't a gap there. Thats what my problem is.

[finaltable]

The reason it is going to suck is the screws are stripped. I'm going to have to figure out how to get them off without damaging them.