Leak In Boot

[coup80]

hi i have a 2003 a4 avant and have noticed a leak recently in boot i have checked all rubber seals around boot and all seems fine,i took car back to auto glass as i had a new rear window fitted just after buying car and thought it could be that thats leaking,they checked it and told me the leak is not coming from the window but the third break light above the window,is this easy to fix?can i just get a new seal or the whole new light?:1zhelp:

[coup80]

any suggestions,the puddle is always on the left side as you open tailgate next to rear light,could it be coming in there?

[spartacus 68]

Quite difficult to trace where water could be getting in. Sure it's not a leaking rear wash pipe? To confirm it's not this, or indeed the window - remove the interior trim on the tailgate. One philips screw next to interior handle. The rest are push-clips. Be careful, they tend to break if you're heavy handed. Alternatively, choose a nice bright day and get someone to hose the back of the car with you in the luggage area. Run your fingers along the rubber seals to see if water is getting in here, or indeed the window.

[danclyon]

That's cobblers - if the leak is coming from the light area then it's either leaking from the glass seal or its getting round the rubber boot seal. As spartacus says - my money is on rear wash-wipe. Easy way to tell is does it still squirt out the nozzle? If not (given the motor is at the front) then you've probably got the same job to do/get done that I have :) The other place to check is if it's coming out under the drivers side rear wheel (and if it is, it's probably running down through the inside of the boot on/near to the subwoofer etc).

[coup80]

Hello thanks for the replies,i checked again there rear wash works fine its not leaking there,put a hose in channel between roof and boot lid and looked through rear window to area where puddle usually is and nothing,then pored water out of kettle just over third brake light only looked through window and waters a fast dribble into boot floor.

i think its definatley coming in around the seal of the top brake light then running down inside the interior trim down side of window then i can see it dripping out where the 2 parts of interior trim meet just below the window.can you buy a new seal for around the top brake light?is it easy to fit?is new top light expensive,or should i just try some sealant around it.

[mikeybutch]

Hello thanks for the replies,i checked again there rear wash works fine its not leaking there,put a hose in channel between roof and boot lid and looked through rear window to area where puddle usually is and nothing,then pored water out of kettle just over third brake light only looked through window and waters a fast dribble into boot floor.

i think its definatley coming in around the seal of the top brake light then running down inside the interior trim down side of window then i can see it dripping out where the 2 parts of interior trim meet just below the window.can you buy a new seal for around the top brake light?is it easy to fit?is new top light expensive,or should i just try some sealant around it.Try sealing it from the outside with some black Silicone ...worked on my last Avant

[spartacus 68]

I think its definatley coming in around the seal of the top brake light then running down inside the interior trim down side of window then i can see it dripping out where the 2 parts of interior trim meet just below the window.can you buy a new seal for around the top brake light?is it easy to fit?is new top light expensive,or should i just try some sealant around it. Go back to Autoglass, they obviously didn't fit it properly.

[coup80]

the leak isnt coming from around the bond of the window but from above the bond,coming in by the third brake light,do you know if this brake light is easy to change?,thank you for your help

[danclyon]

It's not the brake light - it's that the glass isn't sealed properly to the body.....I think that's what Spartacus and I are trying to say :)