Hi,
Struggling to upload the picture onto here (unless someone can direct me how to do it).
I’ll try to explain anyway!!
All the drain holes have been cleared, yet the boot lid lights have a surrounding of rust around them and everytime i clean the MX5 droplets appear around the light. Yet i can not find how the water is getting in behind them? No rust elsewhere in boot and no sitting water from what i can see in the boot.
Is this a common appearance on MX5 it’s a MK2.5
Thanks
Dom
My Mk2.5 has got signs of rust around the rear number plate lights as well.
I think the reason is because they sit outside the boot to illuminate the number plate, they are exposed to road dirt and muck that gets sucked up onto the rear of the car.
Moisture will collect under the edges of the plastic holders causing rusting.
I removed the light holders and after rubbing away the rust gave the immediate area a coat of Hammerite paint.
However I can’t give a reason if you think water is coming through from inside the boot skin.
Condensation; investigate blockages in roof drains, fault in rain rail. Check under deck carpet for any dampness.
Capillary action, the water drains around the boot lid channel and forms on the surface around the lights. The Mk3 boot lid/lights suffer exactly the same, exception is, mine’s an aluminium lid so it’s not exactly rust that forms but does lift the paint.
I don’t think the paint finish is all it should be around the opening where those light lenses clip in.
Seems to be a common problem - mine has rust in that area too.
Initially thought about getting a replacement boot lid, but all the ones shown on the well known auction site also have the same problem…
When I get chance I am going to remove the lid, rub down the affected area, treat with rust convertor and then respray.
I always assumed it was because the lights have a spongey bit of seal around them that holds water. Had the same symptoms on both of my mk2
That’s about the size of it really. Ours, after 11 years of ownership and being a 2002 car, needs doing. It was common enough early on and was a warranty fix back in the day.
If left too long, rot can erupt along the bottom leading edge seams, which pretty much writes off the lid, so I’m removing ours completely, attending to the surface crud, and flooding the cavities with aggressive stuff while the boot is inverted, letting gravity do it’s wonders. A right palaver, but better than a mis-matched lid.
We have a 3.5 and each time I’ve washed it there’s a constant dribble out from the 3rd brake light pod after I’ve dried the car.
For me it’s an obvious area that will need addressing at some point. I think I read somewhere that they clip in? So perhaps an ‘unclip’ and a looksee is in order…
Has anyone else done this that can give me some pointers?
Double post - ehh! I gave up earlier as it kept showing ‘404 not found’ pages
I’ve some corrosion by the boot lid lights on my Nc1. Does indeed seem to be a very prevalent issue but none too concerning in my opinion. There’s no water in the boot lid lights themselves so I’m happy enough.
Also, I have to shamelessly plug my ‘uploading images guide’ -->HERE<-- Hopefully it’ll be of some use to you!
Steve
This website seems to show how to remove the 3rd brake light on a convertible (clips) and a Roadster (nuts). I have to agree I wonder what is going on under there!
https://www.justanswer.com/mazda/4vuvz-remove-replace-high-level-stop-light-mk-convertible.html
That is what is there for the two types, and that ‘answer’ is a direct lift from the Mellens file but with less useful pictures.
http://www.mellens.net/mazda/Mazda-Miata-2006-2007/lighting_system.pdf
On my NC, not shown in the pictures, there is a long plastic bit inside under the metal deck as well as the stuck-on fabric cover, I guess a bit like the other slice of bread in a sandwich with the metal as the filling. The fabric has a little hole at the lowest centre point where there is a vent from the light, perfect for dripping, fortunately mine is dry and shows no sign of dampness or ever having dripped. It ain’t broke, so I’m not going to fix it.