Water in trunk lid
 

This is on an '81 300CD.

I've searched the threads and found a couple of posts on this problem, but haven't found a solution posted.

We have had a lot of rain recently; approximately 14" this month. I opened the trunk lid a few days ago and found water spilling out of the edge of the lid. I have since found the same thing on 3 more occasions after even light rains. I'm speaking of the area that is at the highest point when open or over the license plate when closed. It lays in the channel there and spills out when the lid is opened.

Obviously there is a leak, but I can't see from where or why it ends up where it does.

Anybody else have this problem and found a solution? I think it must be the seal, but when I opened the lid right after a rain the seal was dry where it meets the lid and wet in the channel where it is installed.

Mike123,

It seems to me the gasket around the trunk opening in the car is likely clogged. This gasket is supposed to make leaking into the trunk a much more difficult path than merely spilling down the sides of the trunk and then onto the ground, so it has a pretty generous drainage groove. Debris from trees typically gets washed into this groove and will clog it up, forcing the water to find another path. It will also adversely affect the fit of the gasket against the trunk lid. Good luck and I hope this helps. Jim

Might be coming in where the badges attach. The have prongs that stick through with sheet metal nuts on the back to hold the badge up against the car. If they are a little loose, in comes the water.

Or perhaps the gasket is old and shrinking, allowing water to capillary around on the lower sides, on the vertical sections.

Peter