Rustito

Last week I opened my trunk while top was recessed in the trunk - thought I might put bags in trunk but didn't so I closed trunk, drove home and put top back up. It rained that night (car not garage kept). Next morning got in car, put into drive and the door/trunk open light went on so I re-closed both doors and light still on. I got out and opened and reclosed trunk and light went off so drove into work but thought- if trunk was not tightly closed did rain get in? Sure enough, trunk was wet on both sides at back of trunk- near seam under rear window where trunk opens when roof recesses into trunk but also under the thing you pull across trunk for top down.

Seems logical, right? Well, some might remember that last year I had a leak in my trunk (bought 2004 abt. 2 yrs. ago) in same spots that got wet last week when trunk was not tightly shut. But here is the issue - when I had the leak last yr. it leaked when it rained (but for awhile didn't notice) but dealer could not repeat leak nor could I by pouring water on trunk seams etc.

So my question - is it possible that the leaking last year only occurred when the trunk closed for top down - near back window and somehow the seals seat different that way vs. then you open and close trunk from the back?

The leak finally seemed fixed by dealer last year after replacing all seals, however, I never checked under the trunk pull and this is where I saw water this time. So I tested it by opening and closing roof and NOT popping the trunk. It rained and I saw water under the trunk pull!!! So I totally dried it out, closed trunk this time without opening and closing roof - it rained last night and today trunk was dry.

Anyone have any insight about the leak? I sure don't want dealer messing with roof so I plan to do more tests at home but need to take in for maintance and before I do just wanted input about whether there might be some logic in my thinking that original leak might be due to the way the trunk closes after roof goes up vs. when I open and close trunk from back, or if others have experienced this.

Also, are you not supposed to open trunk with top recessed?

Thanks, rustito

Harold57

There should not be any problem associated with accessing the trunk with the top down.

Rustito

Thanks for reply. I didn't think there was anything wrong with opening trunk with top retracted - and I had no problem doing it, however, when I closed the trunk I did it gently for some reason and didn't realized it was not totally shut. In fact I don't remember seeing the door/trunk open light go on or make the alert sound driving home. It also didn't seen to affect closing the top - unless that is where the trunk was not able to totally close - the seam near rear window.

Rustito

Yes

if you don't close the trunk hard enough to latch, then it makes sense that it would leak. i did that a couple times. but only ended up with a dead battery for my lack of effort.

mhoepfin

Have you checked the trunk weatherstrip that is at the back of the trunk nearest the back window. When I bought my car, it was very worn in many places and there was water in the trunk. I ordered a new weatherstrip from Sewell, installed it in about 5 mins, and have been fine ever since.

tromly

How much was that weatherstrip ? I may replace mine on my 03, simply because of age

Rustito

The weatherstrip you are referring to is not around the rear window itself - but around trunk seal back near rear window, correct? My entire sealing around the trunk was replaced last year when I first had leak in trunk (first they cleaned debris from around trunk and but that didn't fix the leak - then they replaced it all and leak seemed fixed). Last week I inspected around entire weatherstrip and there was some debris where weatherstrip meets the car metal which I cleaned and made sure all weatherstrip seal was flat and smooth. But all the black rubber surrounding trunk is new from last year.

BTW - When you say your weatherstrip was "very worn" - can you describe it - was it hard and stiff vs. flexible or actually deterioriating or thin?? When you replaced weatherstrip, did the old strip come off cleanly or did it leave pieces - is it installed with adhesive? Also did you use adhesive to install the new weatherstrip? I plan to take the car in for service and will have them check weatherstrip.

Thanks for the reply, Rustito

mhoepfin

Here is what I am talking about with regards to the weatherstripping.

I can't get the link to the catalog, but go to http://www.lexuspartsonline.com and search for part number 6446324020.

About $26 from Sewell Lexus. By deteriorating I meant the rubber was falling apart badly. It just sticks on, so it's easy to peel off the old, remove any residual sticky stuff, then apply the new weatherstripping. Very simple task.

That is what was causing water to enter my trunk, and once replaced it took care of the leak.

Rustito

Went to link and searched part no. you gave and see it. Question - do you need to do anything to seams between new weather strip and existing weather stripping around trunk, i.e., how does the new stripping butt up against the stripping that is there??

mhoepfin

Don't need to do anything, just remove the old weatherstrip, and peel and stick the new one on. It's just a long piece of rubber. Go look at your car and you will see.