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Water leaking into battery well through seam above right rear passenger tire - anyone had this ?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by GasSippr, Mar 20, 2013.

  1. GasSippr

    GasSippr Junior Member

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    I'm creating a new thread to see if I can get anyone's attention who may have had this problem. I know some others have had problems with water below the aux battery. I noticed this the other day when replacing the aux battery. I tried to pinpoint where the leak was by pouring water over the seams around the hatch and roof but didn't notice any water coming in. Then I tried pouring water in the seam above the right rear passenger wheel. Pictures are posted below. The water comes through the vent on the body that is just next to the battery. Any thoughts on how to correct this?
    Thanks! IMG_1115.JPG IMG_1114.JPG IMG_1118.JPG
     
    #1 GasSippr, Mar 20, 2013
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i wonder how many of us who have never removed our batteries, and don't know there is water in there.
     
    #2 bisco, Mar 20, 2013
  3. boppo

    boppo Active Member

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    I will look, but when I put a yellow top in 3 years ago it was high and dry.
     
    #3 boppo, Mar 20, 2013
  4. GasSippr

    GasSippr Junior Member

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    That's a good question. One other member suggested that it could be from ?damage from a collision of some sort. The carfax was clean when I bought the car two years ago so I'm hoping that it was accurate. When I removed the old battery there was maybe 2-3 inches of water below the battery. It wasn't quite touching the battery yet. Hopefully that amount accumulated over at least the two years I've owned it, if not more. I don't know.
     
    #4 GasSippr, Mar 20, 2013
  5. GasSippr

    GasSippr Junior Member

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    Has anyone ever used silicone or any type of sealant on a visible seam like this one?
     
    #5 GasSippr, Mar 20, 2013
  6. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Do you think it is rain water or car wash water getting in there?
    I have not had a problem, but it is occasionally reported here, though I don't recall this area being cited as cause.
     
    #6 wjtracy, Mar 20, 2013
  7. GasSippr

    GasSippr Junior Member

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    I thinks it's probably both.
     
    #7 GasSippr, Mar 20, 2013
  8. GasSippr

    GasSippr Junior Member

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    In the second picture the bottom left corner you can see some brownish/yellow sealant. Does anyone else have this ? Aren't manufacturers supposed to paint over sealant? Maybe this is evidence of someone else's work if there was in fact some sort of collision/damage.
     
    #8 GasSippr, Mar 20, 2013
  9. khp

    khp Member

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    #9 khp, Mar 23, 2013
  10. timbobo3

    timbobo3 Junior Member

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    I just found the same thing in my battery and wheel well when replacing the battery. I did have a rear end damage 5 years ago. Totoya also told me to check for debris in the hatch channel that could force water up under the gasket. The water explains the sloshing I heard last year. DOH!
     
    #10 timbobo3, Oct 26, 2015
  11. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    I've seen water enter on the rear driver side bumper/body seem before (should've taken pictures, may still).

    What was noticed were the retaining clips that hold the bumper cover to the body on the drivers side allowed water to dribble (or stream) into the shallow well below the drivers side removable cubby. To be honest I didn't actually see water flowing in with my own eyes, just a tiny amount of previous moisture that had collected and the tell tale sign of discolored trailing on the interior sheet metal which came from these plastic fasteners.

    My fix was to remove the rubber bung (which fell downward), and now the water can drain at will.
     
    #11 SFO, Nov 2, 2018
    Raytheeagle likes this.
  12. DC Torney

    DC Torney New Member

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    Thanks for mentioning this. I encountered the same problem: 1" water to the base of the Auxiliary battery.
    (It was frozen in Winter.) I sprayed the RR joint between the bumper cover and fender, behind the RR wheel,
    and water seeped into the well below the Aux. battery. I'll take the car to the body shop which
    installed the bumper cover, and they will make repairs.
     
    #12 DC Torney, Feb 7, 2019
  13. goodMXguy

    goodMXguy Junior Member

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    I have had the same problem at different times. I think the key is to make sure to close the trunk well when there is rain or snow in the forecast. I think this is a flaw of the Prius' design.
     
    #13 goodMXguy, Feb 10, 2019
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