Mk1 T-Sport water in the boot - anyone else had this?

[Silver Yaris 26]

Hi all, 

As per the title, I've got water in the boot of my Mk1 and am struggling to identify where it's coming from. The carpet above the spare wheel is soaking on the right hand side. 

The rubber bungs in the base of the boot are in place and the main rubber seal around the boot / hatch appears to be okay. 

Has anyone else experienced this and if so what was the root cause of the problem? 

TIA for any responses 

[furtula 265]

Try the light cluster seal.

Easiest way to test, seats down, get inside, and have someone pour bottle of water on the car.

[Yaristotle 2]

As above, it was this that had failed when I endured the same symptoms as you describe. You can see the original seal in the pic below. Here is what I purchased:

https://picclick.co.uk/Genuine-Toyota-Yaris-Rear-Combination-Lamp-Body-Gasket-323236106859.html

It is actually rather more substantial than the original and prevented any further damp.

 

 

 

[lani100 13]

Taillight seals, very common issue with these as they get older.

Toyota sells re visioned thicker seals from rubber instead of foam. But a good clean and bead of silicone does the job.

[Edwin2103 3]

It definitely comes from under the black strips on the roof. The paint is cracked and water comes in and into the boot. Cover it with rubber seal then mount the strips again and it’s solved.

[Silver Yaris 26]

I've ordered a tail light seal which is due arrive tomorrow & I'll fit over the weekend. I will see if that solves the problem first before removing any strips on the roof if there is potentially no need. 

[Silver Yaris 26]

So, new seal has arrived, went to fit it & wasn't sure if it fits inside the car or outside of the car (between the car & cluster) if that makes sense? 

I've removed the inside cover as per the picture & can't see any seal so I'm assuming that I need to remove the light cluster itself & if so, does the seal sit on the bodywork or the inside / round the edge of the light cluster itself? 

[Madasafish 130]

Seals fit between light and body.. so tail lights out, remove old seal ,insert new.. replace light..

 

(Haynes Manula helps  )

[Silver Yaris 26]

Got the light cluster off & removed the old seal & need to clean up the old residue. Did you use anything to bond the new seal in or just fit it direct to the cluster? 

[Madasafish 130]

Just fit dry.. no sealant

[Silver Yaris 26]

Might have to use some sealant as this new seal will not seal tight the whole way around even though I've cleaned off the old residue which kind of defeats the object of a new seal 

[Edwin2103 3]

Apply some vaseline on the seal to keep it in place when fitting in. That’s wat I did when I replaced the seals. Worked well, no leakage anymore around the tail lights.

[Yaristotle 2]

17 hours ago, Silver Yaris said:

Might have to use some sealant as this new seal will not seal tight the whole way around even though I've cleaned off the old residue which kind of defeats the object of a new seal 

You are probably best using some light grit sandpaper and maybe a little methylated spirit on a cloth to properly clear the residue. My replacement seal came with a plastic backing which required to be removed thus leaving a tacky surface on the seal. Nonetheless I smeared a thin coat of silicone grease on both sides of the seal just in case the lamp requires subsequent removal (bulb replacement etc).   

[Silver Yaris 26]

All fitted yesterday afternoon without the need for any kind of adhesive or sealant.

I have emptied the boot, lifted the carpet, dropped the rear seats, etc. so that I could properly see if there was any water getting in now with the new seal in place & my wife pouring a bucket of water over the rear of the car - thankfully none so it looks like job done.

Thanks to all who commented on this thread 

[Silver Yaris 26]

Just thought I'd share some pics of what I found when I removed the rear light clusters (pics are of the passenger side but the driver's side was just as bad). 

In hindsight, it may not have been the seal that was gone, just a build up of dirt over the last 14 years that left the water with no where else to go other than in to the boot. 

It's a 2 minute job to remove them as only 1 bolt & 1 electrical connector after removing the interior clip panel so worth giving them a clean out before winter to prevent any leaks. 

[Madasafish 130]

Thanks for that...  When/if our yaris starts to leak at the rear, I will remember your tip to save money..(I'm mean)

[BRAAAP_STUTUTUU 0]

Mine has moisture in the boot aswell, can't find the parts online on the local sites though

suppose I might have to order them from germany

[lani100 13]

On 10/27/2019 at 1:14 PM, BRAAAP_STUTUTUU said:

Mine has moisture in the boot aswell, can't find the parts online on the local sites though

suppose I might have to order them from germany

Just walk into any Toyota dealer and they will order the part for you.

[Silver Yaris 26]

On 10/27/2019 at 12:14 PM, BRAAAP_STUTUTUU said:

Mine has moisture in the boot aswell, can't find the parts online on the local sites though

suppose I might have to order them from germany

I would remove the light clusters in the 1st instance & clean up before buying any parts as if they were anything like mine, they will have years of dirt and grime in there clogging everything up and most likely forcing water in to the boot.

As per advice that I had earlier in this post (and after cleaning the light clusters & refitting), lift the carpet, get in the car, drop the rear seats so that you have a clear view of the boot and get someone to pour a bucket of water over the rear of the car. That way, you will know for sure if you need to do anything else or whether just cleaning everything up has fixed the problem. 

After I have sorted mine, I left my carpet up to dry out & we have had horrendous rain here in Manchester and my boot is bone dry for the 1st time in years