The buick seems to be taking on water...

[Need For Steve]

hey guys, been a while but i've found myself lurking around lately and have found something else to yell about.

for a couple months, i've noticed the trunk carpeting in the buick seeming to stay "damp". when i say damp, i don't mean soaking wet, i mean damp as in it could pass for being left out in the morning dew for a couple hours. lifting the carpet reveals no pools or wet spots, before or after a hard rain, but there's moisture coming from somewhere, as any paper, sheets, clothes or bottle labels on anything left lying on the trunk carpet for any amount of time wind up soiled. the carpet even feels dry to the touch. the weather seal around the trunk looks to be in great shape, doesn't seem to be broken down too bad and is firmly in-channel.

the trunk isn't the only place affected, either. i've noticed lately also that the same occurance is afflicting the rear passenger footwell. any stray receipts, papers or bottle labels that wind up laying back there end up soiled. carpet is dry to the touch, and pressing down on it doesn't force up any pooled moisture of any kind. pulling up the carpet, there is no visible mold. this moisture is like a ghost, it's really odd.

any ideas guy?

[gmman]

i have a 95 park avenue. same kind of trunk problem. turned out to be where the tail light assembly attaches to the inside trunk metal frame. there was rust and gasket deterioration. solution for me was to detach the tail light assembly (both sides) and smear GE 100 % black silicon caulk to supplement original gasket structure as well as filling in rust holes.

i don't have any leaks inside the passenger compartment.

edit: if you decide to check the tail light assy, peel back the carpet liner from what would be the tail light area. you will see threaded studs protruding with nuts. remove nuts and pry entire tail light assy off (all one piece from tail light to tail light).

i should add, if 95 and 94 are same.

[00Beast]

Could it be the rear window leaking?

[bobfather99]

Check all of the above. Id also add the trunk weatherstrip and fenderwells.
I had a little hole on the passenger side fenderwell which leaked into the trunk and passenger side floor.

[klindstedt]

Ditto on the passenger side fenderwell. Sealed mine up last year and finally dried up the trunk. There was a good write-up on this - maybe a year ago. Most people use steel of some kind (even an old license plate, if I remember right), I used fiberglass. Take the trim panel out on the passenger side of the trunk and you will see the rust stain running down the fenderwell.

Hey, Bobfather99, where in NW Indiana are you located?