water in the spare tire well

[hippo]

I'm an Outback driver, so this only *may* be helpful. After heavy rain, w get rain building up either in the wheel well or the o/h light consol depending on which end of the car is pointing up! I think I've eliminate all possibilities except for either a clogged sunroof drain or a leaky bas seal on a roofbar post (or maybe both). Eventually I'll get the headlinin out and check...

 

[04 Forrester]

I have an 04 Forrester that has developed a leaky rear...

The water does not appear to be coming in around the hatch seal and definately not from the floor plugs. I had my wife spray (shower) the top and hatch area with the sprinkler while I was inside where the spare goes and it is coming in at the joint at the top of the well panel in several locations, but all on the back. It is no small amount. If you look under the U-bolt for the rear door latch there is a channel where the water comes from to get inside, but I can't see how it gets there from above.

Does anyone have any idea where this could be originating? Could there be a plugged drain hole somewhere behind the rear bumper that is letting the water build-up then flow over this joint? My first thought was the door seal, but it doesn't get wet on the inner edge. Is it possible the roof rails are leaking or the tail lights?

I had the car undercoated last year with Rust-Check (very thin and drips/creaps) and I found some water when I removed the spare this year for another spraying. This year I used a thicker version that doesn't drip as much but could plug a drainhole - but the water was there before the application.

I carry a couple of kayaks around on ocasion which puts some stress and maybe a little movement on the roof rails but the weight never exceeds 100 lbs. Since this is something I don't check, I have no idea how long it has been leaking, but I am almost certain it was after the first undercoating.

Help! Winter and salty-wet roads are quickly approaching, and I have 7k km left on my warranty...