I am getting water into the wheel well, and I was checking this evening, after heavy rain, and the water seems to be getting in somewhere around the drivers side rear light fitting, but I can't be sure at the moment. I think that I need to get the hosepipe out and get Madam to run water over the rear door and window while I get into the boot/wheel well area. I have all the carpet and panel out of the boot area and checked the sunroof drain tubes, but they seem to be clear.

The rain water doesn't appear to be coming from the area where the rubber drain tube goes through into the wheel well, either. There isn't any sign of water running across the floor panel directly below the drivers side back window, where the RF receiver is positioned. That whole area is as dry as a bone.

I have cleaned everything out and more or less polished the area in the wheel well in the hope of seeing a water track. I have also bent the bottom edge of the bodywork, under the rear seal, as per the RAVE instructions, and put a load of petroleum jelly under the rear seal. So far it hasn't fixed the leak. I think that the previous owner had the problem because the wheel well has been painted with black paint, a bit like an underseal product. It looks like the rear seal has been replaced already because the seal has very precise cut-outs where the RAVE instruction says to cut the seal to let out the water. I would imagine that my seal is a dealer supplied item.

I could see a small water track down inside a cavity right below the rear light and a bit under where the rear power plug is, but it is difficult to tell whether the water is getting into the cavity [this cavity is the panel that runs from side to side under the rear seal lip], and also I can't see where it could exit to get into the wheel well.

When I looked at this this evening there seemed to be a damp track down the joint where the floor of the wheel well meets the side wall of the drivers side wheel well, right at the very back where the floor panel rises up the meet the panel behind the bumper panel.

A tiresome problem, and the vehicle does sound hollow and a bit rattly with all the rear carpet and panels removed.

Pierre3..

It could indeed be getting in around the rear light. It's held in place with 3 or 4 small nuts on the end of some studs but has a seal around the inside of it to seal it against the bodywork. If it's been off in the past you may not have a full set of nuts (it's very easy to drop them when refitting) or the seal may have deteriorated so it no longer seals against the body panel.

Good point about the light seals. I will have a look and see if they are properly bolted in. I did have a similar problem with a 1983 Mercedes W126 where the rear, red, lights had been changed for nice clear lights, but the original seal had been used as there was a small leak from both sides for a while after I bought the car. Fortunately, it was a quick and easy seal.

Pierre3.

I am just wondering whether there is a separate seal for the rear lights on the P38. I have looked at a German LR parts list [Allbrit.co.uk] but it doesn't show a seal or gasket for the rear lights, it does show the 5mm nuts for the lights but no seal.

Pierre3.

The seal is glued to the back of the light unit so comes with the light rather than as a separate part.

Many thanks for the information. I may take out the lights and put a swipe of mastic around the seals to ensure that they are watertight. Although I am not convinced that that will solve the issue.

I suppose that rain water running down the back of the vehicle could find its way into the wheel well, though.

Just as well to check though, and tick it off the list !!

Pierre3.