I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: Another boot leak thread…
Hello all,
I’m sure you’re all sick of these but I have a leaky boot issue that I can’t solve.
I’ve narrowed it down to the rear light clusters. After pulling out the trim and testing various areas I found water pouring into the boot, mainly from the clips which hold the chamber extractor (part ne51-51-920b). The weird thing is it isn’t leaking from the vent itself, but from the 2 holes (one on either side) that the vent clips into the bodywork with. The vent itself has a foam gasket to stop water ingress, but it seems like the clips don’t. and so I’m worried that even if I buy 2 new vents the issue will remain.
For now at least I have just had to remove both vents and tape over the wholes completely. I know this will affect airflow etc but in the short term I had no other options.
Now since reassembling I have notice there is also a much smaller leak from the rear light clusters. Should be easy enough to fix with replacement gaskets, but I can’t find any in stock anywhere!
Does anyone have any experience with these rear extractor vent leaks at all? Or a lead on where I can find the light gaskets?
Another member has found another clip (can’t remember what it was for) going into the rear metal panel leaking water past. It looked like it was dripping from the light gasket though.
Suggestions ranged from removing the rear bumper to seal from the other side or quite simply applying sealant (silicone) from inside the boot. Much better if the clip or fastener can be removed first before applying sealant. I think this could be applied to your air outlet fixing and gasket too.
I think if your light seals are in an ok condition, clean up and apply sealant and refit.
Thank Mick, sealing the holes seems like a sensible thing to do, in practice I’m not 100% sure how I’d do it but I can give it a try.
It was definitely leaking from the extractor vent fixing holes, with the interior trim boot trim removed I could see water pouring through them when I ran it down the rain channels in the boot lid.
Realistically, apart from reduced airflow for moisture etc would their be any downside to leaving the vents permanently sealed over? Right now I’ve removed both vents and taped over the holes and that seems to have completely fixed the leak.
Thanks again.
EDIT: this is the hole I’m seeing leaking from - sorry about the picture quality, its the only one I could find online without stripping my rear light out again and taking one myself.
So far the only leak I’ve definitely identified is from the rear light clusters. I plan on sorting this out and then checking into the high level brake light and possibly the aerial/fuel filler area just to make sure there are no other leaks - seems like the NC can be a nightmare for boot leaks!
Yeah just get some sealant around those clip holes, better if they prise out then put some sealant there.
The air vents are for through flow so I suggest to replace to them.
Only had one leak into an NC boot, that was coming from the deck plate on a soft top. A tighten up on one of the bolts cured it.
So far leak free everywhere, fingers crossed.
Thanks, I’ll give it a try - sounds simple enough.
Thats if I can ever get my local Mazda dealers parts dept to answer their phone.
I’m going to try and get new light gaskets at the same time, unfortunately the leak has already caused some corrosion inside the boot so I want to get the leak solved then get the rust repaired. I haven’t owned the car for long but looks like it’s been leaking for a while at least.
Apologies for the threadjacking, but any idea what the correct bit size is for those bolts, Mick? I have been meaning to add some silicone under mine for years, but I don’t have a T45 or whatever bit to hand, or is it a 12-point, triple square…?
Wherever I’ve encountered those foam gaskets on the car, they seem pretty much goosed after 12 years, so I have been reinforcing them with silicone. It’s probably not ‘Mazda-approved’ but it works.
