Alright guys so I bought my RSX about a year ago and now it's starting to leak water where the spare tire is at when it rains so I replaced the tail light gasket and it's still leaking but I accidentally broke one of the bolts by over tightening the nut and it just broke off could that be why it's still leaking?
chazzer96
I have a 2006 Type-S that had the same problem and I fixed it. it will require a little work (probably a whole weekend's worth), but it can be fixed so don't worry. Here are the steps that I did to fix the issue. If you don't want to do all of this, you can try to find where it is leaking from and fix only that area but I would highly recommend just fixing it all to save time later.
1) Replace the tail light gaskets. If this doesn't solve your problem, move to next steps. Obviously, you have done this but for anyone reading who also has this issue, this is the correct first step.
2) Rip out all of the rear interior pieces leaving only the sheet metal.
3) Check the moonroof draining tubes. There are four of them; two that run to the front wheel wells and two that run to the rear. You can see the ones that run to the rear if you look into the holes on the sides with your phone or something. Carefully dump water around the sunroof ledge and see if water is leaking out that way. The easiest way is just to stuff a paper towel in, pour water down the tubes, and see if the paper towel comes out wet of dry. If it is leaking, it is either at the connection to the moonroof tray or where the tube connects to the fitting that goes outside of the car. Whichever one it is, try to seal it up. That was not my issue, so I tested it and then moved on. If that is your issue, great! But I find that the leaking in the trunk comes from multiple areas so I would recommend moving to the next steps if you're in this deep anyway.
3) Go buy some silicon sealer from a home improvement place. I believe I used some DAP silicon boat sealer or something. It was in a tube rather that a spray can, which made it easy to spread.
*TO GET TO ALL THE FOLLOWING PLACES WITH THE SEALER, YOUR WILL NEED TO REMOVE THE HEADLINER.*
4) These are all of the places where it can leak from and this is where I sealed it up. Starting from the outside of the car:
A) underneath the plastic runners on the roof, hairline cracks can start to form from trapped water. To get the runners off, just push from an end towards the middle of the car and they will easily pop out. It will need to be cleaned under there as it will most likely be really nasty. I would recommend cleaning under there every now and again to prevent dirt from getting trapped in the future, causing rusting and cracking. I found cracks at the front and back of the car, so check the whole area under there. Just make a thin layer of sealer over the cracks if they are present.
B) Right at the top of the hatch opening, where there is overlapping sheet metal (I sealed it up and then painted over it with touch-up paint. You can't even tell it is there), moving to the inside of the car:
C) On the inside where the sheet metal meets together in part B, I added some more sealer. This may be a bad move as if water gets in there but then gets trapped by the sealer inside, it could cause rust. I figured if water could get it, it could evaporate out but that's your call.
D) THE REAR WASHER NOZZLE. I ended up disconnecting the feed line and popping the whole thing out which was a PITA. I was thinking of using a sealing tape but ended up just sealing the nozzle to the plastic gasket that it comes with and then sealing that gasket to the roof using the silicon. I wiped up any excess and you can't see any residue and it looks good.
E) While I was at it I ran silicon on any other places where sheet metal met especially around the tail lights.
5) I had rust in my trunk so I got rid of as much rust as possible with stiff brushes and stuff and sprayed my spare tire compartment with bedliner. Not only does this prevent rust in the future, but it also will keep the cabin a little quieter. I just bagged up everything in the trunk and went at it.
So, that is how I did it. While I was doing this, I also sealed up a couple things in the front and painted my headliner black (See http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=639322&page=8 if you want to do this while everything is out. I really like the look of the black over the tan with the rest of my black interior). I believe that is pretty much everywhere that it could leak but if you wee somewhere where it seemed to be leaking, just hit it with that silicon.
Hope this helps! Good luck!
1) Replace the tail light gaskets. If this doesn't solve your problem, move to next steps. Obviously, you have done this but for anyone reading who also has this issue, this is the correct first step.
2) Rip out all of the rear interior pieces leaving only the sheet metal.
3) Check the moonroof draining tubes. There are four of them; two that run to the front wheel wells and two that run to the rear. You can see the ones that run to the rear if you look into the holes on the sides with your phone or something. Carefully dump water around the sunroof ledge and see if water is leaking out that way. The easiest way is just to stuff a paper towel in, pour water down the tubes, and see if the paper towel comes out wet of dry. If it is leaking, it is either at the connection to the moonroof tray or where the tube connects to the fitting that goes outside of the car. Whichever one it is, try to seal it up. That was not my issue, so I tested it and then moved on. If that is your issue, great! But I find that the leaking in the trunk comes from multiple areas so I would recommend moving to the next steps if you're in this deep anyway.
