Found a puddle of water in the trunk!
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1991 Corolla DLX 4AFE, 1994 Camry LE 5SFE, 1995 Avalon XLS 1MZFE, 2004 Sienna XLE/LTD, 2011 Camry LE
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There’s a drain tube coming off either the door gutter or the stereo antenna motor, depending on your year, that passes thru this area. It’s either clogged, pulled out of the bottom of the trunk drain fitting, or missing completely. Pull that jack out and vacuum or bail all the water out and make sure drain is clear by running a hangar or other suitable item down through the drain. Insects like to crawl up in there sometimes and block the tube. After you finish ensuring the drain is clear and tube is connected properly. Get rid of that rust by sanding and priming and painting it so that it doesn’t spread, or it will get much worse.
![Wood Fluid Plant sap Trunk Natural material]()
If you have no sunroof then there will be no roof drain hose back there (about 1/2" dia).
If you have no electrical pole antenna then there will also be no antenna housing drain hose there either. (about 3/8" dia).
From OPs photo, neither are present on that car, so there may be nothing missing. In the second photo there is no water visible. Did you drain it out somehow? That black plug visible in the photo is the grommet which is where those above mentioned drain tubes would have gone if that car was so equipped. It can serve as a handy drain hole (be sure to put the plug back after draining, so prevent massive amounts of road salt and dirt coming in).
From the condition of your jack and your body (no rust, almost no dirt/mold), it looks like the water leak is very recent (a good thing). Was there anything changed about your car recently? Any damage to the rear, which could have caused a crack in the sealer somewhere above this area?
If you have no electrical pole antenna then there will also be no antenna housing drain hose there either. (about 3/8" dia).
From OPs photo, neither are present on that car, so there may be nothing missing. In the second photo there is no water visible. Did you drain it out somehow? That black plug visible in the photo is the grommet which is where those above mentioned drain tubes would have gone if that car was so equipped. It can serve as a handy drain hole (be sure to put the plug back after draining, so prevent massive amounts of road salt and dirt coming in).
From the condition of your jack and your body (no rust, almost no dirt/mold), it looks like the water leak is very recent (a good thing). Was there anything changed about your car recently? Any damage to the rear, which could have caused a crack in the sealer somewhere above this area?
You are correct. No sunroof, no antenna. So I don't think I should have that tube/hose draining out of the plugged hole. Yes, I removed the water in the 2nd picture.
Last night I searched forum more thoroughly. It might be due to some worn out trunk air vent. Let me take a look now.
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Last night I searched forum more thoroughly. It might be due to some worn out trunk air vent. Let me take a look now.
Sent from my SM-G981U1 using Tapatalk
1991 Corolla DLX 4AFE, 1994 Camry LE 5SFE, 1995 Avalon XLS 1MZFE, 2004 Sienna XLE/LTD, 2011 Camry LE
Joined
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1,267 Posts
The trunk lid seal may also be weathered, cracked, ripped, etc. and it may be coming in from the top seal when it rains, snows, melts, etc. You didn't provide your Year/Trim level too, btw. When I'm looking for a leak in my trunk like that, I put my Iphone in there and set to video recording and also place one of my Milwaukee M12 lights in there then hose it down with the trunk lid closed, to see where its coming in at, if at all. You might also want to verify the integrity of the spare tire tray to make sure you're not getting water intrusion from there. I believe there are about 4 or so rubber grommet drain plugs in there and they might be missing, cracked, leaking, etc as well.
Okay. First, the air vent is on the drive side. Found it.
Second, the leak is from this area.
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I asked my son to get into the trunk and I spayed for 5 minutes and it started to show up.
But I am not sure whether it's due to missing sealant between the sheet metal, or there's something wrong with the big black rubber truck seal.
This year we had a few rain falls heavier than normal. I have never seen this before.
Sent from my SM-G981U1 using Tapatalk
Second, the leak is from this area.
I asked my son to get into the trunk and I spayed for 5 minutes and it started to show up.
But I am not sure whether it's due to missing sealant between the sheet metal, or there's something wrong with the big black rubber truck seal.
This year we had a few rain falls heavier than normal. I have never seen this before.
Sent from my SM-G981U1 using Tapatalk
Check your trunk latch. I had the same problem and it turned out that the trunk lid did not close tight enough. Adjust the latch down some to tighten the seal on the trunk lid seal.Okay. First, the air vent is on the drive side. Found it.
Second, the leak is from this area.
![]()
![]()
I asked my son to get into the trunk and I spayed for 5 minutes and it started to show up.
But I am not sure whether it's due to missing sealant between the sheet metal, or there's something wrong with the big black rubber truck seal.
This year we had a few rain falls heavier than normal. I have never seen this before.
Sent from my SM-G981U1 using Tapatalk
The striker plate is located on the body not the deck lid under the plastic trim. There are two bolts that need to be loosened to be able to move the striker plate down towards the trunk floor.It shouldn't take too much movement to tighten the deck lid to the body. When you are done it should take just a little force more than the weight of the deck lid to make it latch.
I had this exact problem. The rubber gasket between the tail light assembly and body gets brittle with age and develops a leak.
Remove the assembly and make your own gasket from butyl tape ($6) taking care to fully cover the upper part of the light assembly which gets the brunt of outside water.
Here's what I used: https://www.ebay.com/itm/162895330508hash=item25ed517ccc:g:4xgAAOSwQN5afhUN
Hasn't leaked in over 5 years.
Remove the assembly and make your own gasket from butyl tape ($6) taking care to fully cover the upper part of the light assembly which gets the brunt of outside water.
Here's what I used: https://www.ebay.com/itm/162895330508hash=item25ed517ccc:g:4xgAAOSwQN5afhUN
Hasn't leaked in over 5 years.
note the striker nuts are on a "weld plate", it can be adjusted but will require a hammer to move them up / down / side x side but will ONLY require adjustment if there has been accident damage
moving it to try and "fix" some other problem will tend to create new problems (hard to close, etc.).
otherwise, focus on what has changed since the vehicle was new: cracked sealer, worn out weatherstrip and repair that
moving it to try and "fix" some other problem will tend to create new problems (hard to close, etc.).
otherwise, focus on what has changed since the vehicle was new: cracked sealer, worn out weatherstrip and repair that
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