rear cargo area drivers side water leak

[SL404]

Hi everybody-

Im not trying to reinvent the wheel here, but I have the dreaded water leak a lot of you have experienced. I repaired and fully sealed the 3rd brake light last summer so I know that isnt causing it. Im going to troubleshoot some of the other potential causes listed in the forum.

Here is my question which I haven't seen addressed anywhere- why most everybody's leak in the exact same area, on the drivers side rear cargo area by the back hatch? That area on my truck is wet and shows signs of rust, while the passenger side is bone dry with no rust.

Just hoping to make sense out of an infuriating problem. I seriously hope that I did some good by cleaning and resealing the 3rd light because it took the better part of a day!

 

[PADDO]

Are you sure your 3rd brake light resealing worked? Easy to check for leaks by pressurizing your vehicle (fan on max, fresh air intake open, doors and windows shut) and slathering foamed up soapy water on any suspect gasket or seal. Just look for the bubbles!

 

[ikanclim]

I dealt with the dreaded leak for a few months, even after resealing the brake light and reseating the weatherstrip around the hatch. I found that the water was coming in around the boot covering the wiring harness in the upper, left area of the drip channel around the door. I pulled the piece of trim moulding in the top, center of the rear hatch and saw water drops around the electrical connector feeding the rear door. A piece of duct tape around the boot provided a quick fix.

Ultimately I found that the boot had been removed by the PO and the locking tabs were no longer applying tension to the boot and did not keep it properly seated. I repositioned (the best I could) the locking tabs on the rubber boot and reinstalled it into the body. There was a "snap" and it seemed to fit much better. So far no leaks from rain but have not pressure tested it with a hose.

Good luck.

 

[SL404]

thanks for your replies...i'm not sure removing the rear spoiler/fin was a smart thing to do..it seems like a lot more water is directed toward the gap/potential leak areas which normally would have been directed to the rear window. Also, I didn't have a leak issue until after I removed it. Maybe the engineers mounted it there for a reason other than keeping the rear window cleaner (I haven't seen a difference in that).

 

[Sandroad]

I don't know about this specific application, but in other situations, a spoiler can have an aerodynamic effect that can improve mpg at high speeds by breaking the vacuum (layperson's term) in the rear of the vehicle. My leak was the brake light and it took 2 tries to seal it because silicone sealer (which is what I used) sticks well only to really clean surfaces.