wteebo

My '91 accord seems to have a water leak in the trunk on both sides. After a few days of rain I went into the trunk to get something out and found that the carpet and the press board underneath was wet on the sides/edges. I removed most everything but just can't seem to locate where it's coming in at. Is this a common problem for these models? Where would one start to look?

KevinnC

Ive had two 91 accords and they both had leaky trunks. Mines gutted now so i just drilled drain holes lol.

scubacamper

My '90 accord had the same problem. I removed each brake light, replaced the foam seal around it, and viola! no more leak.

scubacamper

Still leaking??

wteebo

yes but only after it had rained. one of those things where if it doesn't do it you kind of forget about it until it rains again... seems odd it would be the taillights. the water is mostly up further in the trunk on both sides - trunk seal maybe???

scubacamper

Unless your trunk lid has been replaced (improperly), or the seal has been physically damaged (which you'd be able to see), I doubt it would be the trunk lid seal.
Remember to keep in mind that water can move forward & rearward when you drive (sloshing with movement).
The only other thing I can think of might be the rear windshield seal, which would show moisture evidence near your rear strut towers. (this would require removing the window, scraping off the seal and replacing with new material).
I'd be surprised if it's not the seal around the brake light assembly. I was surprised to find this, but once I replaced the seal (dirt cheap), trunk was bone-dry ever since (2+ years).
You might try what I did - get inside the trunk & shut the lid (of course, make sure you've got a friend there to let you out). With a flashlight in hand, have your friend run a garden hose over each part of the trunk to see where the water is coming in...might at least point you in the right direction.
Any rust damage anywhere, such as the wheelwell? Is the seal around your antenna good?

wteebo

I'll replace the seals since they are cheap enough (probably need it anyway). There is rust starting to come under the paint on the back of the wheel well (toward the back of the car) it hasn't broken through the paint yet but I was told that this is also a common problem with the early accord's. could this be related?
I'll try the trunk idea (been in a few trunks for fixing or installing things over the years!)

Accord1320

If it' a small enough rust spot (and if there is no vital parts near the area), I would cut out the rusted area and weld on a patch so that the cancerous rust do not get worse & spread. Otherwise, it may prove even more of a problem later on if you decide to keep your ride for a long time.

Falcro

I have a '93 that is leaking I have pulled the trim panels and inspected the areas in question. everything looks fine. when it rains I have "dark" trails coming from the body seam area where the quarter panel meets the trunk. I am wondering the the body seams might have lost the bedding that seals them after the spot welds are done.

GhostAccord

Yes it could very well be related. It is a common issue with accords. Where you see rust bubbling the paint that indicates that the sheet metal is rusting from the inside out. Look up into the inner fender and see if there is a rust spot or hole there. If there is rust under the coating there is more than likely a hole. That area goes directly into the trunk and when you are driving in the rain it splashes up and into the trunk.

Here is how bad mine was when I finally found out where the water was coming in from.


There was very little rust on the outside of the wheel well.

Falcro

How far in did you have to go to get these pics, I don't want to have to disable the car to fix mine but it sure makes sense based on where I see the wetness in my trunk. I was going to remove the rear bumper and clean the areas, prime them and put some seam sealer on, then undercoat it after that has cured for a day or two. I am an engine builder so my body work is fair and I am not familiar with the construction of these yet... any tips or links you could provide will be well received TIA

GhostAccord

Mine actually required the inner wheel well to be patched from the top all the way down to the rocker panel/door jam. As I was sand blasting and cleaning up the steel it just kept falling apart. That's how far I had to go to hit solid steel to weld to.

How far you have to go will depend on how advanced the rust is.

Falcro

Well the weather was decent here this weekend so I tore the trunk apart and started following body seams.... most of the leak is on the passenger side something apparently hit it there and the quarter has a minor buckle in it. There is a hole (pen tip sized) where they tried to do something that does not even qualify as body work with a rock let alone tools. The other leak is on the drivers side low, it looks like the body drain may be plugged has anyone cleaned these out before. I don't know if I have to remove the bumper or if I can just try putting some air in there to blow it out. TIA