Water leak - how to remove boot compartment trim

[marineboy]

I posted a few weeks back re a water leak into the boot. Not willing to have the car sat in the dealers for weeks for them to try and find it I’ve been having a go myself and I think I’ve found the culprit. 
 

The water is pooling in a cavity beneath the n/s light cluster.  I think this fitting is to blame:

 

 

The top of the rubbery plastic is not a flush fit against the bodywork so I think that water runs down the gap between tailgate and rear wing and straight behind the fitting. However, there might also be an issue with the light cluster or even the reflector. To find out for sure I would like to remove the boot side trim:

 

But I don’t know how to do it. The load net retention hook (top left) is simply screwed on but I can’t see how the storage cubby channels are secured. I’d be grateful for any help for how I can get the trim off. 

 

 

[carefree]

I thought it was this too, but it wasn’t.  Your case is sounding remarkably like mine in that the leak came from a micro hole in the factory welding on the bodywork.  If I was you I’d take it to the dealers.

 

My rear light cluster trim wasn’t flush either and still isn’t ( I think you’ll find that’s normal) and now that the hole in the welding has been fixed I’ve had zero leaks, DESPITE the light trim still not being flush.

 

Mate, I think you are clutching at straws, I’d let the dealer look at it.

Edited 18 July, 2023 by carefree

[marineboy]

Thanks for your input Carefree. I realise that the light cluster bolt shroud (the rubbery bit) is not meant to be watertight. I found this out when pouring a watering can down the channel above it - the water runs out underneath the bumper so there is obviously a drain hole somewhere. However, not all the water was draining out because some was pooling in that cavity behind the trim. It seems that any micro hole could be behind there and so interrupts the water flow to the drain. So I figured that sealing the shroud would stop that albeit without fixing the underlying problem. 
 

So far so good. No leak after some pretty heavy rain over the last few days. I’ll continue to monitor it and when the car goes in for service I’ll mention it to the dealer. 

[carefree]

Hopefully it’s not the same as mine then.  However, I made sure I was compensated by both the supplying dealership and Skoda UK.  Three months without a car I’d only had for 2 weeks tested my patience a tad.

 

As for removing the boot trim I can’t help you I’m afraid, but hopefully someone will be along shortly to assist.

 

Hope you pinpoint and resolve the problem soon mate.

 

 

Edited 19 July, 2023 by carefree

[marineboy]

Thanks for your best wishes. It was your tale of being without the car for so long that puts me off going to the dealer. I don’t fancy being stuck with a Fabia courtesy car for 3 months, compensation or not. 
 

Thinking about getting the trim off, I’m actually not sure that would help me. If it is a dodgy weld it’s odds on that it would be pretty inaccessible. I’ll see how the duct tape bodge goes and if it stays watertight I’ll probably take it off and silicone all round the edge of the shroud as a less unsightly solution. 

[carefree]

Fair enough mate but you shouldn’t have to.  I wouldn’t be comfortable using silicone on something that was probably faulty on the production line..

 

Mine took 3 months because the dealer couldn’t find where the leak was coming from.  At least if you can pinpoint it they can do an immediate fix.

 

You shouldn’t have to settle for a “bodge it” fix for a leak mate, get it sorted properly, demand that your supplying dealership sorts it out as a priority.

Edited 19 July, 2023 by carefree

[marineboy]

Fair point. I’ll speak to the dealer and see if I can get a timescale for them to identify the cause of the leak and rectify it. Cheers. 

[skomaz]

Chances are it's the seal around the rear light fitting.   I'd be tempted to take the fitting off to check the seal and then refit it.

[marineboy]

Thanks, but I’m reasonably sure the water is not getting in around the cluster itself, rather the rubbery shroud which covers the two Torx bolts holding the cluster in place.  I did undo those bolts to remove the cluster to have a look but couldn’t free it and didn’t want to force it and snap something.  There is a vid on YouTube where a guy demonstrates how to remove the cluster on a Scala (which looks very similar) but I couldn’t see how to remove it safely. 

[Stoker]

@marineboy

We've had a hell of a lt of rain since July.

Just wondering if / hoping you managed to sort this out?

[marineboy]

5 hours ago, Stoker said:

@marineboy

We've had a hell of a lt of rain since July.

Just wondering if / hoping you managed to sort this out?

Not got round to taking it to the dealer, I’ll leave it till the next (first) service in June and mention it then. But the duct tape bodge is working fine.