Water ingress into boot 2006 mini one

[BertBert]

Got a lot of water that's come into the boot. I suspect the 3rd brake light. Had a look at it and the red lense part came off in my hands. Also took it off and the rubber gasket is in pretty poor shape.

I've glued the lense back on. Can I get a new gasket for it without having to buy the whole unit?

Also any thoughts on other places for water to get in?

Thanks
Bert

[johnoz]

Bert, yes water in the 3 rd brake light is possible! And yes you have to buy the whole thing If you have. Spoiler fitted it is very tricky to change, but it is possable with out removing it.

The other place to look is the chrome trim below the glass, if it was like my sons water drips through the fixing holes.
If you remove the interior boot trim, you can see if there is any water staining on it!

By using a touch and mirror, (and the aid of a hose) with the boot shut and you inside, you can see if or which clip lets water in?

Hope this helps.

[BertBert]

fortunately no spoiler so super easy to change the brakelight unit.

I'll get the hose out. Seems to be pretty wet, so should be obvious where the water comes in.

Bert

[johnoz]

Not that obvious! took us a while to figure it out.

[BertBert]

johnoz said:

Not that obvious! took us a while to figure it out.

Just being hopeful!
Bert

[splitpin]

As ever, rather than risking taking stuff apart for no good reason, Gaffer/AKA Bert Tape is the first step; use it to seal things temporarily in conjunction with a hose to help identify what is actually leaking ........... third brakelight is inevitably considered to be the most likely suspect, but after frigging about with this that and the other and contorting myself inside the hatch, mine turned out not to be that at all ............ much to my surprise (because it looked just fine until I actually removed it using fishing line in a sawing motion), mine was the rear Mini winged badge which was cured with cut to shape double sided number plate foam tape. But mine was more of an occasional leak rather than the torrent which it sounds like yours is more like.

HTH

Trev

[BertBert]

Thanks Trev, very helpful. The problem though is now I have taken the brake light off and found the duff seal, I very much doubt it is sealed now. So as you can't just get the seal, I'll have to shell out for a new unit anyway

But I like the gaffa idea (as you knew I would!).

I have used Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure to be very useful in the past for hard to find leaks!

Bert

[emicen]

3rd brake light is notorious for it. They all deteriorate over time, both the seal to the boot and their own internal sealing hence you see a lot with dud LEDs and black inside the lens.