Water leak...into spare tire area etc

I've posted my own findings in that other thread... thanks!

 

Did that welding fix the leaking completely? Did you notice if there was a smell in the car due to this leak or not? And the welding of the seam, can you describe where it needs to be welded exactly? I'm taking it to a shop and want to point it out to them. Thanks!

 

2007 Prius with 70k miles...

I crawled in the back and ran water down the back of the car. Here is where mine was leaking just below the rear break light. I am on the way to the dealership to see if I can get this repaired under warranty.



Here is where the tire holder was staring to corrode! I spent the afternoon scrubbing the scum out of this area and off the tire.



And where the wiper motor was starting to corrode as well.



I am glad I caught this early. It took over an hour to get the tire out of the well because the screw holding it in had corroded in place. Glad I did not have a flat!!

This should be on your annual checklist..

 

Looks like missing a plug also or it was removed to drain?

 

Just removed to clean and drain!

 

Just got my Prius 2 weeks ago and as I was inspecting the trunk last weekend I noticed the same! The drain plugs were already removed and the spare tire area was just nasty. My first thought was "oh crap this car was in a flood" but the water residue is isolated to the trunk only. I spent a good 20 minutes getting the trunk cleaned up and would not like to have water issue in the future. I bought certified used and look forward to hearing how your warranty claim goes and what they do to fix the leak.

 

If I were you I would bring the car back to the dealer and demand a good explanation why they did not clean the trunk and replace the plugs before selling the car to you. So much for the "certified".

 

I'm dropping the car off tonight to have the list of items taken care of that were promised when I bought it to include coding a master key, removing a door ding and buffing out some small scratches, etc. I plan on bringing up this water issue as well and will show them this thread to help them fix the problem if it even still exists. For reference here is a picture of my trunk before I cleaned it up and put the plugs back in.

 

It's good that you took a picture as evidence. Good luck!

 

They would not give me warranty on the leak!! I also found water in the 12v battery compartment. I should have looked there earlier but I decided to replace it while I had everything apart. Water was standing half way up the battery. I cleaned the area and allowed it to dry overnight before I put everything back together.

I would up taking the fin off the back deck and re-sealing the rear window by the seam where it was leaking. Everything checkes out dry now with the hose check.

I will most likely do a quick check for water ever now and then for a few months!

 

has anyone found a "definitive" answer to where the water is coming from?

I've got mine torn apart at the moment and I can't see any drips coming from above (the seal around the hatch or the weld one person mentioned). I can't see anything coming from the battery vent on the left side of the car. I'm at a loss. There were approx 3 inches of water in the battery compartment this time. (Virtually none in the spare tire area though). Everything (except obviously the area where the water was actually sitting stagnant) looks as clean as one would expect for a car w/ 120,000 miles. A fairly consistent, thin layer of dust but nothing to indicate a a drip or flowing water.

Last time I cleaned it out I added a little silicon around all the screws that went through to the underside of the car to be on the safe side. That obviously hasn't helped.

Just wondering if there are any other idea floating around out there?

For now I suppose I'll put it back together for a few more months until I hear the gurgling again. . . .

 

PS. There is a small rubber drain plug near the front of the battery compartment. I've popped it out to take a closer look. What are the downsides of leaving it out?

As I see it it would let water in, but water is getting in anyway. At least w/o the plug it could drain out w/o me having to disassemble the left rear corner of my car.

 

Just found this on mine too. I pulled the plugs on the spare tire area and under the battery. It seems like the water filled the battery area and then spilled over to other areas.

I was thinking that the water came in at the rear taillight because I replaced that, but nothing was bent and it seems well sealed. I hadn't thought of the hatch, but that seems like the culprit. The spoiler does not seem to be adequately stiff, so those mounting points or something in there will need to be sealed.

 

Any answer to this problem as we got same! Thanks

 

Any answer to this problem as we got same! Thanks 2007 Prius

Read more: http://priuschat.com/threads/water-leak-into-spare-tire-area-etc.60295/#ixzz2GvkJgg8e

 

You got anywhere with your leaks? We got the same but no ones interested. Thanks B.

 

FYI.. I had water constantly forming in the 12v battery compartment of my 2005.

Eventually i took the tail light out and found the sealant between a seam just under the light had busted (for what ever reason) and was allowing water to flow into the compartment.

the water would follow the trunk lid channel, down to the light, and right into the battery compartment.

A little RTV to seal the seam back up, and 1 year later still no water!

Just something to check.

 

Thanks for that Mark. Will check that out. Did find that the rubber hatch seal hadn't been refitted on properly, hoping that may have been the trouble. Dried all boot and battery compartment out.
Since we cancelled the last warning lights (take small battery leads off and then put back on)we have had no trouble(last Sunday) but it certainly erodes confidence in the Prius. Thanks again.B

 

I think I can pinpoint the leakage, at least in my 2004 Prius. I just returned from the Toyota Service Department. Last week, I tried to start my car and the dashboard flashed instrument readings twice or three times and went blank. I thought I had a problem with my original 12-volt auxiliary battery in the rear right compartment. I had the car jumped by AAA and charged the battery overnight by leaving the engine on. Now, the news from the Service Department. Turns out the battery is fine. There was a short caused by water in the battery compartment, or on the terminal, or many connections in the electrical housing leading from the battery box. The mechanic showed me where other Prius' had leaks in the same spot, in a metal seam high up on the right gutter where the hatchback door closes flush on the frame. The mechanic has seen other leaks in the same place. His fix, which costs more than 5 hours labor and $500 is to close the seam with sealant, then go into the battery box and electrical housing and clean water and scrape any corrosion on the terminals, all pins in the connections from the electrical housing to all points in car. If this isn't done, he warned, the car will soon develop more electrical problems. I did not pay the $500 plus, but decided to get sealant, seal the crack, and take my chances. Any other suggestions are welcome.