W211 Water in the Boot Lid - Take 2

Razoo

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I previously posted this thread in November 2008. Following yesterday's torrential rain, it's time to revisit the problem:

"As the boot lid lifted, I could hear what sounded like the equivalent of a small lake sloshing around between the inner and outer boot lid skins. With the boot lid fully open, the water drained out of the corners. It had been raining a lot.

Two questions:

1. How/where might the water be getting in?

2. Why didn't the water drain out?"


When I lifted the boot lid this morning, I heard the water rush towards the front edge. As I shut the lid, the water flowed back and started to drain out through a small hole in the bottom edge (by the boot lock) that previously had a stuck-on patch over it.

There is no water inside the boot.

I'm guessing that the rain water overwhelms the boot gutter, and finds its way into the boot lid through a hole in the edge somewhere.

I'm sure the problem occurs when the car is parked up during rain. I don't think the water gets in whilst the car is being driven.

Another job for the weekend!

Razoo
 

television

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There were problems in the stampings on some early cars, where a burr was left allowing water to get in around the handle and buttons.
I have some info some where I think
 

television

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The water gets in through the high level stop lamp,,the edges of the stamping need smoothing off and the stop lamp sealed in
 

television

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or the rear lights?

Estate or saloon?

This guy has the water in the boot lid, though yes the rear lights when the boot fills up
 
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Razoo

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The water gets in through the high level stop lamp,,the edges of the stamping need smoothing off and the stop lamp sealed in

Thanks TV, that makes a lot of sense and would match exactly with the symptoms, viz. the water sits inside the vertical section of the boot lid (behind the numberplate), and it can be heard sloshing through the boot lid as the boot lid is raised, until it gets to the front edge and starts to drain out of the two corners.

I presume the high level stop lamp asembly is accessed from inside the boot? Does it have a gasket? If it does, I'll buy a new one and fit it anyway.

Razoo
 

television

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Thanks TV, that makes a lot of sense and would match exactly with the symptoms, viz. the water sits inside the vertical section of the boot lid (behind the numberplate), and it can be heard sloshing through the boot lid as the boot lid is raised, until it gets to the front edge and starts to drain out of the two corners.

I presume the high level stop lamp asembly is accessed from inside the boot? Does it have a gasket? If it does, I'll buy a new one and fit it anyway.

Razoo

You will not need a new anything,,just some good sealing stuff like the loctite super flex (Halfords)
 
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Razoo

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2004 W211 E320 CDi Avantgarde Saloon High Level Stoplight

You will not need a new anything,,just some good sealing stuff like the loctite super flex (Halfords)

I stripped the high-level stoplight out today. It was quite easy once I'd spotted all the plastic expanding rivets holding the boot lid liner and figured out how to unclip the plastic bracket that holds the warning triangle (remove the torx self-tapping screw, press in the plastic locking tab in the centre and slide the whole bracket to the left until it unclips).

The stoplight rear (black plastic) LED lamp holder assembly unclipped OK, but was a right pig to extract in the confined space between the boot lid skins.

Then onto the stop lamp body...

The lens and body unit simply clips into the cut-out in the boot lid. It is released by squeezing in four pairs of retaining clips from inside the boot and pushing the assembly forward and out through the cut-out.

The cut-out in the boot was fine, with no burrs or damaged edges.

The problem appears to be the lens/body unit itself. The lens is fitted with a neoprene gasket, but it relies on the four pairs of retaining clips on the body unit to provide compression and form a water tight seal.

The translucent red lens is somehow attached to the opaque plastic body, and on mine this joint had started to come apart at one end. This had allowed the lens to move forward, away from the plastic body, so that the retaining clips at that end were ineffective and the neoprene gasket no longer sealed against the boot lid.

I have super-glued the lens back into its correct position, but I don't know how well the joint will hold. I guess I'm probably looking at buying a new high-level stoplight asembly.

I also noticed that the drainage gullies at the left and right-hand sides of the boot lid have a plastic liner with a bonded rubber lip that seals against the side of the rear wing. On the left-hand side, the rubber lip has parted company from the plastic liner, so I guess I'll also be replacing that.

Is it normal for 5-year-old Mercedes to fall apart like this?

Razoo
 

television

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I stripped the high-level stoplight out today. It was quite easy once I'd spotted all the plastic expanding rivets holding the boot lid liner and figured out how to unclip the plastic bracket that holds the warning triangle (remove the torx self-tapping screw, press in the plastic locking tab in the centre and slide the whole bracket to the left until it unclips).

The stoplight rear (black plastic) LED lamp holder assembly unclipped OK, but was a right pig to extract in the confined space between the boot lid skins.

Then onto the stop lamp body...

The lens and body unit simply clips into the cut-out in the boot lid. It is released by squeezing in four pairs of retaining clips from inside the boot and pushing the assembly forward and out through the cut-out.

The cut-out in the boot was fine, with no burrs or damaged edges.

The problem appears to be the lens/body unit itself. The lens is fitted with a neoprene gasket, but it relies on the four pairs of retaining clips on the body unit to provide compression and form a water tight seal.

The translucent red lens is somehow attached to the opaque plastic body, and on mine this joint had started to come apart at one end. This had allowed the lens to move forward, away from the plastic body, so that the retaining clips at that end were ineffective and the neoprene gasket no longer sealed against the boot lid.

I have super-glued the lens back into its correct position, but I don't know how well the joint will hold. I guess I'm probably looking at buying a new high-level stoplight asembly.

I also noticed that the drainage gullies at the left and right-hand sides of the boot lid have a plastic liner with a bonded rubber lip that seals against the side of the rear wing. On the left-hand side, the rubber lip has parted company from the plastic liner, so I guess I'll also be replacing that.

Is it normal for 5-year-old Mercedes to fall apart like this?

Razoo

To the last bit,,they were not made to get wet,,but they have been wet,, that is what makes it look worse.

Pleased that you are doing OK
 

ALFIEBEARD

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Is it normal for 5-year-old Mercedes to fall apart like this?

Razoo[/QUOTE]

ERRR YES :rolleyes:

Sorry I could,nt resist it:lol:

Alfie B
 
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Razoo

Razoo

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Is it normal for 5-year-old Mercedes to fall apart like this?

Razoo

ERRR YES :rolleyes:

Sorry I couldn't resist it:lol:

Alfie B

Unfortunately your response has the ring of truth. So many silly little things keep breaking or failing (along with the occasional big thing, like a broken front suspension coil spring): the driver's side vanity light, the plastic trim between the seat runner and the carpet, the high level stoplight, the boot lid drainage gully liner, the driver's seat lumber adjuster.

Meanwhile, my 10-year-old Ford Focus Ghia just carries on with none of these irritating problems!

Razoo
 


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