Classic integra problem, my trunk is full of water. I moved to a rainy as f**k climate and discovered my trunk likes to fill with water. I've searched countless threads and everyone says it's the sunroof drain hoses or the taillight gaskets. Problem for me is I don't have a sunroof so that rules that possibility out (as far as I know) and my taillight gaskets are new (and dry I might add) with no signs of water coming from them. I removed all the water, dried everything off and put the car out in the rain. Checked on it a few hours later and discovered the trunk is dry all around the tail lights and the sides however water is slowly pooling by the tire. Where on earth could water be coming from? Some where on the hatch?

 

I have a similar problem. It seems like the water is coming from above the rear glass somewhere but I can't pinpoint it. There's a rubber grommet thing where wires go from the body into the hatch on the passenger side by the hinge that might be worth checking.

 

ya that's where i think it is coming from as well. I thought maybe the actual wiper arm area but it's bone dry there too. It's driving me crazy too because the smell is bad. Even after cleaning and removing the water the seats have a smell since there is so much humidity in the vehicle.

 

Not a hatchback, but maybe they could have something similar in the sealing. I had water coming in where the window trim sections join in the upper corners of the rear window. Other than the areas where the trim seals join, the factory trim sealing scheme is pretty good, although the body to glass seal is what should really keep water out and not just external trim. Apparently once it gets under the trim, it eventually corrodes somewhere between the window glass seal and the body metal and gets in. A bit of a hack repair, but filling the voids in the black rubber where the window trim pieces meet with black silicone and sealing tight to the roof metal has pretty much solved the issue. I masked the area before applying the silicone, so as to not make a mess of it. Maybe a hair of mustiness still, but not soaking wet.

 

Possibly. This photo shows the rear edge of the roof on a Gen2, right at the ends of the roof-strips. The hatch has been unbolted and partially pushed aside for visibility. See the crack in the seam-sealer? On this vehicle, that's the leak.

 

That explains a lot. Probably the same scenario in that area, hatch or trunk. Probably why sealing the trim seams right on that spot solved the problem.

 

try having someone spray the car down with a hose while your inside it to pinpoint the leak

 

That doesn't work for the kind of leak shown in my photo. That only works for BIG leaks.

I found this leak by stripping out all the interior trim in that area, moving the hatch, then spraying non-chlorinated brake-cleaner directly into the crack in the photo. I knew I'd found the leak when I immediately saw brake-cleaner appear on the interior side of the roof panel.

 

Figured it out guys. It is indeed the common taillight gasket. They were dry when I checked the first time but I stripped the truck exterior out, dried everything off then put it back out in the rain. Came back to taillights full of water and gaskets producing waterfalls. I took the gaskets off, cleaned them, and torqued them down a bit tighter since they were not 100% torqued down. They aren't in the greatest shape but i'll see how they handle the rain tonight. I left all the panelling off so that if they do leak tonight during the rain i'll go to Acura and order a new set to fix this once and for all.

 

I had one of the spare tire attachments points come loose, i'm pretty sure it was secured with a rivet...regardless, there was a small hole through the truck and when it would rain my trunk would be wet.

 

I have a similar issue in my LS sedan. My trunk is stripped right now too so I guess its a perfect time to check my taillight gaskets.

 

2 more day of rain and it is 100% the gaskets. The re-torque prevented a lot of water from coming in, but some water is still getting through on the driver side gasket and a very small amount pooled near the spare tire. I called Acura up and ordered 2 new gaskets. Fellow Canadian teg owners, it's $52 a gasket :p figured it is a good fact to know.

 

Also check the automatic antenna drain tube. That's what it was for me.

 

You could've purchased neoprene foam sheets and cut your own gaskets for around $10-$15....

 

I could have, but I didn't. I choose the lazy way.

 

^ Pic doesn't work

 

Oh man, I paid a lot less than that!

DMT Honda Improved Material 90 93 Acura Integra Taillight Gaskets Hatchback 3DR | eBay

 

Had a feeling it was this. I had to replace mine completely and added some kind of silicone just for added protection. We had some rain down here in SoCal a few years ago that practically flooded my trunk unbeknownst to me at the time. I fired up the car after a few days of this rain and not driving it. Pulled out and hit the brakes at the first stop light and it sounded like a massive tsunami just went rushing through my car. Seconds later the entire interior of my car was flooded. Needless to say not a fun day. It took me weeks to gut everything and finally test out the rear hatch/tail lights for the leak but it was pretty easy to confirm with a buddy holding a hose over the hatch. Glad you found the source of the problem.

 

^ That's how I discovered mine as well. Hit the brakes and heard water moving about. Thankfully it wasn't at the point of spilling over under the rear seats. Another day of me not noticing and it would have. Glad to have it finished with, not the greatest experience that's for sure.

It also turned out to be coming from the antenna as well. I deleted it and added a plug to prevent it from leaking. 82871-671-000 is the TSX plug part number. Ebay and ICB motorsports wanted $20-60 for the Integra plug. The TSX plug is the same size and is $4.00 at Acura.

 

Never heard of water leaking from the antenna area. I didn't think water could find its way in there due to the way its mounted on the body.

 

I didn't think that either until I found water coming from there. I had kept an eye on my trunk area the weeks following the gasket replacement just to be sure. The driver side quarter panel area kept leaking a very small amount of water. I pulled the cover and put my hand on the inner quarter panel and it was soaked with water. Pulled the antenna to see the drain tube on the bottom of the antenna cracked, and the antenna broken. It's hallow so rain was going right down the tube into the car.

 

Glad you got it solved

 

lol speaking of leaking trunks in Vancouver. Just got passed a few min ago downtown by a guy who siliconed his tail lights... the entire exterior of his tail lights... like all the way around. Looked hilarious and also horrible. But It would definitely stop the leaking.

 

It's almost always the taillights! If the hatch has been removed, it can be at the hinges...done that before! However I have ALSO had leaking at the antennae!. The antennae was lose, so it wiggled a lot more than it should have. The excessive wiggle wore things out. I ended up doing fiberglass over the metal/plastic part up to where it screws in so the antennae itself can still be replaced. I'll post a pic if I find it!

 

I was under the impression that the antenna was still a complete unit. But with a hole like that, I can see how water managed to get in the trunk.

A lot of people get away with applying silicone to their gaskets in a last ditch effort to stop water leaking into the trunk.