Anyone had this specific leak?

[MDK]

Hi, new driver and Honda Jazz owner here.

I have a very nicely kept 2014 ES Plus CVT. 55k miles, serviced religiously at a Honda dealership and one previous owner who was in his 80s when the garage obtained the car.

There was a little must and mould before cleaning but this doesn't appear to be caused by the leak rather than a spilt drink or something as it was on the plastic also. The owner didn't take the car out much so it would sit in the garage so I'm told.

Something I noticed on both test drives was a very small bit of water entering from the boot liner from behind the tail light unit but only after heavy snow on the car or having been hosed down.

It doesn't seem to be the usual boot leak, there's no evidence of staining or water elsewhere, just this little dribble where the metal body of the car and the tail light unit should butt together. The metal edge sticks out a few mm from where it and the tail light unit should meet and the water runs inside the liner and out by the anchor point hole.

I've got pictures attached as my description is probably awful.

I wondered would I be better with temporary fixes like the tape I put on or should I attempt to bend the metal into place so the edges meet as it doesn't seem to be a gasket or seal problem.

Any advice appreciated!

Update: I've added a comparison photo from the right side and also a diagram of where the leak enters, the left rear anchor point.

[Lord Voltermore]

Welcome to the forum.  I've not owned this model jazz or had this leak  .   But I have done bodywork on classic cars.

Its  possible that the  left light fittings/ trim has been removed and not replaced properly.  A slight discrepancy with clipping/bolting at one end of the fitting can multiply the angle for a larger gap at another point. 


But it may be due to an impact at the rear left side , which could have been quite slight  .  Possibly just confined to the  flexible rear bumper shifting slightly  where its bolted to the metal bodywork.   But it might be that the  underlying metal bodywork has been distorted.   :'(   

I would try to precision measure the  vertical relationship between the lower and upper bolts on your first  photo .   Perhaps run a plumb line down ,or suitable spirit level/laser line,  passing through the centre line of the lower  bolt and then precision measure   how far this line is to the right of the upper bolt , Then compare this with the same results from the right side.  This may show that the upper bolts threaded hole has been pushed towards the centre of the car.  But wouldnt show if both the upper and lower bolts have been displaced by the same amount.    If you suspect this try comparing left and right bolt distances to the centre line of the car.  The easiest way is to measure to the boot lock strike bar, but this is adjustable by a few millimeters so I wouldnt undertake any expensive repairs without double checking. 

If you suspect the  problem is limited to the flexible  rear bumper and the underlying metalwork is undamaged  you could try loosening the fixing bolt(s) to see if the bumper starts to ping back  into better shape. .  But a word of warning,if  you remove the bolt entirely  and it transpires the underlying metalwork has indeed moved the bumper might  ping back into shape with its bolt hole no longer aligning with the threaded hole .. Which  will complicate matters.    But hopefully by just loosening the bolt (s) you will be able judge if this  is happening in time to stop and rethink whether to continue. 

Sorry, I realise  any suggestion of  impact damage  will be unwelcome.  It could have happened in a car park  without leaving any visible evidence. The previous owner (or you) may not have been aware it had happened.     But its not likely to be sufficent damage to make the car  unsafe in anyway (other than the leak)  so the option remains to make  more practical repairs  that are not 'like new'.     

If bodywork distortion is suspected the safest answer is to consult a bodyshop.  . But  I have realigned  bodywork myself in the past  where there were are no monocoque structural strength issues (including a dented boot shut.)  Pushing (or pulling )  it back into place using a  car jack and baulks of timber suitably   braced can work well .  (Pro bodyshops use  hydraulic  rams for the same job, ) 

 

 

[MDK]

Thanks for the info. The more I've asked people about it the more it seems like it could be a bump as you said. I'm waiting on a body shop to reply so I can have them look 😔

In the meantime, I have a laser level so will see what that can tell me.