Ok...ran into a weird problem, granted it has been raining, i just looking under the trunk mat to check out my battery compartment and found it had water about 2mm worth sitting in there. Where could this have come from? Any ideas would help...im straining my brain!

What affect does this water have on the battery, drive quality etc?

 

Usually it is a leak from around the rear hatch handle... The foam gasket goes flat...or the 3rd brake lights....same issue...or if it is driving rain, sometimes around the rear brake lights...the SHOULD have a foam strip around them to keep out water and prevent chafing...
Dry out the area before it rusts....

 

I am going to disagree with Zippy and bet it’s coming from the high brake light. It is not easy to seal as I tried all sorts of silicone and other sealers. And the gasket, I don’t think, is available separate from the assembly.

There is no reason to let water collect there. It will not lead to anything good over time. There is a drain plug in the battery box that can provide short term relief, but you need to fix the leak. Again, for me and a bunch of others, it was the brake light.

///Rich

 

alright, so it seems there is two main areas where leaks come from...is this just a matter of replacing the brake light, or the seals behind the brake light?

really appreciate your help! thanks all.

 

the seal looks like a piece of Styrofoam or poly packing foam (think it was the 3rd brake light one...could have been the rear handle one...did them both at the same time..the "gasket" was so chincy it made me kinda mad)....it goes flat overtime...at least on mine it was not a traditional rubber gasket....
I used some liquid "form a gasket" that I brushed onto the foam one to build it up(so i could remove the light later if needed...using rtv will just GLUE the light in place)..then re-installed it.
But be creative....
you might want to fold the seats down...fold the carpet up...and let somebody run a hose on the back of the car in warmer weather....see if you can FIND the leak...bet my bet is the 3rd brake light. good luck...
just be sure to dry out the battery area....water...steel....heavy battery..exhaust...in a place not looked at often....bad things could happen if it goes on for too long.

 

so even if those spots were leaking, that would cause water in the box, but not on the trunk mat?

 

Runs down the sidwalls...deflected by the plastic moldings.... Then goes to the lowest spot!

 

There is no signs of leaks anywhere...besides the floor mat being soaked. im thinking that its probably coming in from the seal by the hatch handle...i checked near the light covers and there was no moisture in those areas. either way i dried the battery box out.