I found 2 VERY SIGNIFICANT leaks that I think all owners should look for on their cars.

Under the gas filler door is a plastic bowl that fits into the bodywork. It has a narrow gasket around its perimeter that contacts the body and seals out water. This gasket, although appearing to be in good shape, was a total failure on Dad's car. When viewed from inside the trunk (with the interior trunk side panel removed) water streamed into the fender cavity and disappeared down the wheel housing. I do not think it was the source for the water in the trunk, but it is a problem that must be fixed to prevent water damage and rust in other areas. I'll describe how I fixed it when I have a bit more time and can add pictures.

The second leak was the cause of the water in the trunk. The flat panel and fixed wing on the hatch was leaking quite dramatically. With the interior panel below the hatch opening removed, it was easy to see copious amounts of water flowing into the interior when a garden hose was directed across the rear glass. After removing the wing and the flat panel it sits on, I discovered that the gasket material of the flat panel was either degraded or had become displaced and water was getting into the structure if the hatch itself. The 4 studs on the wing have little O rings to seal out water, and by the weathered condition of the studs it was evident that the O rings had also failed. I will show how I fixed the problem in a later post.

As our cars age I'm sure these two leaks will show up on many other cars. The evidence is well hidden by interior panels, however, and may go unnoticed until thousands of dollars of damage is done. The repair bill to Dad's electrical system was over $3000 if we had let the dealership do what they had planned. And we hadn't even discussed fixing the leaks. I don't know what parts and labor would run on that repair.

Check you trunk for water. remove the carpet and floor panel, looking for any moisture underneath. Unfortunately, removing the foam blocks requires disassembling the interior panels, so actually finding water in the wells is a bit of trouble. While you are at it, locate the rubber plugs at the bottom of the wells (there are 3 on each side) and determine which is at the lowest point and work it out to create a drain hole. I have driven ours at highway speeds in a hard rain and have had no road water come in through the drain holes.

Pictures and solutions to come...