3) Go buy some silicon sealer from a home improvement place. I believe I used some DAP silicon boat sealer or something. It was in a tube rather that a spray can, which made it easy to spread.
*TO GET TO ALL THE FOLLOWING PLACES WITH THE SEALER, YOUR WILL NEED TO REMOVE THE HEADLINER.*
4) These are all of the places where it can leak from and this is where I sealed it up. Starting from the outside of the car:
A) underneath the plastic runners on the roof, hairline cracks can start to form from trapped water. To get the runners off, just push from an end towards the middle of the car and they will easily pop out. It will need to be cleaned under there as it will most likely be really nasty. I would recommend cleaning under there every now and again to prevent dirt from getting trapped in the future, causing rusting and cracking. I found cracks at the front and back of the car, so check the whole area under there. Just make a thin layer of sealer over the cracks if they are present.
B) Right at the top of the hatch opening, where there is overlapping sheet metal (I sealed it up and then painted over it with touch-up paint. You can't even tell it is there), moving to the inside of the car:
C) On the inside where the sheet metal meets together in part B, I added some more sealer. This may be a bad move as if water gets in there but then gets trapped by the sealer inside, it could cause rust. I figured if water could get it, it could evaporate out but that's your call.
D) THE REAR WASHER NOZZLE. I ended up disconnecting the feed line and popping the whole thing out which was a PITA. I was thinking of using a sealing tape but ended up just sealing the nozzle to the plastic gasket that it comes with and then sealing that gasket to the roof using the silicon. I wiped up any excess and you can't see any residue and it looks good.
E) While I was at it I ran silicon on any other places where sheet metal met especially around the tail lights.
5) I had rust in my trunk so I got rid of as much rust as possible with stiff brushes and stuff and sprayed my spare tire compartment with bedliner. Not only does this prevent rust in the future, but it also will keep the cabin a little quieter. I just bagged up everything in the trunk and went at it.
So, that is how I did it. While I was doing this, I also sealed up a couple things in the front and painted my headliner black (See http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=639322&page=8 if you want to do this while everything is out. I really like the look of the black over the tan with the rest of my black interior). I believe that is pretty much everywhere that it could leak but if you wee somewhere where it seemed to be leaking, just hit it with that silicon.
Hope this helps! Good luck!
I have the same issue, I also live in southern California so i'm assuming you've also just noticed this because of the recent rain. I haven't replaced my tail light/broke any part of the brake light assembly so I'm thinking it's somewhere else. I've couldn't find any trace of where it's coming from either. Is it possible it's gathering around the trunk seam and leaking down around the brake light though? I can't think of anywhere else it might be. In the meantime, sop it up with a towel and lets figure this out!
My Solution for Leaking Trunk
Ok, so I apologize if they look over my previous post and add it in but here it goes.
Now, before you start doing this, know that it is pretty involved and will probably take up your weekend. You will see why as you read on.
Here are the things I did and would now do with what I have learned fixing the issue.
During the whole process, getting in the car and having a friend spray the car with a hose to simulate raining is a good way to troubleshoot.
1) Before you go tearing into your car, yes replacing the rear taillight seals is the correct first step. Even if it is not the immediate problem, it will become one eventually so it is a good idea to go ahead and replace it. Careful when tightening the nuts as I actually over-torqued one of those nuts as well. Using 1/4" drive tools will help with not over-torquing. It does not leak though so that shouldn't be your issue.
2) The next thing to check is the moonroof drains. To inspect these, you need to take out all of the trunk lining to expose the sheet metal. There are four drains, two that run to the front and two that run to the back. Your moonroof will leak slowly around the seal but the water is collected and drained through the four tubes. The end of the tubes fit into fittings that lead the water out of the car. To see this, you need to look inside the metal "cage" by the wheel well. I find that it is easiest to use your phone camera to see in there. To check if this is your issue, carefully pour water into the collection areas of your sunroof on both sides, then see if water is leaking from either the connection to the pan on the roof, the connection at the rear wheel well, or the tube itself may be damaged (unlikely). To check for leaks I think the best way if to put a dry paper towel around the base of the tube and see if it comes out wet or dry. When I was trouble shooting, these were not the issue so I don't know exactly how to fix them unless it is as simple as reattaching the tube. They run through the B pillar so they are a bitch to get to if they need replacing I imagine.
