Potential serious issue with car I have just purchased. Thoughts on rejecting it??

So I'm just over a week in to ownership of a 2010 A6 avant Le Mans. 3.0 tdi

I always do my research when buying cars so had checked as much as possible.
Checked rear wash wipe didn't leak in to boot as well as I could.
I even scanned the car with VCDS which did bring up a couple of issues but I cleared them and they didn't reappear after a day so guessed they were ok.

Anyway yesterday I lifted the boot up and could hear loads of water sloshing around.
its not the rear wiper jet as I haven't used it.

The water is getting in from the brake lights, not sure if it's one of the side ones or top one.

I spent a couple of hours looking the issue up and removing bite from the back of the tailgate to get access to the lights.
In the process I removed the 2 rubber grommets from the bottom of the tail gate and loads of water poured out! Why are the grommets there in the first place? If water does get in they are going to retain it and the tail gate will rust from the inside!

After removing the light units they were both wet on the inside so I'm guessing it is these that are leaking and not the high level brake light.

i know the owner and he has offered me a full refund. Very good of him.

I now have the dilemma of keeping the car with this known issue and spend loads of time and possible money trying to resolve it which may never happen. I don't want a head ache of constantly searching for a water leak and having to remove water from my tail gate all the time. I guess my worst case is the tail gate rusts eventually and/or the water gets on some electrics and causes 1000's of damage.

Or do I reject it as a bad egg and move on. The car appears genarrly good apart from this, it's left me with a rather sour taste.

thoughts please. Keep or reject

The dealer has to be given the option of repairing it before you can look for a refund

I bought it private and sort of know the owner. He is offering me my money back. Very good him.

I also bought it based on an independent check which unfortunately couldn't be done until after I took the car. we both agreed if any major problems came up from the check he would take it back. (Log book not sent off yet)
i know I should have waited until after the check in hind sight.

I'd take the bread

Reject, unless the price paid is worth any extra hassle.

If you really like the car, and this is the only fault you can find, water leaking into the tailgate, then it has to be getting in somewhere, and if you can find whereabouts, then the leak can be fixed. You might want to give it a try anyway? Try using the garden hose or watering can to pour water gently over each tail lamp in turn, and given the volume of water you have found, should be very easy to locate the leak. Did the previous owner seem surprised when you mentioned it to him about the leak?

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Originally Posted by JMR1

If you really like the car, and this is the only fault you can find, water leaking into the tailgate, then it has to be getting in somewhere, and if you can find whereabouts, then the leak can be fixed. You might want to give it a try anyway? Try using the garden hose or watering can to pour water gently over each tail lamp in turn, and given the volume of water you have found, should be very easy to locate the leak. Did the previous owner seem surprised when you mentioned it to him about the leak?

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Well exactly. I don't want to return an otherwise good car. Just don't want to be chasing a water leak for ages.

google has retuned a few results so gone through those.

After removing the lights last night and refitting I have given the car a wash tonight paying particular attention to spraying the back end, and nothing has leaked in, so potentially re-fitting the lights has resolved the problem. The foam seal looked to be seated correctly and in tact though so can't see what I have done could have improved anything. I'd have been happier if the I found a faulty foam seal then I'd know what the issue was.

I'll give her another wash tomorrow to double check there are no leaks.

foam seals are great when new, but lose their springiness .............

I would take out the lights and put a bead of flexible silicone on and around the foam seals

It could be retightening the lights into position has helped

Too late now, but it is always better to locate leak before doing any work.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by micheal balbrig

Too late now, but it is always better to locate leak before doing any work.

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Either light seemed the most obvious culprit and best place to start.

I guess it could be be the 3rd high level brake light.