Water in trunk-body leak? tail light leak?

[batbl18]

Hey, I have read and seen the dozen or so threads documenting water in trunks of both Protege sedans and hatches. However I have yet to find one which pinpoints the exact areas where this could be coming from. I post to ask which specific areas could be the problem, and what will fix them. I am using as many pictures as possible.

For those that either don't know, or would like to check here is where the common area seems to be.

Here is the trunk.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/4430/picture084mediumfo4.th.jpg (http://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture084mediumfo4.jpg)


The problem area is on the driver's side of the trunk shown below.

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/9876/picture085mediumrx6.th.jpg (http://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture085mediumrx6.jpg)


Underneath the vent when you lift up the trunk mat, you will see the indent in the trunk where water is found.

Area with trunk mat:

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/3521/picture086mediumui1.th.jpg (http://img183.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture086mediumui1.jpg)

Area with trunk mat removed:

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/1246/picture087mediumsi1.th.jpg (http://img510.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture087mediumsi1.jpg)


I then took off the carpeted side panel to allow a better view of the area as shown below.

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/4320/picture058mediumkq8.th.jpg (http://img524.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture058mediumkq8.jpg)


Here is a close up of the taillight area.

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/9527/picture060mediumzh7.th.jpg (http://img440.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture060mediumzh7.jpg)


Here are close ups of under the vent area. Note that you can see alot of dirt along with water in the area affected.

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/7112/picture070mediumfk3.th.jpg (http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture070mediumfk3.jpg)
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/8163/picture071mediumzq7.th.jpg (http://img147.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture071mediumzq7.jpg)


Here is a picture looking towards where the gas intake is.

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/6153/picture072mediumkn5.th.jpg (http://img391.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture072mediumkn5.jpg)

Could it be coming from either the gas filler area, or somewhere along the body panel?

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/742/picture088mediumqq1.th.jpg (http://img146.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture088mediumqq1.jpg)

Gas filler door open.

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/4089/picture090mediumho4.th.jpg (http://img524.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture090mediumho4.jpg)


Or could it be from the tail light assembly?

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/5451/picture089mediumkz6.th.jpg (http://img524.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture089mediumkz6.jpg)


From what I have been reading there was never an area pinpointed. Is there a way to fix this on your own, as I'm sure some of you have done without involving anyone? Any tips or suggestions are welcome. This problem doesn't seem like a big problem to me, nor does seem like it would cause any harm in the near future. However I would just like to have it not be an issue to worry about over time. I find it odd that so much dirty water had gotten into the car. Should my next step be in pinpointing this issue be to remove the tail lamp and check for cracks? Thanks, I will keep this updated for others. I'm all ears at this point. (hear ya) (cool) :D

[jeg0024]

there is a how-to posted up somewhere that tells you how to fix the leak, im sure whatever area they are telling you to seal up is the problem?

[NoVa 2.0]

I had the same problem, did some work on my car a month or so ago and Froless and I found the jack was rusted, and it looked like water had been coming into that area for quite some time? He told me it may have been the weather stripping wasn't sealed properly?

Check out the write-up in this thread.
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123669752&highlight=leak

[patsfan4life]

yea that was my issue--the weather stripping. it took forever to find the leak until one day i put the backseats down closed the trunk and looked from inside. i could see light coming through and a good bit of it. it was obvious water was getting thru. i fixed the stripping no leak since.

[l885191]

Your post was about 6 months ago, so you may have received an answer to your problem. If not, read on......... I purchased an 03 Protege in May of 07. I liked it so much, I purchases a second Protege (02) in December of 07. In A few weeks ago, I discovered water in the trunks of each vehicle (in the two side wells and the in well that holds the spare. The jack on the 02 Protege was completely rusted up (wouldn't budge) and had to be replaced. I guess it had been under water for quite some time.

I removed one of the tail lights and discovered an exterior crack just below the tail light where the top of the bumper cover is attached to the body. I sprayed some brake cleaner on the crack to remove dirt that had accumulated along the crack and after cleaning it up, I discovered the bumper cover support is attached just below a body seam. A little downward pressure on the bumper and the crack would widen. I looked in the trunk and the brake cleaner I sprayed had come through the body seam near the base of the tail light, and was running down the interior wall.

This body seam crack was present under both tail lights on both Protege's, so I had to make the repair four times. Looks like a design flaw to me. I had a tube of roofing asphalt water proofing sealer and used it generously over the exterior crack, and also on the inside body seam where water was entering the trunk. The tail light completely conseals the roofing sealer, so it's not visible at all. The interior trim in the trunk covers the sealer I applied on the inside so it's not visible there either. That fixed it and I'm dry. (yes)