rear door leak

[drmick]

Hi All

I've got water leaking in through the rear door on my 9-5 estate (MY2005) - noticed it a while ago but only just getting round to sorting it out - first dry day in a while. First noticed it as a wet patch on the parcel shelf, no obvious wet marks on the head liner - there is a panel on the back of the high level brake light and it seemed to be seeping out of there when I pushed.

Any suggestions as to how it is getting there - or why its leaking? Are there any drains on the door seal that might have got blocked causing water to back up and leak out? Also the panel that allows access to the high level brake light (is that the correct term??) is there a simple way to remove it - there are no screws that are obvious so I'm assuming it clips in place, was going to remove it but don't want to break it and then not be able to put it back.

Thanks

Michael

[nine-fiver]

Hi! Most likely the water is coming in through the sharks fin hole in the roof. There is a rubber seal that perishes. The trim all pulls out really easily but you need to start at the back doors and work your way backward from there. Then you can get to heart of the issue with some confidence. Also check the condition of the rear seal for cuts and dirt under the groove it clamps onto the body seam. But that seal is pretty decent and rarely leaks.

[sgould]

I've replaced a shark fin on mine, but it wasn't leaking.  Definitely a likely source of the leak.  The plastic trim around the back end just pulls off.  The two plastic plugs in the roof lining come out with a quarter turn.  Then you can slide your hand in under the roof and feel.  If you need a new shark fin, a cheap dummy will do if you don't have a satnav or an old style wired-in car phone kit.

[drmick]

just had a quick look - the headliner is completely dry, and although the seal for the sharkfin is a bit green I don't think it is the source of the leak.

Fairly sure it is coming from the brake light somehow - the patches of water on the parcel shelf are directly under the panel over the brake light, and just removed the panel and its a bit damp under there but not excessively. There is also condensation on the glass for the brake light. If it was the sharkfin I don't see any way that the water could track from there to this point to leak.

The car needs a good clean and I've just wiped a load of gunk out of the seal for the rear door and the surrounding bodywork, the seal looks to be OK. Wondering whether the seal on the brake light is the source and its coming through there and then being deposited out the edge of the panel onto the shelf?

Think I might have to get in the boot and get some one to spray water on the brake light and see if anything comes through, and if so where.

Thanks

Michael

[sgould]

I knew I had read about it somewhere.  Is this what's happening to you?

http://saabworld.net/f9/water-leaks-inside-car-827/#post3575

[drmick]

that sounds very much like the issue - the water would get in through the light cover and then track through and run along the panel covering it on the inside and drip off the ends which results in the two puddles I see on the shelf either side. Just went and had a look but the cover does seem to be very tight to the door. I'll wait until I have a willing assistant and take the inner panel off and get some one to pour water on the outside of the light and see if it comes through.

Thanks for the link, will report back when have had a chance to test theory.

Thanks
Michael

[Norfolk Jim]

It only takes a tiny crack/seal connection and capillary action will do the rest.

It still amazes me how much water can come through the tinniest of holes.

Dry it out and try it first with someone pushing down onto the brake light to make it a 'tight' fit and then pour water. Bet nothing comes through........... Now do it without anyone pushing light in place..........leak?

If you can't get hold of replacement easily I would nip to local garden/aquatic centre and get some fish tank silicone sealant. Remove light and seal and clean and dry them well and surrounding bodywork (obviously in a dry garage or somewhere it won't get wet). Spread the thinnest layer of the fish tank silicone round the bodywork edges only. Then very carefully re-assemble it all and wipe round the edges very carefully with a damp finger (I find disposable rubber/medical gloves do this well) to give smooth edge. You may find this last a long while. Only down side is you really need to leave it for a few hours to work.

I had loads of trouble with other half's Volvo V50 sunroof drains. No matter how I assembled everything it still leaked loads and that was a tiny crack in roof connection that you couldn't see. A technician at Volvo garage suggested the fix using fish tank sealant and it's lasted for the last 5 months with no issues.

The fish tank sealant seems to be better than normal builders silicone/bathroom sealant and has some sort of inhibitors in it which make it seal even very slight damp surfaces.

Good luck and let us know - £7 as opposed £££'s for new light.

[CitTone]

I will be quite surprised if you DON'T find that the screw-posts in the light moulding have cracked, so the light unit does not clamp in sufficiently to seal.

This happened to my old 9-5, and required a good deal of super-snot (araldite to the rest of you) added to the light moulding to provide a substitute hard-point for the retaining screws.

But being an untrusting type, I used clear silicone as well...

A lot cheaper than a replacement brake light, though.

[drmick]

just a quick update - dried out back of car and left the internal cover off the upper brake light. Not being particularly gifted in the DIY department I smeared a layer of vaseline around the whole upper brake light covering the seal, and so far no leaking and puddles on the boot floor. With the rain last night I would have expected a good cupfull of water in there so I think the seal around the light is the culprit.

Think I'll leave the vaseline in place for a while until the weather improves and then attempt something a bit more permanent.

Thanks

Michael

[nine-fiver]

Silastic! Wonderful stuff. Automotive grade and fully waterproof. See if you can get some. Just glue it all back in place. Wipe it all down first with 'spirits and off you go.

[pompey]

I had a leak in the passenger side rear light cluster which meant it would collect water as the rain rolled down the surface of the boot. Then, when I opened the boot, the water would run into the boot sill which would cause wet patches in different places. Tried sealing the light cluster but found best result was to drill small holes into the light cluster to allow it to drain away.

[Audax]

I had to drill very small holes in the clusters on my 1999 9-5 estate for the same reason. It seemed that the glue on those light units failed after about 10 years and let water in.