13 replies to this topic

[jimmygixer]

Every so often i get a small build up of water in the boot where the spare wheel goes. It seems to be coming form the drivers side corner of the boot. Most likely the rear lights needing sealed i think.
I've read that tigerseal is the dogs, but is it wise to use this on the rear lights just incase one would need replaced in the future from being damaged.?
As id never get them off again

[STEADS]

Wouldnt use tiger seal around your light what if you need to replace a bulb also steer clear of using the evo stick clear sealent unless again you want a permanent fix as thats good gear to woulndt really know what to use to seal it possibly something that doesnt go off /set completly unless you you use a light smeering of sealent and dont go overboard with it .

[dan_st170]

it could well be the rear lights letting water in. Tiger seal is great.....for body kits and like you say for bits you dont want to get off ever again. I used on escort gti normal gasket sealent you can buy from halfords or a local diy store and abit of nail varnish remover or meths (white spirit is oil based and no good) to make the surfaces clean.

Also if that dont sort it check in and around the boot for and gromets that have come out and dissappered and the boot seal or rear window seal?

[artscot79]

I use marine sealant from ebay it lasts and its easy to remive the lights when needed some use standard bathroom sealant

[Stoney871]

A dob of silicone sealant works a treat and is easy to peel off when you need to remove something.

[Foci_st3]

Why don't you just buy new foam seal rings from ford as its the bolt going through the rear quarter to hold the lamp on that's causing the problem, the mk2 suffer from the same as the seal breaks when the lights are removed after a long period of being tightened down, cheap as from ford parts.

[artscot79]

the foam cant hold the water so even new ones start to leak its easier to cover the foam in silicone that way it doenst absorb the water and after fitting new ones to mine they lasted 3 months before heavy rain had them leaking you could say why did ford use such cheap rubbish materials on areas constantly exposed to water that arent up to the job the spoiler seal is the same and even admitted by ford a waste of time as they just leak again

[jimmygixer]

I think ill just go with normal silicone then, just what ive used in the past.
Just wasnt sure how long the normal silicone would last.
Cheers.

[orangeboy]

I had this in my 2006 Focus, and the water was leaking in through the tail gate hinges and tracking down. See this:



Another place my car was leaking was under the black roof trim, where the roof rack mounts are. There is a large bead of seam sealer under the black plastic trim which was not stuck down, and again the water was tracking down into the boot through the box sections.

The cure is to lift the trim up as far as the rear roof rack mount point, cut the faulty seam sealer away and replace. The new sealer also works as an adhesive to keep the trim down. I fixed it in place with some masking tape until it was dry.

Hope this helps...

[Foci_st3]

I think the boot hinge area was a major problem, a guy over on the ford st owners club had this issue, he said it was the cup the hinge goes into where the weld fails and allows water to leak in.

[artscot79]

Yeah just another design fault of the focus that causes leaks hopefully the mk3 is better

[Rossostopher]

I had this problem, after going online and looking for solutions i.e. through trim pieces and boot hinges etc I found it was the rubber insert for the rear light. Easy fix is to just whack some ordinary sealant in there and plunge the light back into it. leaking has stopped and I tested getting the light back out with no problems (just have to remember to put more sealant on after).

[jimmygixer]

I found that the water is coming from the corner of the car, as far in as it goes in the small section which is separated from the rest of the boot with a small lip of metal across the base, directly below the rear light.
So would the rear light definitely be the problem i wonder?

[artscot79]

sounds like it the foam seal inside the light for want of a better word is crap the only option is a gasket com,pound or silicone new seals dont seem to last also the rear light should have small rubber o rings under the screws these split and perish and allow water in its either going to be a spoiler seal rear light or boot hinges ide do all of them anyway