LS 430 2005: Water in spare wheel well

[jenkiadr]

I was checking over my 2005 LS430 today and, rather surprisingly, found quite a bit of water in the well for the spare wheel. Took out the boot liner and bungs in the floor of the well to let the water out. Have dried it out and put the liner back in. I'm a bit puzzled as to how water got in there. No obvious signs of water ingress on the fabric lining the boot. Has anyone experienced this before and/or got any ideas as to how it might have happened? Any suggestions much appreciated.

[steve2006]

Failed boot seals were pretty common on earlier models, replacements cost around £30.00. If the car is parked on a slope with the boot higher than the bonnet water can come over the boot lip into the boot. The sunroof drain pipes also exit via the boot behind the side panels if these come adrift water can enter the boot. 

 

[Cotswold Pete]

Had same problem on both my 400's.  Easy to fix either with new boot seal, or pull out the old one, clean it up and refit with silicone seal.

With both of mine, what was happening was the water wicking up over the seal near the rear window, and then finding its way down the seal and then trickling into tyre-well right by where the boot lock latch is.  So the tell tale rust by the latch was the give-away.

Doubt it is the sun roof drains as water would have a hard time getting into tyre-well from there they exit near rear arch.

If you have removed bungs, make sure you fit them as they were originally as I have noticed that where I fitted mine wrong way around I had some water incoming via the bung.

[John N]

I had the same problem with rain water getting into the boot on the 2000 LS430 I bought last year.

I bought a non genuine replacement seal to replace the old original one. I don't have a garage to work in so on a dry Sunday afternoon I set about changing the seal.

I cut the original seal cleanly in the middle near the lock, and pealed it away very easily as the original sealant had perished. Then fitted the new seal, first without using any sealant to check it would fit properly, it didn't!  The new seal was too big a section and the boot wouldn't close.

It then started to rain!  

So I quickly cleaned all the remnants of the old sealant from the boot lip and the old seal, and pressed the old seal back in place. That was six months ago, and despite all the rain we have had since the boot has stayed bone dry!

I think the old sealant that had perished was acting like a wick and allowing the rain water in, because all I have done is clean the existing seal and the boot lid and replace the original seal. It's a zero cost option that might work for you

John N

 

[jenkiadr]

Thank you all for the advice and guidance - much appreciated.

Adrian

[Mikaelse]

Do you have a sunroof?  . I have heard that the drain tubes from
the sunroof that drain to outside can become clogged and the water that comes in at the seal in the roof may end up in the boot. 

[jenkiadr]

Yes it does. I'll get that checked out. Many thanks, Adrian