Hello, fellow S2k lovers and owners.

Every time it rains, my beloved MY02 gets a puddle of water in the bottom of the trunk well.

I have searched the forums and tried every detection strategy I can find. I pulled all of the trunk carpeting, closed the trunk, and sprayed the whole back of the car with water for several minutes. When I spray the back of the car with a hose, even for a few minutes straight, no water shows up in the trunk. This *only* happens after a heavy rain.

1. It's not leaking in around the trunk/bumper air vent.
2. It's not leaking in around the antenna.
3. It's not leaking in (as best I can tell) around the trunk seal. The gaskets are in good shape and the trunk latch doesn't need adjusting. It closes tightly.
4. I've seen some people say that the problem might be the rain rails, but I don't know a good way to examine those.
5. There are *NO* drip trails/water marks in the general dust/grime on the bare metal of the trunk. It seems like it must be dripping straight down into the well somehow.
6. The plugs in the bottom of the trunk well are intact.

The only thing I can think of is that my soft top has a tiny leak in it, and when it rains, sometimes a small pool of water collects in the well where the top folds up behind the seats. Could that be leaking through the panels and into the trunk? But, if it is, how come it stays pooled in the car and hasn't all bled through?

Unless a magical elf is playing a prank on me or I've forgotten something, I am badly stumped.

Can any of you brave, bold people help me out? I'm mystified.

Help me, S2ki, you're my only hope...

 

I'm having same issue. I cleaned drain tubes on sides of softtop, sealed antenna area, sealed trunk vent, but yet get water collecting at bottom of trunk only. As temporary fix, I just drilled a hole at bottom to let it drip out if it starts collecting. My plan is to hopefully find where its leaking, then plugging that small hole i made.

 

It's crazy, right? I've been over everything and can't find the issue.

I know that some folks have just drilled holes in the well, but I'm worried about the drive wheels kicking up dirt or moisture into the trunk well through the hole and rusting out the tub underneath the carpet... I really don't want to invite the rust demons into my car.

 

Have you tried having someone pour water over the top while you look in the trunk? This is what I did to track my issue, ended up being that there was a leak between the fold where the window attaches to the top, used silicone sealant and it fixed the issue. Only way we found out was pulling all the carpet from the back and looking for leaks while we poured water on the top using the garden hose.

 

There's some really good threads on here about various trunk leaks.

https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/658...#entry19620919

https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/106...ke-in-my-boot/

 

Have you tried having someone pour water over the top while you look in the trunk? This is what I did to track my issue, ended up being that there was a leak between the fold where the window attaches to the top, used silicone sealant and it fixed the issue. Only way we found out was pulling all the carpet from the back and looking for leaks while we poured water on the top using the garden hose.
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Same for me had a hole where plastic window meets softtop

 

This is one of the easiest problems for troubleshooting!

Take all the carpet/lining/everything out of your trunk, dry and clean the inside with a towel.

Put your top up. Close the trunk.

Spill quart of water on one corner of the car, inspect inside of trunk with a flashlight. Keep doing it until you find your leak source. I did the side of the top first, followed by the quarter panels.

Also make sure your drain vents are not clogged (start under the brushes for the top) -- mine had 15 years of leaves, dirt, twigs in them -- I cleaned mine up, poured hot water from the top, took a branch and poked it around from UNDER the car until they were unclogged.

Secondly, I found my water was leaking at the seams for the quarter panel under this rear plastic trim piece:


I simply cleaned it up and siliconed it and my leak is gone.

 

Thanks for this. Can you give me any guidance as to how to find the drain vents beyond "look under the brushes"? Also, where under the car do they exit?

 

You need to be a little more adventurous with your troubleshooting -- close the top and pour water down the top and you'll see where the drains exit (hot water makes it easier to feel underneath the car with your fingers--poke around under there until your finger plugs the [hot] leak, and bingo).

Clean your drains, but your leak might still be elsewhere, so strip the trunk and follow the water.

Here's a visual of the inside of the drain:
https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/465...t__p__16689390

And the drain, looking at the car from the top, is NEAR the brushes on the sides next to the door, e.g.:

 

Using pen light and look down there following the light trajectory helps