Water in Trunk, 1997 Camry LE

[subaru40]

After a carwash or driving in the rain, water is in the left rear wheel-well (4-door 1997 Camry LE). After driving through rain, a little water is dripping from the three vent like openings in the black-snythetic interior panal molding that covers the left-rear brake-light assembly.

When I open the trunk lid after a car wash, more water (two or three table spoons?) drips down into the left side of the trunk from the rear-brake and back-up light assembly in the trunk lid.

There are no obsevable rusted-out holes or gaps by which the water gets in. As a result of the moisture, the fiber-board cover for the left rear wheel-well (which supports the trunk rug) is warped and non-functional.

This problem has not affected the right rear wheel-well; that side does not have the three vents in the black-snythetic intrior panal molding that covers the right-rear brake-light assembly.


What can I do to stop this? Will the water problem get worse?

[Neinta]

I was unable to fix the problem in my 96 camry. I ended up drilling a small hole in the wheel well in the trunk so the water drains out.

Some possible culprits include a leak in the seal around the rear window, a gap in a joint in the sheetmetal, or a leak around the trunk seal.

My camry had been wrecked before I got it so the frame was slightly bent causing a gap in the sheetmetal of the body. After I wrecked it, we had the frame straightened and it doesn't leak as much anymore.

[subaru40]

Originally Posted by Neinta

I was unable to fix the problem in my 96 camry. I ended up drilling a small hole in the wheel well in the trunk so the water drains out.

Some possible culprits include a leak in the seal around the rear window, a gap in a joint in the sheetmetal, or a leak around the trunk seal.

My camry had been wrecked before I got it so the frame was slightly bent causing a gap in the sheetmetal of the body. After I wrecked it, we had the frame straightened and it doesn't leak as much anymore.

Neinta: Thank you for telling me how you solved this problem. I may do the same thing. I got through to a Toyota service department today.

The service rep said it probably is the seal in the left-rear tail light assembly unit. To repair that would require installing a new tail- light asssembly (big expense), or if the tail-light assembly seal is in good enough shape silicone can be used to reseal the unit (less expensive). A mechanic rather than a body shop can do this work. If the problem is a worn or compromised seal rather than body damage, home repair is possible for someone with the tools and ingenuilty.

He told me that rear-end collisions sometimes bend the sheet metal frame that houses the tail light assembly. This will cause leaking because the tail-light assembly seal is ruptured. If a new tail-light assembly is installed without repairing the sheet-metal damage around the tail-light assembly, the new uint will leak.

Given the expense and knowledge to check out these unknowables, I may drill a hole like you did. Thank you again, Phil