BH leaking rear lights.

[Richwalk]

Over winter I noticed leaking rear lights. When left outside in the rain they will half fill up with water. When you open the boot it'll dribble out and into boot.

Is this common? I'd dried up over summer but with the recent rain has began to do it again.

I was hoping someone else has had this problem and would be able to let me know where the common points it leaks are and how to fix it.

Thanks.

[Guest iceboychch]

yeah its common.. something to do with how the water from roof flows down past the lights. check for any holes or loose rubber seals.

[Guest]

Unfortunately it's a factory option that quite a few people ticked when buying them new!...

Easiest solution, take the lights and the garnish off and let them dry out good and proper (eg; infront of a dehumidifier for 24 hours). Then when reinstalling them, put some Dum-dum around the edges and the seals and let it cure for around 5 hours so it's sealed up good and proper... Then, Hey presto!, No more Water Features in the boot!

Although, it's a good idea to replace any dodgy bulbs when the lights are out before you seal it up, because if one blows it's a real pain to swap em over (The BH's tail lamps are a light out job to replace bulbs).

[Richwalk]

Thanks for the info. Anyone know what type of bulbs are in the rear, so I can pick some up on the way past?

[Guest]

They're bayonet bulbs, The stop/parks should be 21/5W.

Indicators should be 25W.

If you're in Christchurch i'll look after you (I work in Parts at Armstrong Subaru).

[Guest subiebboy]

 Hopai said:

Unfortunately it's a factory option that quite a few people ticked when buying them new!...

Easiest solution, take the lights and the garnish off and let them dry out good and proper (eg; infront of a dehumidifier for 24 hours). Then when reinstalling them, put some Dum-dum around the edges and the seals and let it cure for around 5 hours so it's sealed up good and proper... Then, Hey presto!, No more Water Features in the boot!

Although, it's a good idea to replace any dodgy bulbs when the lights are out before you seal it up, because if one blows it's a real pain to swap em over (The BH's tail lamps are a light out job to replace bulbs).

Thats the hard way..

Dont use DUM DUM thats a very DUM DUM idea because you wont get it off again and you will have problems taking it off again if you do it wrong...

The easiest way is to:

a)Take the garnish off,

b) Clean with warm soapy water around the edges (also clean the black rubber thing)

c) Dry out with a hairdryer (use the Mrs one or buy one for $12 froma supermarket, then keep it in your toolkit - dont put the Mrs one in your toolkit, she'll kill you),

d) Windscreen silicone sealant, use plenty of it, run it around where the black thing go's

e)press the black seal/black thing into the sealant,

f) run some more windscreen sealant over the black thingy

g) mount the garnish onto the tailgate and bolt it tight

h) If you stuffed it up, no worries, just unbolt and start over and be patient this time around...

If you used DUM DUM your screwed...

[sobanoodle]

Up this topic!

Had same issues with a leaking garnish - first thought it'd been leaking because of a few cracks in it, replaced with an undamaged one, started leaking even more.

Bought 300g (only used half of it) of Selleys Windscreen Sealant and used above method. Plus sealed top edge of the garnish - pretty big gap between two plastic bits, no wonder water was getting inside, on top of it, once installed back, filled a groove between the garnish and the rear window surrounding with some sealant - it's black and the grove is deep no way anyone would notice it. Highlighted in blue where I put the sealant (plus under those black thingies on the garnish itself)

No water in the rear hatch since that, no blown bulbs. Cost: $17, time spent: 1 hour.

[kiwisurf]

Or just drill a small hole in the bottom corner of each side....

[94 Leone]

Nah, (I already broke one corner trying to seperate as the light clip things detached ) I'm getting some clear silicon to fix this sometime this week.

Good (not really but it eases thought )to know I'm not the only one with the problem lol.

[subieboy]

 94 Leone said:

Nah, (I already broke one corner trying to seperate as the light clip things detached ) I'm getting some clear silicon to fix this sometime this week.

Good (not really but it eases thought )to know I'm not the only one with the problem lol.

As I forgot mention earlier on in the thread, the black things perish over time and thus allows in water.

Windscreen sealant has many many many useful uses

[94 Leone]

You also didn't mention that the one on the side that doesn't leak will break when you remove it, leaving the other one 100% in tact. -or just my luck actually.

[subieboy]

 94 Leone said:

You also didn't mention that the one on the side that doesn't leak will break when you remove it, leaving the other one 100% in tact. -or just my luck actually.

Just add more goo I say ;D

[duddley]

I now have a nice and dry boot hatch thanks to this method cheers!!

[sobanoodle]

Checked mine after all these heavy rains lately - completely dry 8)

[neodowd]

I fixed mine without even removing garnish, there is a small gap above garnish where I put some silicone sealer. No more water in the lights easy as.