I just got done drying everything. There are now tiny rust spots in various areas. I removed my tail lights and found dirt and leaves (which I removed). Hopefully, next time it rains it will drain correctly. Pictures coming soon.

What should I do about the rust?

 

Sand it and hit it with touch up paint.

 

Water is supposed to drain out around the tail lights, correct?

 

Yeah, there are draining holes but if it's clogged, you'll accumulate water.

When you open hatch, water pours out into the car. I hate that about our car....

 

no thats not where its leaking from, look under ther black covers on top of the rear lights there will be i think a bolt well any ways take some water and drop it down the seems and see where it follows and im most positive its from there

 

Yea the water on the hatch is always a PITA when I'm washing my car. I usually just stand ready with a towel to catch it all.

When I was deep cleaning my Rex after I first bought her I found soda in the spare tire haul, not much but enough to annoy me... Some simple green and a sponge later she is happily clean.

As stated above the small amount of rust is only surface level most likely, a light sanding and some touchup will make it look like new.

~Kris

 

Check the rubber plugs at the center of the top (by the hinges) and bottom (back when open) of the hatch and make sure they're in good shape. If you have a sunroof, it's also possible that one or more of the drain hoses (there are four, IIRC, one to each corner of the car) to the rear of the car is plugged and causing water to leak into the interior.

Also, if you remove the triangular black plastic panels in front of each rear tail light, check the (white?) plastic screw insert farthest forward. It has a foam "gasket" around it that can dry out and lose its seal. When this happens, water can leak into the car and build up in the side panels or travel along the wiring harnesses to other parts of the car. I had water show up under my bins after I had my hatch repainted the first time, and some silicone applied around those two inserts (one per side) fixed the problem.

Chances are good that it's probably your hatch because of the location of the water, but the trouble spots I've listed above are the most common causes of water in the hatch/bin area.

 

Thanks guys!

 

When I first got my car I noticed the seal around the rear glass was bad, as there was actually water standing inside the rear glass along the edges at the bottom. Took it to a windshield shop and they took the glass out, and the whole perimeter of the back hatch was rusted to one degree or another. Had it fixed, had a new seal put on.
You might want to check this out on YOUR car.

Good luck!