**Note: The next steps will require you to remove the headliner. While you have it out, you might want to paint your headliner black like I did. Just use some fabric paint with adhesive promotor for plastic pieces and it comes out really nice There is a DIY in the huge DIY sticky**
3) If you have done the first two steps and it still leaks or just want to make sure it is sealed, go buy some silicone sealer. This is what I used: https://www.amazon.com/2-8-Ounce-Si.../dp/B000PSB1VY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484610802&sr=8-1&keywords=dap+automotive but anything like it should work fine. What you need to do is seal up all the leaking areas which are:
a) Under the Rubber Roof Trim - take the trim off by pushing the back end toward the middle of the car and then lifting up. It will probably be really nasty in there so clean it out. Next check for hairline cracks in the valley of the trim seat all the way down the car. I found some in the from and the back where water would collect. Seal up any cracks.
b) At the top of the hatch opening - Right where the hatch meets the roof, there are overlapping layers of metal that could leak. Seal them up. Once you seal it though, dirt and stuff will get in the silicone. I painted over it with touch-up paint to at least make it not collect dirt. It worked, and you don't notice the sealer up there unless you are looking for it.
c) Same as b) but on the inside - On the interior, again where the metal layers meet. You may not want to seal this area up as if water gets in but can't get through, rust could occur. I went ahead and did it figuring that it would evaporate out if it ever got in but that is up to you.
d) THE REAR WASHER NOZZLE - I spent forever looking for this guy. Disconnect the feed tube and then remove it through the top **DON'T JUST PULL IT OUT!** There are tabs on the inside that need to be pushed with a flathead or something. It is a bitch but that is how to do it. Then just seal up that opening with the factory gasket that is between the roof and the nozzle. I sealed the nozzle to the gasket, let that try, then sealed the gasket to the roof. After cleaning up any that had squished out, looks like new.
**If you are wondering, leaking from this area does not make you headliner wet as the water sticks to the metal and finds its way to the trunk so even if the headliner is not wet, this could still be your issue**
e) Miscellaneous - After sealing these up, feel free to put a little anywhere there is overlapping metal just to be safe. While the headliner is out, I found a couple very minor leaks in the front as well, so be sure to patch those up while you're doing this.
4) I had rust in my trunk as a result of the water getting to I scraped away all the rust, bagged up the whole car, and painted the trunk area with bedliner or undercoating. Not only does this prevent more rust, it also keeps the interior a little more quiet.
That is about it. It takes a little while but is worth it to prevent the sloshing in the trunk! Make sure to check for obvious things such as ripped seals around the hatch and stuff like that. As for the vents being the issue, if the car was in an accident or something, then maybe, but I really don't think they would be a huge issue as not a lot of water gets to them anyway. Some people silicone around the headlights themselves. I would not advise this as it doesn't really fix the issue, looks bad, and will make taillight removal in the future suck.
I hope this helps! Good luck! :vtec:
Ok, so I apologize if they look over my previous post and add it in but here it goes.
Now, before you start doing this, know that it is pretty involved and will probably take up your weekend. You will see why as you read on.
Here are the things I did and would now do with what I have learned fixing the issue.
During the whole process, getting in the car and having a friend spray the car with a hose to simulate raining is a good way to troubleshoot.
1) Before you go tearing into your car, yes replacing the rear taillight seals is the correct first step. Even if it is not the immediate problem, it will become one eventually so it is a good idea to go ahead and replace it. Careful when tightening the nuts as I actually over-torqued one of those nuts as well. Using 1/4" drive tools will help with not over-torquing. It does not leak though so that shouldn't be your issue.
2) The next thing to check is the moonroof drains. To inspect these, you need to take out all of the trunk lining to expose the sheet metal. There are four drains, two that run to the front and two that run to the back. Your moonroof will leak slowly around the seal but the water is collected and drained through the four tubes. The end of the tubes fit into fittings that lead the water out of the car. To see this, you need to look inside the metal "cage" by the wheel well. I find that it is easiest to use your phone camera to see in there. To check if this is your issue, carefully pour water into the collection areas of your sunroof on both sides, then see if water is leaking from either the connection to the pan on the roof, the connection at the rear wheel well, or the tube itself may be damaged (unlikely). To check for leaks I think the best way if to put a dry paper towel around the base of the tube and see if it comes out wet or dry. When I was trouble shooting, these were not the issue so I don't know exactly how to fix them unless it is as simple as reattaching the tube. They run through the B pillar so they are a bitch to get to if they need replacing I imagine.
