Water in Taillights

NC-Lesabre · #1 08-20-2004, 09:17 PM

Hello,
Anyone experience the water in taillights problem?
Our 2000 has water in the light capsule that fits accross the trunk. Before I take the capsule out I thought that I would check with the folks on this list to find out if anyone else has had the problem and what they did for the fix.
Is there a drain in the taillight that is perhaps clogged or should they seal out the water?
Thanks in advance for the input.
Jim

yogi_123rd · #2 08-20-2004, 11:28 PM

Water and light bumps don't mix. The moisture will cause the light bulb to burn out before it's time.
The tail light assembly should seal out the water. You should check for cracks in the lens body as this was usually the case in problems I've had.

NC-Lesabre · #3 08-21-2004, 05:48 PM

Thanks for the info Yogi. I'll take a close look at it.

lookn2it · #4 09-17-2004, 09:15 PM

Hello, Jim, I just got my second window regulator fixed in my 2001 LeSabre...something we have discussed in another thread. After getting home, I noticed that there was water in my tail light when I lifted the trunk lid. How did you get the water out? Did you discover where it got in? Thanks for any advice.

Chuck

NC-Lesabre · #5 09-19-2004, 05:12 PM

Hi Chuck,

I removed the taillight. If I recall there are 6 studs on the taillight with 10mm nuts on them that protrude into the trunk lid. There is also a wiring harness that needs to be disconnected.

The water was in the driver's side taillight. I removed the 2 bulb sockets and using compressed air blew out as much moisture as I could. I then let the taillight dryout for a couple of days. Upon inspection of the bulbs and sockets it appeared that water had been in there for a while as the bulb contacts were rusty. I cleaned up the bulbs and the sockets with WD40 and then spray them with some grease (the kind used for such applications).

As for the taillight, I drilled 3 small holes on the bottom of the taillight housing on the drivers side and reinstalled the taillight.

We had a lot of rain on Friday and Saturday (thanks to IVAN) and it doens't seem to have filled up again and I can't see any water or moisture in it.

I wasn't able to determine how the water was getting into the taillight. Nothing obvious, anyway.

Good luck on your repair. Let us know what you encounter.

Regards,
Jim

Jed Rule · #6 09-20-2004, 08:16 PM

You actually came up with the same repair recommended by the high-paid engineers at GM (yes the same ones who designed the plastic intakes) -DRILL A HOLE IN IT to let the water out.

NC-Lesabre · #7 09-20-2004, 08:43 PM

What can I say? I must be psycho. I mean psychic.

I also considered drilling a hole in the top of the taillight which would allow any moisture accumulation to escape.

As long as the water level doesn't get up to the taillight bulbs again, I will consider the hole drilling a fix.

Regards..........Jim

pcmos · #8 11-07-2004, 03:04 AM

HAHA, had the same problem with my 2000, was tempted to try drilling the hole, but I figured I would go with the wait and see solution. Unfortunately one of my bulb sockets was too far gone, of course my friendly GM dealer happend to have a pig-tail socket waiting for me for 40 bucks. I soldered the new socket into the harness put it all back together and of course about a week later I've got water again. Now here is what is really funny, I live in phoenix arizona where it simply DOES NOT RAIN. I have no clue where this water is coming from but I think I am going to try the hole drilling technique.

avatar307 · #9 11-07-2004, 03:16 AM

Conincidently, I was doing some checking the other day on my 1995 LeSabre (not because of water though). Auto Zone carries an after market tail light / brake light socket for $5. I assume they would also have aftermarket tail light sockets for the 2000.

I refuse to go to the dealership for repairs. Unless the car is under warrenty, and I have it in writing the repair or service is free. Even then, I stand there and watch to make sure they don't do stupid crap like put graphite in my oil. (See related thread.)

Water in the tail lights is just messed up. There really is not a path for water to get in there... I mean... maybe it drained around the trunk seal, through a gap in it, and somehow managed to end up somewhere within a foot of the enclosure. Even then... it's suprising is managed to collect in the housing.

Arizona -- Sprinkler system?

