I know there are a million threads on this, but I never saw a collection of data on it.
Please participate in the poll.

One reason I'm asking is my warranty is expiring in a bit over a week, but it's a fairly new car (2005) w/ low miles.
I get the impression the water leak happens 100%, but this thread should clarify it.

Thanks!

 

voted ^^
never had a problem, but the car is now RIP as of 10/30/09
socal, 2004, original tails
it did see rain sometimes, but obviously, being from socal, it wasnt all that much.

 

Yes, after I drove it the first time in a rain storm. It would sit under a cover on the driveway in the rain or sometimes without cover, never had a problem until I drove it during the rain storm. Passenger side repaired with silicon adhesive and I think I have to do the driver side again because I see some moisture again.

 

I saw an 8 last friday that had at least a 1/2 inch of water in the one tail light.

 

thanks for all the input so far!! great data right now...

 

Easy fix. Black RTV. The updated gasket is BS.

 

Negative with my 07.

09's get the shaft with this poll

 

My '04 had issues after taking delivery in the first year and they were corrected a few times over the next couple years. The most recent breakthrough was 15 days after my extended warranty was out. Passenger side rear tail-light is fubar...I think I will take it off and and place in a 5-gallon sealable container with a few large desiccant packs to get the moisture.


I have not taken the light housing off before, but where exactly do you put the RTV? Does it seal just the housing, or do you put it where the gasket typically goes?

Thanks in advance!

 

I've never seen the need for a brand new gasket. unless of course its crumbling apart. But I just took mine off and resealed it with silicone. no fogging since.

ODDDOOD - You put the silicone where the gasket is pressed up against the housing itself. nothing to do with the seam where the plastics connect.

 

grazie!

 

I had condensation in my driver side shortly after i bought it in 2006. Its a 2004 model, it was fixed with the updated gasket (tsb) and I haven't had a problem since. I live near Philadelphia, so i get plenty of rain. It hasn't been garage kept until about 6 months ago.

 

yep my 04 has water in its passengerside tail lights. sucks because i taken it in 3 years ago to have it fixed. now 3 years later , i am back to square one with no warranty

 

we've recently got rains over the past week and it looks like i have a fish bowl going on in my tail lights! yay!

 

Left side happened first - dealer replaced entire light but wouldn't do right side until condensation showed up. When it finally did I just used some silicon gasket maker or something to create a new seal over original, shitty, oem gasket and used a vacuum on reverse to dry out inner assembly. Never had a problem since then (1.5 years ago). Cost of repair: $3.

 

same here

 

bought mine used private party and there was condensation. had it replaced under warranty a few years ago and haven't seen it again since. of course b/c i posted this, i should expect to see some in my tail lights tomorrow.

 

I had one replaced, then it rained and then the other one started. So i got mazda to replace both of them.

 

Fortunately, my car doesn't sit in the rain too much or I'm sure I could keep gold fish in my tail lights. After warranty, it seems the best method is dry it out and silicon seal it tight.

 

I had this problem in both tail lights back in May this year when I got my car (a 2004). Replaced what I guess were the original gaskets with new ones. Now, yesterday, I noticed a very small amount of frost (-30C here) in the driver-side light... ugh. I'll be sealing with a liquid gasket this time round when it warms up.

 

just got my right one looking like a fish tank on sat. this sucks

 

nope...no issues here

 

should add 2003 model too

 

Yep. 2005 and both tailights replaced under warranty. New gaskets are holding fine tho'.

 

05, left tail light, replaced under warranty.

 

05, driver side tail light, just started about 3 months ago, resealed once (apparently poorly) because condensation started building again recently. To my defense, it's been raining non-stop for like a few weeks now, damn you GA weather...

Will attempt to reseal again soon, probably in the next day or two. Shall post results.