**Note: The next steps will require you to remove the headliner. While you have it out, you might want to paint your headliner black like I did. Just use some fabric paint with adhesive promotor for plastic pieces and it comes out really nice There is a DIY in the huge DIY sticky**
3) If you have done the first two steps and it still leaks or just want to make sure it is sealed, go buy some silicone sealer. This is what I used: https://www.amazon.com/2-8-Ounce-Si.../dp/B000PSB1VY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484610802&sr=8-1&keywords=dap+automotive but anything like it should work fine. What you need to do is seal up all the leaking areas which are:
a) Under the Rubber Roof Trim - take the trim off by pushing the back end toward the middle of the car and then lifting up. It will probably be really nasty in there so clean it out. Next check for hairline cracks in the valley of the trim seat all the way down the car. I found some in the from and the back where water would collect. Seal up any cracks.
b) At the top of the hatch opening - Right where the hatch meets the roof, there are overlapping layers of metal that could leak. Seal them up. Once you seal it though, dirt and stuff will get in the silicone. I painted over it with touch-up paint to at least make it not collect dirt. It worked, and you don't notice the sealer up there unless you are looking for it.
c) Same as b) but on the inside - On the interior, again where the metal layers meet. You may not want to seal this area up as if water gets in but can't get through, rust could occur. I went ahead and did it figuring that it would evaporate out if it ever got in but that is up to you.
d) THE REAR WASHER NOZZLE - I spent forever looking for this guy. Disconnect the feed tube and then remove it through the top **DON'T JUST PULL IT OUT!** There are tabs on the inside that need to be pushed with a flathead or something. It is a bitch but that is how to do it. Then just seal up that opening with the factory gasket that is between the roof and the nozzle. I sealed the nozzle to the gasket, let that try, then sealed the gasket to the roof. After cleaning up any that had squished out, looks like new.
**If you are wondering, leaking from this area does not make you headliner wet as the water sticks to the metal and finds its way to the trunk so even if the headliner is not wet, this could still be your issue**
e) Miscellaneous - After sealing these up, feel free to put a little anywhere there is overlapping metal just to be safe. While the headliner is out, I found a couple very minor leaks in the front as well, so be sure to patch those up while you're doing this.
4) I had rust in my trunk as a result of the water getting to I scraped away all the rust, bagged up the whole car, and painted the trunk area with bedliner or undercoating. Not only does this prevent more rust, it also keeps the interior a little more quiet.
That is about it. It takes a little while but is worth it to prevent the sloshing in the trunk! Make sure to check for obvious things such as ripped seals around the hatch and stuff like that. As for the vents being the issue, if the car was in an accident or something, then maybe, but I really don't think they would be a huge issue as not a lot of water gets to them anyway. Some people silicone around the headlights themselves. I would not advise this as it doesn't really fix the issue, looks bad, and will make taillight removal in the future suck.
I hope this helps! Good luck! :vtec:
Sorry I didn't update but sure enough that was my problem. I highly doubt it would be your guys problem considering most of us dont check behind the rear bumper to see if it was in an accident everything looked straight except that but it's not that bad just a little corner that is bent nothing that silicone or even good ass gorilla tape cant fix lol.
Just thought I should add onto this post since I've been have a water leak issue after replacing the gaskets. As mentioned in the previous posts by ATLFAN, I removed all the interior pieces and had someone locate possible leak area inside as I was spraying water around the taillight areas. Was able to find out that water was leaking in through the clips that are part of the bumper spacers. Took a Philips screwdriver and tried tightening it a bit to see if it makes any difference, only enough to possibly be a temporary fix. Although silicone would most likely fix this, I'm going to try replacing spacers on both sides. Pictures displays the clips from the inside. On a side note, seeing how rusted the two bolts at the center of the trunk for the taillight/bumper brackets was such a horrible sight to see when that wasn't even the issue being addressed.
![565399]( "565399")
Here's a picture of the rusted bolts:
![565403]( "565403")
Here's a picture of the rusted bolts:
Those clips have a gasket on them that should prevent leaking. If you removed the brackets, did yours tear or fall off?
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