Now, the question is, whats the best way to seal it and where does it leak in from?
Im thinking clear silicone all the way around?
sealing leaky rear light clusters on D9???
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philmeboots
- 1.8 8v
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 3:55 pm
sealing leaky rear light clusters on D9???
As a lot of you may already be aware, the rear light clusters on the D9 are prone to leaking... I noticed mine had condensation on the inside of the cluster and that my cabin/rear window kept steaming up - on closer inspection I found a nice puddle in the spare tyre well in the boot!
Now, the question is, whats the best way to seal it and where does it leak in from?
Im thinking clear silicone all the way around?
Now, the question is, whats the best way to seal it and where does it leak in from?
Im thinking clear silicone all the way around?
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philmeboots
- 1.8 8v
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 3:55 pm
I read somewhere that it was a common problem on the 406 - I then noticed on mine that it was steaming up quite a lot just on the rear windscreen.
On closer inspection I noticed that the n/s light cluster or plastic cover was also steamed up on the inside leading me to believe this was the source of the leak.
I checked the spare tyre in the boot and found quite a big puddle of water in there which was quite worrying!
I'm just looking for any pointers as to how or where it should be sealed to prevent future problems - tbh, im more concerned about it nackering the electrics!
406 sri - where did you apply the clear silicon?
On closer inspection I noticed that the n/s light cluster or plastic cover was also steamed up on the inside leading me to believe this was the source of the leak.
I checked the spare tyre in the boot and found quite a big puddle of water in there which was quite worrying!
I'm just looking for any pointers as to how or where it should be sealed to prevent future problems - tbh, im more concerned about it nackering the electrics!
406 sri - where did you apply the clear silicon?
I ended up buying new lights because mine were so corroded (£85 for the pair). I noticed the seals on the new ones were sponge rubber rather than the solid rubber gaiter on the ones I replaced. You could just try and get some sponge rubber seals from somewhere like http://www.automobiletrim.com
I wouldn't recommend using Silicon Sealant at first, only as a last resort.
This is what I did to cure my leaking problem.
1. Remove the light clusters
2. Clean and dry the clusters, pay particular attention to the rubber seal.
3. Clean the hole in the bodywork where the lights go, thoroughly, you'll find sand and dirt has collected around where the rubber seals of the lights sit. This is causing small gaps for water to get in.
4. Apply a small ammount of oil (I used ordinary Castrol GTX which I put in my engine) or Vaseline to the surface of the rubber seals on the clusters that will contact the bodywork
5. Bolt the clusters back on firmly. But be careful when tightening the bolts. One screw to many and they could shear.
Job done, the Oil/ Vaseline acts as a water barrier and eventually, as it dries out, creates a non permanent bond between the rubber seal and the bodywork.
This is a much cleaner and hidden solution than Silicon which can be messy and affect the resale value of your car.
This is what I did to cure my leaking problem.
1. Remove the light clusters
2. Clean and dry the clusters, pay particular attention to the rubber seal.
3. Clean the hole in the bodywork where the lights go, thoroughly, you'll find sand and dirt has collected around where the rubber seals of the lights sit. This is causing small gaps for water to get in.
4. Apply a small ammount of oil (I used ordinary Castrol GTX which I put in my engine) or Vaseline to the surface of the rubber seals on the clusters that will contact the bodywork
5. Bolt the clusters back on firmly. But be careful when tightening the bolts. One screw to many and they could shear.
Job done, the Oil/ Vaseline acts as a water barrier and eventually, as it dries out, creates a non permanent bond between the rubber seal and the bodywork.
This is a much cleaner and hidden solution than Silicon which can be messy and affect the resale value of your car.
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philmeboots
- 1.8 8v
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 3:55 pm
Thanks for the replies - I've gone down the route of removing and cleaning, as mentioned above there was a lot of dirt/sand/leaves blocking the holes - Ive done the same to all drain plugs all around the car. I do have a tendency to park in hedges and on sand as I spend a lot of time at the beach so this is probably the reason for my problem! 