1997 Ls400 Trunk Leak

[bossman]

I have a 1997 LS400 with 167,000 km that I bought used this past December. I have recently discovered (to my surprise) that the trunk takes on water. I have searched through some of the other LS posts about trunk leaks, but cannot find any explanation as to the specific cause.

I completely dried out the spare tire well and carpeting/mats this past weekend. Last night we had a heavy rainfall and the water in the trunk returned. The water was isolated to the center of the trunk, and did not get into the two smaller side compartments. After some investigation, it seems to be coming from the area below the trunk closure/lock - where the bumper meets the body.

Anyone alse have a problem with this? Am I on the right track? What have you done to stop the water from getting into the trunk? Is there a secret warranty from Lexus regarding this problem?

Any help would be most appreciated ... as this annoyance is driving me crazy.

[90LS400Lexus]

Hmm. This is the first trunk leak I have ever heard of on a LS400. In the past- I had Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords (80s models) that was awful about trunk leaks. The seals around the trunks was good, but still water got in. Do you have a cracked taillight lens? I have this problem on my 1992 Buick Park Avenue. It has a cracked taillight and water gets in there somehow and gets the spare tire well soaking wet. A few weeks ago I decided to fix the leak, but no luck. The spare tire well literally had over a gallon of water standing in there. I do not think as much water is getting in there, as I covered the lens with temporary red tape. The worst part was the trunk insulation (padding) was also soaking wet and it took it forever to dry. I would leave the trunk open on sunny days to dry it out.

Luckily, no problems on my 90 LS400 yet, as the trunk stays as dry as a bone, even in extreme downpours. Like I said- for now. :o :D Have you checked your trunk weather stripping closely? Try spraying all around the trunk with a garden hose and then open it and see if you see where any water has came in. Good luck.

[VMF]

it is possible that your car was inthe accident and was not repaired properly. check the records of the car, you can do so by callin any lexus dealer and providing them with your vin number. it is my first time hearing that trunk leaks.

[bossman]

Thanks 90LS400Lexus - the tailights are in perfect condition, as is the weatherstripping around the trunk. We did the garden hose test tonight with someone in the trunk and found the water coming in from below the trunk latch/lock. The water was being sprayed directly at the gap between the trunk lid and the body (under the license plate).

Thanks VMF - there does appear to be slight impact marks on the bumper that may have caused enough of a separation between the bumper and the body to allow water to enter.

Any suggestions on how to proceed with repairs?

[1UZ-FE]

We did the garden hose test tonight with someone in the trunk

classic!

are you looking for a permanent professional type fix or just a way to keep the water out?

[mbpgawest]

We did the garden hose test tonight with someone in the trunk

Hey bossman, you read my mind. I used to be the guy in the truck when our shop had a car with similar problem. Just me and my flash light :( .

If the crack is small enough I would use some silicone, if it's larger might use some body filler. If it's in a highly visable area I'd have a body shop take care of it and paint to match.

Let us all know what you decide to do B) .

[bossman]

Thanks 1UZ-FE - I'm hoping for a backyard fix at this time. Don't worry ... I won't be resorting to duct tape to make the repairs :D

Thanks mbpgawest - there is no crack in the bumper so bodyfiller or body shop work won't be necessary, but I do plan to seal the gap between the bumper and the body with silicone. Hopefully this will solve the problem.

[bossman]

Had my Lexus in to the local Toyota dealer for an oil change recently, and mentioned the trunk leak to them. With all of the "detective" work I had done, my suspicion was back on the trunk weatherstripping. Although there was no visible cracks or tears, I suspected that there was a problem with the glue/sealant used.

The dealer removed the weaterstripping and reinstalled it with new sealant. With a few heavy rains since then, no water has appeared. Problem solved! And they did not charge me anything. They have always treated me great ... as I have moved from Celica GT, to Celica Turbo 4WD, to Camry CE and now to LS400.