Only time I've EVER had water in a light housing was on a headlight. A rock had hit it and punched a little hole in the glass, a teaspoon of water managed to collect over time. Drained it and covered the hole with silicone. ROFL

NC-Lesabre · #10 11-07-2004, 08:03 AM

So far the taillight hasn't accumulated any water and there are no signs of moisture.
I believe that there is some hairline crack somewhere in the lens that lets in the water but as long as there is no accumulation I am satisfied with the fix.
PCMOS, good luck in finding the source of the water.
Jim

lookn2it · #11 11-07-2004, 10:12 AM

Thanks, Jim, for your explanation on how you fixed your taillight problem. Thanks especially for mentioning the size of the nuts in your reply as I didn't have a deep socket to remove the taillight housing until I went down to AutoZone and purchased a 10mm one for less than $5.00.

This is how I fixed the water in the taillight problem on my 2001 LeSabre. After removing the housing, I let the water drain and dryout for about a day through the light socket openings. I saw no visible way the water was getting in so I just decided to reinstall the housing as it was hoping that the original problem was just a fluke. The taillight still looked in great shape after everthing dried. I was afraid that drilling holes might let water leak in the trunk or accumulate behind the taillight housing and cause rust on the trunk lid.

Well, after going to the car wash the next day, I noticed that the water was back. That's when I decided to remove the taillight housing again and drill the holes in the bottom of the taillight. I saw that where was a pathway where the water would drain between the housing and the trunklid and was satisfied that no water would accumulate there and cause more problems. I think I drilled 3 or 4 holes spaced evenly along the bottom of the taillight. I reinstalled the housing and have not had a problem since.

I think that Jim is right about there being a hairline crack. I think that in my case the water gets in there with the high pressure of a car wash. I first noticed the water accumulation after I had the car washed and I was raising the trunk lid. It was enough water that I actually heard the water sloshing around in there.

As with the expensive window problems that some of us have experienced with our LeSabres, I think the water in the taillight is another inherent manufacturing or design defect. At least, it is a lot less expensive to fix.

NC-Lesabre · #12 11-07-2004, 10:34 AM

Hey Chuck,
Glad to be of service to the group.
Speaking of windows. I have another situation. The right front does not respond to the driver or the passenger switch. I haven't had a chance to run it down but I am hoping that it is a switch.
Jim

avatar307 · #13 11-07-2004, 12:50 PM

My front passenger side window gets stuck in place if I leave it rolled all the way up. I have to tap the switch before I turn off the car everytime to keep it from getting frozen in place. Otherwise, when I go to roll the window down the next time, nothing will happen (though I can hear the motor engaging).

If I open and close the door a couple times, and it breaks free. I've coated the seals with lithium greese to no avail, apparently I haven't got enough on yet. Most likely my problem has to do with that door being tweaked in some way due to a wreck. The door also leaks air when I go down the highway (months of readjusting the latch have yeilded no perfect solution, it's either let it leak or have it latch so tight it require 30 lbs of force to pull open).

lookn2it · #14 11-08-2004, 05:53 PM

Hey, Jim,

Sounds like it might be the switch or maybe the motor.

My problem has been with regulators on both rear windows of my LeSabre and on both rear windows of my 92 LaBaron convertible...one of the regulators replaced twice.

I had to replace the window motor on my 93 Aerostar on the passenger side...the least expensive repair of them all. If I remember right, I had the same symtoms as you have on your LeSabre with that one.

With the other ones, I could always hear the motor trying to work, but not with the Aerostar. It was just completely dead.

Chuck

mstngcobrasvt98 · #15 11-12-2004, 02:22 PM

I also had the same problem and drilled out a hole in the bottom. But also, for some reason, I was having water problems in my trunk. Last winter i had checked my spare tire to find it was frozen in a pool of water in the spare compartment. I drilled a hole down through the space and that solved the problem in that area. Now im still having water sitting in the area behind the driver side light in the trunk. I sprayed some expand foam stuff to seal any cracks, but still cant tel were it comes from. Any other suggestions?

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