[Mr Angry]

Oh dear another leak
Stripped the off side down as its that side this time and theres no evidence of water tracking on the inside panels?
Changed the obvious, those grommets for the rear lights they didnt look too bad but fitted new ones
Pressure washed the car and jumped into the boot and nothing coming in?
Hopefully cured it unless it coming through the boot grommet for the parking sensor wiring??

 

[Mad Paddy]

Did you get to seal the boots hinges and below the roof plastic trim.??

 

[Mr Angry]

Did you get to seal the boots hinges and below the roof plastic trim.??

No all looks ok checked it over with no signs of leaking
Theres plenty of sealant in the metal skin joints, its like putty?

What I did find and Im a bit annoyed its ruined Is a blue A4 booklet that had been tucked behind the boot carpet panel
It damaged due to been wet for a long time but it looks like a build checklist as its all in German
Im sure if I had found this before it got damaged it had been a beautiful addition to the cars history file

Now its dried its impossible to save it as its just brittle and crumbling

Im gutted

Strange place to put it though

 

[Mad Paddy]

I would doudle check them for hairline cracks mate.

It's a pain alrite, sure some one would know to get another

 

[Radbourne78]

Agree it's definitely worth checking the seams even if you don't think you have a leak. Mine has had a previous leak as there was, as others have seen, some corrosion on the rear seat brackets which was there when I bought it. Any time the car has got wet everything has stayed bone dry in the boot. Last weekend I stripped out the complete rear end as I wanted to do some detailing and also repaint the brackets (These were blasted and repainted and look factory perfect again). I'm sure the rear light seals have been replaced previously as the gasket on these looks in very good condition. Whilst I had it apart, and after reading this thread, I checked up inside the inner box sections around the rear. Although the car seems water tight there is evidence there has been some subtle water ingress from around the tailgate hinge area or possibly roof joints. There are some really subtle cracks in the sealer which I'm going to sort as soon as I can get some white seam sealer.
Not a particular issue to me as the car lives in the garage but even so, I don't want to be paranoid every time I wash it that water may be getting into the internal structure of the car.

 

[womblenh]

Does the old seam sealer need to be removed or can you paint over?
Any recommendations for seam sealer?

 

[Mad Paddy]

Remove the old seam sealer and apply new. It can be painted over

 

[womblenh]

Excuse my dimness, does it just scrape off or do I need to use a hammer 🤣
Ive got no idea where to start, but Im off next week and am going to rip my car apart and seal everything 🤣

 

[Radbourne78]

I think the sealer only cracks where it's quite thin - I cleaned and panel wiped mine then added to what was there using White Tiger seal (seam sealer) As said previously its a perfect colour match

 

[womblenh]

Hi guys. Ended up buying another set of these grommets as water had started to ingress again , also noticed water dripping from the grey plastic trim around the rear window. Any ideas?

 

[Gareth350]

Hi guys. Ended up buying another set of these grommets as water had started to ingress again , also noticed water dripping from the grey plastic trim around the rear window. Any ideas?

Possibly the spoiler. If you pop off the centre panel, where you get access to the spoiler bolts, check if there is any water or dampness inside the tailgate or on the removed panel itself, if there is then it will be the foam washers between the spoiler & the body. I have found mine was wet, so I will be taking the spoiler off & making some proper rubber sealing washers for them, as well as neoprene foam pads to replace all the foam thats used at the touch points. Also check /silicone the electrical rubber grommets, as the rubber shrinks over time.

I have some dampness in my boot on the offside which has appeared in the last couple of weeks. My c piller trim was damp & as others have said, the light grommets are shot, have new ones to fit. Also my rear lights electrical grommet is loose as hell, shrunk a lot over the years, part of the loom, so will silicone those to seal.

Will also be sealing the hinge surrounds & under the roof trims too!

A good video, although not an RS but all fittings the same, obviously not the prettiest of jobs he does but shows the majority of where the leaks are found in the mk2 focus!

 

[womblenh]

Cheers Gareth 👍

 

[womblenh]

Are there any original seals/ gasket that should be on there instead of silicone?
Also, what thickness of of foam tape goes under the roof rails?

 

[Gareth350]

Under the spoiler, each bolt hole originally had some foam around it, when I took mine off 6 years ago, they were worn to nothing, should have sorted it then!

The roof strips will use 2mm thick or so tape.

 

[Mr Angry]

For the boot spoiler I can get hold of neoprene sealing foam tape at the correct size and sheets to make gaskets for the location points

I changed mine last year with some cheap door draught excluding foam which isn’t that good but only did this as the spoiler was rattling like joke teeth

once the better weather arrives I will be re-sealing it with the aforementioned equipment

I may be able to get some kits made up if there’s enough interest?

 

[Gareth350]

Well, as today was a nice day, I thought I'd have a look for the source of my slight water leak into the offside boot.

The boot mat & os trim was wet where the compressor & sealant lives. Noticed the c piller trim was wet & after removing, I noticed the water dripping approx above where the rear seat latch is, as others have found. So the water was running down the c piller trim & exiting around where the lower light fitting is, of course, 1st thing you assume is the light fittings!

So, I taped up the seam welds in the top right corner of the boot aperture, just below the roof trim, poured some water over, no drips, so this lead me to further up, poured water over the roof trims & a few mins later drips appeared.

Took off the roof trim to find a terrible amount of dirt!!

A good clean was required!

It was after a good clean that I could have a good look for the source to my water leak & it take long to find it, the seam sealer at the back hidden by the roof trim & a long crack forwards about 3 inches! You may need to zoom in to see it, I tried to get the best pic I could.

So, some non adhesive clear silicone sealer applied, whilst the trim off I went along the whole length of the seam to the front to be safe!

I didn't take a pic as its fairly obvious where to put the sealer!

Also done the seams inside the tailgate aperture from earlier as well as the boot hinge surrounds.


Took the spoiler off, as I noticed there was water ingressing inside the tailgate near the bolts, a good clean up then will make some gaskets for the bolts & new foam on the touch points. I silicone the grommets for the wiring & washer hose for good measure too!

Fingers crossed, this will cure my leak & be of help to others where to look.

Just the other side to do now, as well as change the light fixings. 👍

 

[womblenh]

Was it easy to remove the roof rails, G?
What you sticking them back with?

 

[Gareth350]

Was it easy to remove the roof rails, G?
What you sticking them back with?

Not too bad, start from the back & using trim tools slowly lift the trim along, be careful when you get to the front slot (where the roof bars would go) as the plastic is very thin there, I did it on my own but be better if someone supported the rear a couple of inches up.

I will be using 19mm double sided trim tape.

Obviously, needs a damn good clean!! 😁

 

[womblenh]

Thanks Gareth 👍

 

[Clive]

Good job Gareth, maybe this should be a separate thread "Water leak onto boot from roof rail" ?