E500 AMG Sport

Ever since I purchased the car, I always detected a faint mildew smell.
About a year ago, I decided to put the owner's manual zipper bag in the passenger side cargo net in the trunk. Somehow it got water damage, so I chalked it up to water dripping in when I would open the trunk after a hand wash.

Now mind you, I've now owned this car for 4.5 years and I've only NOW noticed that the carpet under the previous mentioned passenger side cargo net area in the trunk is saturated after I wash it. I did a hose test and determined it is seeping in from behind the passenger taillight where it bolts to the car. There are two unused bolt holes and it's coming in from the bottom unused hole. So I examine the gasket on the taillight and it's fine, so I get out some clear RTV silicone and close those two unused holes.

I try the hose test again and it fixed that leak, but now it seeps in just to the right of the latch. I pull away the weather stipping and see tons of "mildewy" goop and the possible spot where it could now be coming in. I'll try more clear silicone and see how that goes.

Anyone else had an issue like this, or is it just my luck that I received a "Special" car.

konigstiger

In addition, check the expansion rivets which can become deformed if removed and should be replaced rather than reused. If you want PM email address and I will send the DTB.

mcleantmw

I had water getting into the trunk lid after going through the car wash or heavy rain. My prior MB Dealer did a warranty repair but the service rep misunderstood my description of the problem. Their repair was to replace the rubber stripping around the trunk compartment..........which sounds like what you need, i.e., pull off the old stuff and install the new. They had to order the part......check with your MB Dealer Parts Dept. Incidently, it was nice to get a new stripping seal around my trunk, but I still got water into the truck lid. The second warranty repair included ordering and installing and painting a new low trunk lid piece with rubber gasket...........but it starting leaking again after 12 months. This time I DIY because it was too much a pain to go to the MB Dealer again and have them repeat the last repair. I applied 2-3 coats of Ruscoe Permanent Sealer myself in the seam between the upper and lower portions of the rear trunk lid........that did the trick and it's not visible using this clear sealer. This stuff is great, water proof, and is touted to bond to aluminum, steel, glass, wood, masonry, ceramics, fiberglass and rubber, and can be applied under water......I've used it for my other vehicles too, such as re-glueing the outside driver's rear mirror that came off and re-glueing weather strip.

E500 AMG Sport

Was your leak in the same area as mine?

mcleantmw

No, my leak was in the trunk lid..............no water was entering the trunk.

netwalla

Hi,
I have a leak on my w211.
The water is comming down to the left rear tail light and make it through to the trunk where all the water is collected,
I have removed the seal and resealed it again, I have removed the plastics gutter on bothe sides removed the light
I have tried every thing still the problem exsists.

Please help me.
Thanks

Haroon
Haroon_yunue@hotmail.com

netwalla

The email address is
haroon_yunus@hotmail.com

Barry45RPM

Beware of water in the trunk near the spare tire area. There are electrical components down there you don't want to get damaged.

starresq

The Law Office of Robert L. Starr is investigating complaints of water leaking into the footwell of W211 E Class Mercedes vehicles. If you have any information regarding this condition, and you are willing to provide this information, please either email Robert L. Starr at starresq@hotmail.com, or call 818-225-9040, and leave a message for Robert Starr.

fmanfrank

I still have this issue

E500 AMG Sport

I ultimately fixed the issue by removing the passenger side tail light assembly and applying a coat of clear RTV silicone on the back of the foam gasket where it meets the body and then re-installing it. No more leaks.

netwalla

I have fixed my issue, I went to mercedes dealer told them about the water leaking in to the trunk form the left side.

I had to replace the foam gasket which fits under the light, that has resolved all my problems.

The foam gaskets on the rear lights are the same for both sides, try swapping them round, that should solve your problem or get a new gasket from the dealers.

Haroon

03e500mb

Had my 2003 E500 trunk (and Hood and roof)replaced due to hail damage recently. I then noticed the base of the inside liner of trunk was soaked after hand or auto car wash...I confirm the culprit in my case was water getting in at the trunk 2-part seam that runs above the license plate. $3.49 for GE Premium waterproof clear silicone(& it states it is sun and freeze proof). Used painters masking tape to protect both sides of the seam as I SLOWLY filled crack with one seamless line. The other trick is fill about 6-8 inches, then with clean finger run along silicone to create smooth slightly inward concave watertight barrier, then continue same process another 6-8 inches, so that in quick order you have professional seal. It has passed the car wash tests. $3.49 and a little time. The GE clear seal is avaialble at the LARGE BIG BOX Discount Giant we all know---

Trevorshaw95

Noticed all of my overhead functions in the driver seat stopped working. Can't pull down my sun visor... I check my trunk and there was water were the spare tire is and around the battery. Can anybody help me

Trevorshaw95

Now the screen in my car will illuminate and say Mercedes Benz with the logo but won't go to audio , map, or any other screen besides turning it on and off it doesn't work at all.... Can only turn and off and on

1ottawa1

did you take any pictures of what you did. it sounds like a better idea than replacing the weatherstrip which may still not work. thanks, bill

mustafa226

Hi all. i discovered a leak in the trunk after the instrument cluster and the gateway were gone. I tracked the the leak and found that the water enter to the trunk from under the grill box as circled in the picture. I tried to remove it to see from where exactly the water leak but i couldn't. what is this grill for, and how can i take it off. your help would be highly appreciated. thank you.

Joshua North

I have an e350 and I have the same problem. it has now shorted out pretty much everything! It will crank but reads 7 messages. it is now in limp mode and won't even shift out of first gear.

Jaydrago

i know this is an old post, but im dealing with water in the same spot you have circled. I sealed my tailight, still water. What was your solution?

Paul Briggs

I just found water around the spare tire well perimeter (2008 E63). Looking at the dust trails where the water went, it appears to have come from the trunk seal, and enters the trunk near the latch. The key, as I learned on an old BMW, is to look very closely at the path the water takes, as evidenced by the dust trails the water leaves. Pulling up the trunk seal, it is wet underneath in the channel where it attaches to the body. Am going to order a new trunk seal and figure out what sealer to apply in the channel of the new trunk seal. Will see what our local dealer says / recommends, they have been great with service on the car. I did look a both taillights, and found (in my case, so far) no evidence or trails of water / dust from the taillight areas. Gotta say, WTF with designing a seal such that gravity does not help keep the water out.

1ottawa1

Paul: all I did was put waterproof silicone sealer as shown inside the trunk lid. I also stopped going through high pressure car washes.

Gzsenterprises

Hey I'm having this issue with my 2002 Mercedes s430. I bought it this way thinking that it just needed the transmission conductor plate replaced because I had similar shifting problem and fixed that already on my 2003 s500 now it runs great. BUT once I finally figured out how to get the trunk open I saw that the wells where the CD changer and battery were in the bottom of each side of the truck were soaking wet and the radio would turn on but there was no sound. I found out the car is in LIMP MODE and won't shift out of first gear. It's pulling code P0600 (reset ECM) I don't know what to do about resetting the ECM I don't want to go to the dealer because it will cost an arm and a leg... I have seen websites and places where you can send in the ECM or ECU and they will test/repair/clone your ECU and send it back to you. Has anyone ran into these problems and what do you do to fix the leak and also resetting the ECM? Please any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks - Jake