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I went to Lube-it-USA because they top off my fluids in between oil changes. I told them about the excessive water building up in my spare tire area. A tech there got underneith my car and removed the drain plug. that fixed the issue. He told me to come back after the rainy season to have it put back on. I asked "where is the plug?" He said it is not removable, "I just slid the plug to the side".
Today I went back and asked to have it put back in. A woman said "pop the trunk". that is not what the previous tech asked me to do. She said there's no way to get to it unless we remove the tire and everything inside of your trunk".
Do I need that drain plug back in place? What is the reason for the plug? Possibly to keep debris from entering? If I need it back in, where do I go to have someone do the job?
The trunk area has 3 wells (depressed areas where water could build up). The spare tire is stored in the large center well with a small well on each side of it.
The drivers side well has an air vent to the outside for the cars climate system. This vent can leak water inside the trunk.but the water tends to stay in this well unless it gets really high. Find out if this well area also has water.
There is not really a drain plug. Its a push in solid grommet to fill the hole in the trunk well.. The mechanic most likely pulled or pushed the grommet out from under the car. One can pull or push it out from the bottom but do to its design it may not be possible to reinstall it from there.
Accessing the plug area from inside the trunk is easy and straight forward. Remove trunk floor mat/cover then tire.
Not sure if there is grommet plug in the drivers side well. There is an air vent to the outside which is hidden by the bumper cover. This vent can leak water.
There should be a grommet plug on the floor of the spare tire well. The plug should be visible if the tire is removed. Would look something like the plug in the link below:
I'm having the same problem again, only the water is bulding up in the left side of the well. Lube-it-USA guy took out a plug on the side of the well, and dropped it, so he said "here is one of mine. Tell the auto store you neeed something like this to fit your car". I don't know how a plug can help drain the water in there. It's starting to smell like mildew. Is there a hose that is attached that dissappeared? They are not very helpful at this oil change place.
Your Amazon link doesn't work anymore. Can I see a picture of what you are talking about?
The rear left side of the car has the cabin vent that is covered by the bumper cover. If a problem with the vent water can enter and pool in the side well. The grommet is on the right side wall of the well. Its the same design as those in the tire well. Assume the grommets are there to fill holes used to index the sheet metal part during stamp forming or assembling with other chassis parts. Once the chassis is made then no need for the holes.
The blue and white plastic clips at the bottom of the well attach something to the chassis.
Since the left side well no longer serves a functional task have at times drilled a small hole at the bottom to drain out water. To prevent rust have sprayed the well with something like LPS-3.
And check for debris around the chassis trunk rubber seal which could inhibit water flowing around the seal plus seal damage.
toyomo, you were very thorough in your reply to me. but I learn better with pictures. Did you say it's okay to drill a little hole in the bottom of my driver's side well where the water is building up? What size hole? I looked up "grommet" and I don't see anything like this inside there. "Agrommetisa ring or edge strip inserted into a hole through thin material, typically a sheet of textile fabric, sheet metal or composite of carbon fiber, wood or honeycomb. Grommets are generally flared or collared on each side to keep them in place, and are often made of metal, plastic, or rubber."
I still haven't resolved the water on the left side of my trunk well.
I looked on the right side of my trunk well, and found this thing. What the heck is this for? It has no writing on it.
Rain water in spare tire area in my trunk
