Boot Leak - Where?

[Subway]

G'day All

I found a puddle of water in the tyre well of the boot of my VS11 HSV Senator a few months ago. I haven't been able to stop the leak. My Dad painted the area where we suspected the water was coming in with sealant. It still leaks, he used some putty sealer the RACQ recommened. This didn't help. I have climbed in and Dad ran the hose over the boot area, I can see the trickle of water coming in where you see the arrows in the photos. I suspected it may have been the seal around the boot but it looks in pretty good shape, then I thought it's coming in where the rear spoiler joins the body of the car but now I am not so sure. I did a search here and found a few other posts on this and the consensus seems to be the rear window seals? But those cases were talking about a leak in the boot lid itself or the right hand side of the boot .

Can anyone give me there opinion?

Thanks,

Subway

 

[Sabbath']

What condition is the metal in under the boot seal? If it's rusted away, it will let water in. Also they do leak through the spoler holes.

 

[wamboin23]

definitely rear window seals.

run some water over the windows, then reach up towards the window from in the boot, and you should find it wet right up in there.

 

[Subway]

I can't see any sign of rust under the boot seal or anywhere else apart from the tyre well.

I am pretty sure you're right wamboin23, if I stick my hand up the wheel arch area where I can see the water leaking I can touch right under the bottom corner of the rear window, the seal on the rear window seems to peel back easily too. If it leaks there it would come in down the very left side exactly where I see it coming in.

Now, how to fix this? It is a job for a professional? Or something I can do easily myself?

Thanks for the help,

Subway

 

[Munz]

I'm thinking its coming in from in between the rear guard and the pillar on the outside - their is a small plastic strip that has 2 bolt holes behind it

I can't really remember how I fixed mine most likely silicon I think in the holes

 

[VR38]

My vote is for the rear 1/4 windows. worth the effort to remove them, clean then seal them back in place with window sealant.
You will probably have to replace the LHS one as the bottom studs that hold them in are usually too rusted to tuchten back up and one usually snaps when undoing them anyway.
Further more, this is usually one of the main causes of the dreaded roof lining sag as it gets wet from condensation too.

 

[elmaso]

Make sure you check both sides of the boot, there's a how to on how to fix the problem, I would link it for you, but I'm on my phone lol

 

[Trikky]

+1 rear 1/4 windows, need to remove the side trim inside the car to get to the nuts that hold them on, give it a real good clean and use the window caulking compound (black stuff) as it does not harden completely

if you are handy with a spanner will be an easy job, will take a couple of hours to do it properly

here's the link to what we are talking about
https://forums.justcommodores.com.au/threads/how-fix-vn-vs-boot-water-leak.35199

 

[hako]

I'd go with what VR38 says as well - rear quarter windows - I had the usual leak, tried everything and finally gave in and did them.....takes maybe 3 or 4 hours and a 6 pack.

Edit...if you do this, try and choose a hot sunny day so the plastic trim is softer and the plastic clips don't break as easily. Paint scrapers are good for lifting trim. Think there is a "how-to" on this so look in that section too.

 

[VS 5.0]

+1 rear 1/4 windows, need to remove the side trim inside the car to get to the nuts that hold them on, give it a real good clean and use the window caulking compound (black stuff) as it does not harden completely

if you are handy with a spanner will be an easy job, will take a couple of hours to do it properly

here's the link to what we are talking about
https://forums.justcommodores.com.au/threads/how-fix-vn-vs-boot-water-leak.35199

The pics are no longer working in that link. Anyone know of similar pics ?