Leaking rear boot

[khchu]

i just found out that my mx5 is leaking water into the boot and the boot carpet is all wet when there's heavy rain, is there anyway to fix this problem and where is it leaking from?

my car had the softtop removed and only hardtop is on the car.

[Juffa]

Interesting....puts thinking cap on...

When the soft top was removed was the rain rail removed and was the hard platic seal around the rear of the cockpit removed?

The rain rail directs any water on the soft top to drain holes that then carry the water down a plastic pipe just in front of each rear wheel. Also if these drain holes are blocked than water will overflow into the cabin. To check the drains lift the carpet on the rear parcel shelf (where the soft top would be sitting when down) just behind each seatbelt tower, under the carpet is a small plastic tray with a hole in it. Make sure it is not blocked with dirt and other rubbish. Also gently push something like a pipe cleaner down it to loosen any thing that may have gotten into the pipe and blocked it.

J

[JBT]

Boot seal, tail light seals, antenna seal and maybe the fuel cap recess drain too.

[khchu]

JBT - i have checked all the seals that you've mentioned, they're all good and no signs of leaking.

Juffa - I am pretty sure the rain rain is removed, but i have no idea which is the plastic seal around the rear of the cockpit that u've mentioned.

Where is the drain holes that the rain rail directs to? Do i have to remove the hardtop to find them?

[Juffa]

JBT - i have checked all the seals that you've mentioned, they're all good and no signs of leaking.

Juffa - I am pretty sure the rain rain is removed, but i have no idea which is the plastic seal around the rear of the cockpit that u've mentioned.

Where is the drain holes that the rain rail directs to? Do i have to remove the hardtop to find them?

Now I think about it the hard plastic ridge around the back edge of the cabin is probably not a seal as such. It is used to hold the tonneau cover on. It has been a long time since I had a close look at a hard top. Does it have a seal around the bottom edge, could that need adjusting?

You should not have to remove the hard top to get at the drain holes. I usually kneel on the seat, facing the back of the car. Now reach down behind the seat belt towers and lift away the rear deck carpet. You should see a smal plastic tray with a hole in it. That is the drain hole. You may need a good torch if you are trying to do this in poor light conditions. Note that the only thing that directs water to the drain holes is the rain rail.

Hope that helps
J

[Jimmy]

i had the same problem, turned out to be the tail light seals, sort of. to the eye they appeared okay but when i actually removed the tail light, there was no seal there! silicon fixed my problem

Jimmy

[Captain Spank]

wow, thanks Juffa. I was having the same problem with water getting into the boot.

Did the checks and both of the pipes were blocked...and full of water. So ran a wire down to clear them out. Mud and crud poured out both of them. I really hope that fixes it, but either way I learn't something new about the car & found one of my seatbelt bolt covers in the process. yay

[khchu]

did u have a softtop or hardtop?

[Captain Spank]

Mine was the softop.

So my guess for the hardtop one could be the fuel cap being blocked. As I'm pretty sure the run off on a hard top shouldn't get in as it overlaps the edge compared to the softop being tucked under the edge for the rain rail.

But I'm no expert.

[OMX542]

Did you have any luck sorting this out Khchu?

My NA6A was sitting in the rain last week and I opened the boot today to find the recess in the middle sopping wet and water in the well on the passengers side of the boot, its all dry on the drivers side where the battery is though.

I too use the hardtop 100% of the time with the softtop still fitted but folded down.

I've squirted water around everywhere (fuel filler lid, right around the bootlid and at the tail lights) and it all seems water tight.

Any ideas anyone?