Hey Everyone,

I just noticed that there is a leak on my rear hatch. I have the OEM rubber mat down on the carpet in the hatch so water is no longer dripping onto my carpet and into my battery cubbie hole. It looks like the water is coming from the back window (original stock window) and dripping from the plastic trim surrounding the window. I actually saw water seeping from underneath the trim by the window.

Would this be the third brake light seal I keep reading about? I do have a panroramic sunroof but I've checked everything on it and the seals are in perfect condition and no leaks whatsoever coming from that. The water is just in the back hatch which has the OEM rubber mat. The rest of the car keeps water out like a champ and is bone dry.

Thoughts on....
1) What's causing the leak?
2) Where's it at?
3) How to fix it?
4) Any further steps I need to take?

Thanks everyone!

 

Could be a couple of gaskets. But it sounds like if it is coming from the window, you'll have to have that inspected by a glass shop/dealer.

Trunk gasket: #4, PN:51717132471
Handle gasket: #14, PN: 51247114521

 

Thanks for the feedback!

Another question...

How does the water from the third brake light make its way down the hatch?

So, in good ol' Ohio today we are having huge down pours. My fiance and I were looking at the hatch and noticed that the leak stops when the hatch is open.

This is what I was thinking in my head...so when it rains the water gets into the third brake light and past the seal. The water travels down the hatch (as in the sides of the hatch are a "frame" and not solid metal) and seeps through the plastic panels onto my mat. Am I completely wrong and that is the most stupid thing you've ever heard or is that possible?

After we took a really good look at it, it doesn't look like the rear hatch window at all. Everything is bone dry except for that one persistant area...

 

Is there a crack or anything in your third brake light? There isn't any available seal separately from the brake light itself.

The story you wrote sounds plausible, definitely.

Is your third brake light working? Maybe it's burned out from water getting in.

You could always try and replace the light. You can get it on various MINI parts sites or at the dealer.

Comes in red or white.

Red PN: 63256935789
White PN: 63256935790

 

Water flows downhill!

 

The third brake light doesn't have a crack, isn't fogging, and works perfectly fine (my fiance stood behind while I pressed the brake).


This is how my rear gasket/seal looked before we moved it. It looks like the water would pour down into the hatch where the battery is at and into the hatch itself where the panel meets the seal. So, my theory is that when it rains the water is going from the seal into the hatch and behind the panel (since the panel doesn't go underneath the hatch latch) and when I raise the hatch all of the rain that drained into the hatch (behind the panel) goes down and seeps through the panels by the window since they aren't one solid piece, thus, making it look like my leak is at the top. Also, it was pouring horribly when I was going to work this morning and there wasn't any water coming in when I was driving or stopped (only when I opened the hatch).



This is what my rear gasket/seal looks like now after we moved it. It looks like that will stop the water and the leaking problem. Is this where the gasket/seal is actually supposed to be? It was tucked underneath the metal lip in the pic above.

Thanks so much for your help and being a sounding board!!

 

The gasket is just a foam thinggy....its gets dirty...goes flat...it is more like a foam than a traditional rubber gasket...you can just pop out the light....clean it up....apply some gasket maker....or make manually...and reinstall...
Simple, easy fix....

 

To find leaks...it is like being a dectective.....
You just have too look....
Check for pinched seals.....the trunk seal should allow the water to flow around the edge, out at the bottom....parked on a hill or something could muck things up...
sunroof leak is unlikly....it has a drain tube....and you would likly see draining on the ceiling if it was leaking up there..the brake light is in a near perfect spot to let water in.....
also the rear brake lights are not well sealed...just a light gasket/soft foam...
Might be worth a look.look around with a flash light...look for signs of water leaking.

 

That makes sense...I'll see (if it's not raining tomorrow) if I can pull out the third brake light and take a peak. If it is that, what type of seal or sealant would you recommend to fix it?

Also, just for my own curiosity, how does the water make its way behind the third brake light and into the hatch? Just curious

Thanks!

 

Okay, so my fiance and I went out and took the third brake light out and look what he found while he was taking it out....Brake light!!!



Once we got it out, the gasket was separating from the light and was dripping with water when we squeezed it. Pretty sure everyone was right about the light We're looking at third brake lights now and ordering one. Right now, we have a piece of handy dandy painter's tape covering the hole where the pieces of brake light broke off. Classy!

 

Thought it might have been broken. Good for you for taking it out and inspecting!

 

I got a used one from waymotorworks....

 

And the two fixes to the problem were....

New OEM white third brake light (did have the red one)



and moving the boot gasket to its proper position by the latch



It's still been monsoon season here in Ohio and after these fixes, Ocean is bone dry! (no pun intended)

 

Glad you got it solved and I'm glad you went with the clear lens, it matches your white roof a lot better!

happy motoring.

 

Congrats!
Sucks you had an issue, but DIY'ing feels great when it works....and saves some serious $$.

 

I just had this issue and it cost me over $1300 to fix because of corroded cabled. Now two weeks later after a heavy rain last night I went and checked and there is again about 3" of water in my trunk. Any ideas?

 

Sorry to hear about that!

Going in the order of what to check:

1) Hatch seal
2) Third Brake Light
3) Sunroof (the drainage tracks can get clogged and cause some issues in the hatch)
4) Hatch window
5) Plug in the bottom of the battery well isn't sealed correctly

What repairs were done to supposed fix that problem? Sorry to hear you had to spend that $$$$ and it didn't work.

 

The biggest issue was that I didn't find out the boot was full of water for over 2 months. By the the positive battery cable had both rusted and corroded. Also the unit for the air bags was rusted and corroded. Apparently mini changed the positive batterie cable design at some point and how you have to run the entire length of the car back to the engine compartment. They also replaced the rear hatch liner seal (#4).

I live in Houston tx and we are going through some serious rain now so I decided to check yesterday afternoon and found the water. I got my wife to spray the hose on the back of the car after I took off most of the interior panels and was able to see the water drip down the rear door between the door panel and the door. The water then collects t the hinge hole on the body of the car and collects and drains into the trunk.

I would highly suspect that the leak is coming from the #14 gasket. I will now be replacing this and then re testing.

This #14 gasket apparently is a foam gasket??? Wtf, why now a o-ring gasket? Does anyone know if there is an aftermarket gasket that can replace this foam one?

 

Be sure and take out your third brake light too. My issue ended up being that the main seal around my hatch was moved and the seal around the third brake light was dry rotted (foam). Water would run down the hatch, underneath the panels and into the battery well. Just my two cents worth

 

Thanks for all the help.

 

Happens to me too, but only when at the car wash. Never had it after a rain. Sucks :(