How in the world does water get into the trunk lid??
 

Popped open the trunk this morning on my 240D, to see if any water was collecting in the wells behind the wheels. What I got instead was a shower of water from the trunk lid. It was pooled up in the lip where the enblems are. A couple cups of water splashed out. I replaced the rear window seal last summer. But how does that much water get into the tunk lid?

classic water collection when there is rust under window seal, or near valance below window seal...

may be thru push button??
 

I am not sure about the 240D. In my 190D, water was getting in through the push button seam. I removed the lock mechanism, put an o-ring round the push button and reinstall. No more water when I open the trunk lid anymore.

Hope this info help.

I replaced the window seal last summer there were a few tiny bits of rust which I wire brushed and POR'ed and a tiny hole, less than a pea size, in the roof side top lip that I wire brushed and filled with epoxed and then POR'ed. There shoud be no water getting in through my back window.

The 123's trunk lock is not in the trunk lid like the 190's lock is. Though I have thought about the emblem holes, but with how much water was in there I'd be surprised if that was where the water was coming from. The last time I opened the trunk about a week and a half ago I got no water. It has been pouring buckets for the past several days though.

Condensation?

During the rainy season, when temps swing 30F day to night and relative humidity is 100% all the time, I see condensation on the inside of the trunk lid on a different car I have that doesn't get driven much. Now that I'm driving that one full time, I don't get that anymore.

yeah, condensation ESPECIALLY if you know water is getting into the trunk will collect on the lid.

Condensation eh? You might be onto something. I know I still have a bit of a leak, I think it's got to be the trunk and/or the light seals. And I did notice a fair amount of condensation on the trunk lid this morning. So if I had a small pool in the wheel wells that condensed on the lid, it would drip down the lid top into the rear lip of the trunk lid. My driveway is inclined as well so that would help the water collect. I need to track down my leaks.

You'll find enough information for how why and how to fix it here:-

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/bodywork-repair-paint-tools-tips-tricks/287388-another-rusty-surprise.html

and here:-

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/bodywork-repair-paint-tools-tips-tricks/284706-240d-quarter-panel-rust-repair.html

Both good threads

Check your door seals, especially around the top. If water gets into the cabin, it has pretty much one place to exit--out the trunk as water vapour. On the 126 if you slam the doors you can see the flaps in the trunk down by the wheel wells pop out.

Water in the lid, but not in the wells, it has to be in the air at some point. And it has to get there from . . . somewhere else.

Don't know, but
 

I remember the first time I raised the trunk on the 87 Champagne, I had water in the trunk lid.:eek: Magically? I don't think I've had any since, so maybe it's an accumulation thing from when a car sits.

Anyone else??

Yeah condensation. The key is to figure where water is getting in... Trunk and taillight seals, as well as the rear window seal are all culprits.

I remember reading a thread a while back where a W126 had a similar problem. Turned out to be a hole on the trunk lid, on the bottom (inner) side, that had been unplugged, allowing water to get in when the trunk lid was closed.

My 300SD trunk is bone dry, but it use to get water in it. It took many hours for find problems. Here is where I found my leaks:

1. Majority of leaks into wheel wells.

This was caused by water running into trunk via the corner lens assemblies. The way to check them is to remove them and fill them up like a pot of water and watch them leak.
Put a little crazy glue where white plastic meets red plastic on inside. My right side was the culprit.

2. Water Running off of inside of trunk lid:

This should not be condensation unless you have allot of water in your trunk already. My leak was getting into trunk like via the MB Emblem. Remove and dabb some RTV on it lightly and replace it.

My trunk could not be any drier now. Not a drop anywhere. They should be dry.