[SOLVED] Hyundai i20 water leak - from roof trim? Solved

How old? Before you take it to a body shop get someone else to use the hose and check carefully from the inside whilst it?s getting sprayed. If you have a leaking seam in the roof you?re in with a chance of getting it repaired free.

My bother?s Honda Civic started leaking through a roof seam and he successfully argued with Honda that a roof (without a sun roof) should NEVER leak and one that did wasn?t fit for purpose. Honda eventually agreed to fix it at no cost.

Tim

That's interesting. It's 2009 with 70k miles, so I can't imagine that Hyundai will be too interested, but I'll give them a call tomorrow.

... I forgot to say: there's nothing visible on the headlining, but water drips out of a channel that is part of the rear corner structure which goes to the roof.

In my experience, other than a leaky windscreen rubber with an older car with a non-bonded screen, most "leaks" in cars are not actually things leaking that shouldn't, but blocked drain holes meaning the water doesn't run away when it should. My Audi A3 had an occasionally recurring "leak" where water would collect behind the side trim in the boot, and eventually overflow into the spare wheel well. It was caused by a drain grommet on the underside becoming blocked with crud- a 2 minute job to take out and clean, then refit, once you knew it was there.

replying to nothanks, MarkV wrote: Nothanks, I have the exact same issue, same year of car. Any news on findings? I will investigate here as well. MarkV

Hi, I have the exact same issue. I have sealed the light unit and fixings but it seems to leak from above it As you say it looks like it's from the roof trim but I removed mine, just held in with spring clips, and found no holes or anywhere water could get in. My next job is to put an endscope inside the bodywork at the rear. Please let me know if you have had any luck. I will report back my findings. MarkV

Agreed, but *if* it is in fact a leak at a genuine seam or joint then a dribble of one of those leak sealing compound might be worth a try.

replying to nothanks, MarkV wrote: Nothanks, I have the exact same issue, same year of car. Any news on findings? I will investigate here as well. MarkV

It was the short joint that runs vertically from underneath the end of the roof rail to the tailgate opening. I eliminated everything else (with judicious application of mastic and hose pipe) then scraped out the old mastic from the joint and added a tiny amount of black goop from a (slightly) expensive large tube. Problem solved BUT I think the other side is slightly leaking now :-) Perhaps the car's about to fall apart!

I played the endoscope game, but it's so difficult to see WTF is going on. Try re-sealing the seam just below the roof trim groove, on the rear panel.

Thanks for the feedback noth... Your spot on, the seam as you say was the culprit, might be the seal weakening. I've masticed it on both side. Fingers crossed. Cheers again. MarkV

Has anyone else noticed that i20 drivers always drive half the speed you want to go when they're blocking your way? Why do slow people always buy the same type of cars?

replying to nothanks, fat_capybara wrote: Hi, got the same situation in my 2009 i20. Whole trunk is wet, even rear seats got some water. My first try was to seal the tail lamp, cause I saw drops of water on the rubber ring sealing electric wires (it was wet from the inside). but now I'm sure that the water comes from *above *the tail lamp - most probably from one of the joints. Keep dry! :D

Trunk, Are you a resident of Trumpland? ah that explains it then. Brian

I had the same problem and after hours with a hose I found it was only leaking when I sprayed the roof trim just behind the drivers door. I covered the roof trim on the drivers side with duck tape for two weeks and no water got into the spare wheel well despite very heavy rain over that period. Took the car to my local body shop and they removed the old sealant where the roof and side panels are spot welded and applied a new bead of sealant and leak is now fixed.

It's probably rusted right through in the past 18 months.

And its taken over two years? Its probably rusted away by now. Brian

Check under the rear light fittings where the main cable loom comes through the rubber seal eventually cracks. That's why water enters the boot area. Put some clear silicone gell on it job done. Hope this helps.