Water Leak…

I’ve had some water getting into the truck for a bit after a good rainstorm and sometimes a Carwash. I found wet spots behind the back seat where the jack stand is on the outside carpet outside the jackstand area and also behind the backseat driver side.

Where could water be coming into the truck to get these spots wet?

 

Any thoughts? With all my research, it’s either the 3rd brake light, the rear window or clogged drain plugs? I don’t even know where to find those or check for clogs.

 

Not the drain plug. I'd bet on the 3rd brake light.

 

That’s where my 07 is currently leaking from

 

From what I have seen I would bet it’s the 3rd brake light.

 

How do you know that? Is there water damage on your headliner? How did you find out?

I pulled my headliner down from where the 3rd brake light is and didn’t see anything that looked to be water damage there but there but the two ends are starting to sag (picture here) so maybe this the 3rd brake light?

 

What makes it not the drain plug or even rear sliding window? Just due to where the water is leaking?

 

The sunroof drains down the A-Pillar if I’m not mistaken, so a clog there would likely not go rearward, especially with the rake of the truck and certainly not without visible water trails.

 

Sunroof? I don’t have one of those but that would be fun. Or did you mean something else?

 

I would just think there would be water damage or a damp ceiling and the backend if it was the 3rd brake light but that is what I’m trying to figure out.

 

I stood on a ladder and poured water on it with a watering can while my wife watched inside for leaks

 

Can I just put a bead of exterior clear silicone around the outside of the brake light housing and that should fix it? Or is it replacing the unit?

 

That’s what I’m gonna do

I have a topper on the bed so I don’t think it would be super easy to get that light out

 

You’re just going to silicone the outside of it or replace it?

 

Silicon the outside

 

Do you know if there is a particular silicone to use on cars?

 

No idea I’m just gonna wing it

I have a topper so that light isn’t even being used and no one will be able to see it anyway so I think it will be ok. Im just gonna go to the hardware store and take a look at the labels and pick something

I would have to remove the topper and drop the headliner to pull the light. That’s crazy.

 

Yeah, sounds like a big job! J
Good luck and I’ll see if it stops my leaking problems. It would be a much cheaper fix than a rear window situation.

 

I’m actually going to try this first https://youtu.be/2ebWyrLvKAQ?si=YiwX7D5FIgnwnEUZ

 

Gravity pulls everything down. Unless you were doing a river crossing deep enough to submerge the drain plugs to force water up and through.

 

Good point. Where are the drain plugs even located? I’m not able to find anything on it.

 

If you look under the truck you’ll see the black round plugs.

There’s also about 6” of foam directly under the seats (on a Crewmax) to raise and even out the floor that water would have to climb up to wet the carpet.

 

Yea I’ve read about the gasket I just think it will be really hard to remove those screws

 

I’ve taken mine off a few times; not difficult at all. Just make sure you have the bit that fits it well so you don’t strip them.

 

I have a topper butted up right against the light. Not much clearance

 

Ah, that’s right. I figured if you can silicone around it that you could take then lens off.
This is the gasket inside the light housing but I am wondering what about the gasket or glue between the light fixture and the top of the truck. Not sure if this gasket in the video protects that as well but guess we’ll see.

 

I'm going to take a close look at those screws. if I can't get it off I'm going to silicone around any ingress points from 9 to 3 oclock
even that is gonna be a pain I'm going to have to be dangling off a ladder

 

Still have some leaking but not as bad after replacing the lens gasket. I think I’m going to silicone between the truck medal and gasket that goes on the sides and above the window. I can’t find any videos on how to replace the back window sweeps or gasket.