Boot and tailgate water ingress
Attaches to GF at chassis level · Body & corrosion · carried by 2 variants across 1 chassis
Overview
Boot and tailgate water ingress is a occasional fault recorded against GF at chassis level, typically from 60–150k km. It shows up as damp carpet in the boot, condensation inside the rear lights and a musty smell in the back of the car. Where it's documented, the repair runs €100–€500 (reseating or replacing seals and drying the trim, costs dated 2026-07), and it can be checked before you buy. 2 variants across 1 chassis in this database inherit it.
What happens
Symptom. Damp carpet in the boot, condensation inside the rear lights and a musty smell in the back of the car.
Cause. The tailgate seals and the rear light gaskets let water past, and it collects under the boot floor where nobody looks. On a seven-seat car the third row sits right in it.
How to check it
Static checks
Lift the boot floor and feel underneath, then look inside the rear light units for moisture. Fold the third row down and check the carpet in the wells.
Engine off, ideally on a lift.
Every variant that carries this
| Variant | Chassis | