Been getting serious amounts of water in the trunk after rain.

Took off the tail lights and found pretty clear evidence how the water was getting into the trunk. See attached pic.

My (hopeful) resolution:

1. Replaced the gaskets. Clean all surfaces carefully.
2. Drilled drain holes at the bottom of the casings around the bulb connectors. So if water does get past the gasket, it has a way to drain out the bottom rather than filling up the tail light.
3. Cleaned up a small passage that was totally clogged with dirt right near the top of the center bulb. This may have caused more water to pool at the top of the light and increase the amount of water passing through the gasket.
4. Torqued the mounting nuts carefully- if those were loose, might have decreased function of gasket.

It looks like a lot of work for that little foam gasket to handle. Most of the water from the rear windows flows down the outside top end of the trunk and over the top of the tail light.

So hopefully my car will be water proof again. :P

Hope that helps someone.

Go Niners!

 

not to be a dick, but that is the same process that members have been using since, oh I dunno... 2003!! *looking at join date*
But, thanks for the contribution

 

^lol so true +1. i just put 2 tiny holes at the bottom.

 

Show me the link! =)

 

They loss...i know, i know...