water pooling on tailgate top edge by release handle (1 Viewer)

[jerryb]

Does anyone have a guess why water would pool up here? is is that I'm parked at the perfect angle for it to pool, and normally it would roll out? Or do I have a leak that might be known by everyone else but me?

I've noticed this a few times before, maybe three times in 4 months since I bought it. Nothing is wet inside but I'm investigating more lately.
It might be happening everytime it rains and I just don't see it.

 

[Pinittowinit]

I would guess the 3rd brake light is leaking water into your upper tailgate and coming out the upper gate handle

 

[jerryb]

This morning I took the trim off and sprayed water over the top, leaks through all three weep holes straight down. If you don't take your trim off and everything else is tight you might not realize the leak, even if nothing inside the back is wet.
My belief is that it's leaked for a long time, seeing the seals under the 3rd brake light.

it's weird that it could leak the way it did and not be wet inside the back at all. Maybe that's the benefit of it being only ten years old. 11 now.
I assumed a ten year old seal wouldn't be a cause. I was wrong. I also realized this light-bulb is not replaceable without a new toyota assembly without some serious hacking.

I used permatex blue on the light assembly side only, I left the body side clean on install.

some pics

 

[Pinittowinit]

The seal isn't sold seperately from the housing. And the replacement OEM light is 250.00
From my understanding the plug for the light is behind the interior trim.