eagleb Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 96 obw legacy, not cold weather package, cloth seats. Any ideas of possible common water leaks, maybe toward the rear of the vehicle? Hopefully it's nothing major, I'd like to get it fixed before the rain stops for summer, cause then I'll be SOL when it starts raining hard again in the late fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbhrps Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 It is not uncommon for water to find its way in around the seals of the rear taillights and the reflector panel and backup lights of the tailgate. Been there, done that on my last 97 OBW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagleb Posted May 23, 2006 Author Share Posted May 23, 2006 If i do find a leaky seal, like the tail lights, or even around the rear hatch... what's the best quick fix? or the best permanent fix? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastwgn286 Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 new seals, or, if in a REAL rush and don;t care about how it looks: rubber cement take a water hose and have a witness inside the car. spray hose on any sealable place, and witness will see or feel water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Wrap the car in duct tape, saran wrap or New Orleans blue tarp. Seriously though, you need to start doing your own investigation. Is there water accumulated in the spare tire well? Smells can come from little bits of food left behind over many years. For that matter, mildew smells can come from the evaporators from the cooling system or clogged drains from around the cowling at the windshield dumping water onto the front rugs. Blocked sunroof drains are mentioned here on the site. Start with the simple stuff (common things happen commonly). My cousin was ready to sell his Outback because of all the rattles it had developed... I found out he was storing a boat anchor and tow chain in the rear compartment... and a garden rake to boot... doh!. Start sniffing around the car and let us know where it is most obvious. Yeah, there are some usual culprits but we need more input from you. Take the floor mats out and spray them top and bottom with Lysol and the let the sun dry them out. Use the SEARCH function and you'll find that the taillights can be removed and resealed with silicone if they are leaking. Best to have a good diagnosis before you start fixin' evrythin' in sight. If i do find a leaky seal, like the tail lights, or even around the rear hatch... what's the best quick fix? or the best permanent fix? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subie Gal Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 this is hard to explain, but it caught me out before so here goes Inside rear hatch/trunk of your car there are air breather flaps built into the body (made to stablize air pressure) These 'flaps' are located in the rear quarter panels of your subaru one on either side They are hidden by your interior carpet, but trust me, they are there. well.. these flaps... when it rains or you wash your car allow for drips of water to seep in... just little bits at a time. okay so where does the water go? It drains out from the very bottom of each quarter panel. At the bottom of each quarter panel, there is a small drain plug One on each side of the car. Over years, these plugs can become clogged, and the water stops draining. I would bet, that you have water sitting on one of these side panels and that your plugs are clogged. remove your rear interior panels to inspect... very farthest sides of the chassis in the rear. My RS had over 5" of water on each side and this water then splashed up and filled the spare tire drain. Remove the plugs (from underneath the car) Clean them (soaked mine in limeaway) dry out interior, reinstall and hopefully that's all there is to it. If you need photos, etc. let me know. I will help if i can. Jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blitz Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Jamie, any chance of posting a picture of one of the drain holes? **** ******! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subie Gal Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Jamie, any chance of posting a picture of one of the drain holes? sure. see this thread: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=924652&highlight=drain+plug Jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blitz Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Dawsome, totally dawsome ...thanks. **** ******! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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