Trunk leak

[bigsteve305]

I have a 2000 grand marquis and I have a trunk leak it smells horriable and it's coming inside my car now the smell. I can't find where or why it's leaking can someone help me out

[miamibob]

Check the gasket around the trunk lid. There may be a gap or tear. That is the most likely area but there could be others. Start with the easiest first!

[sly]

also check the fuel filler tube gasket in the wheel well as well as the filler bucket (the part behind the fuel door) to make sure it's flush with the fender and not leaking there. If you see gaps between the bucket (the part that holds the filler neck) and the fender, just fill it up with some black sealer. If it's fuel vapors you're smelling, it's probably a hole in the filler neck between the plastic bucket and the wheel well grommet/gasket and that may need to be replaced.

[Mainemantom]

One way to check for the leak is to have someone get inside the trunk with a flashlight. Pour water slowly over different areas. The person in the trunk may be able to see the leak. Don't foget to let the person out of the trunk !
Other areas to check are the rear window area and the trunk lid fitment . If the quarter panel has ever been damaged or replaced, I would check the areas around the welds and sealant. I just fixed a leak on my GM. It was a tiny hole in the trunk channel. Sealant fixed that quick.

[trwp72]

Another place that will rust, and leak is the body seam right in the corner of the trunk lip. Ford in it's great wisdom. overlapped the seam the wrong way, with the top part UNDER the bottom part, so the rain gathers there, instead of running off. It is just a small little place for the water to gather, but it will eventually start rusting underneath when it starts to leak, making it worse. Mine was rusted out underneath, inside the trunk, really bad before I caught it. I sandblasted, treated for rust, then repainted it, then coated with Eastwood products rust seal stuff... Seam sealer on the outside, in the trunk lip, then repainted the trunklip... So the water drains off, and doesn't gather there anymore... so far, so good. (I also put two very small weep holes in the trunk floor, near the front corners in the well, to let water drain out if it does start to leak again, so the trunk won't fill up with water.) I check the carpet to see if it is wet everytime i go in the trunk for something....

[watchdog]

Another way to check the trunk gasket is to rub black shoe polish on it then close the trunk. Open the trunk and look for the shoe polish on the trunk lid. Also check the gasket around the tail lights. If that gasket is torn or missing it will leak into the trunk.

[79lincolnlover]

If the trunk carpet is moldy, remove it.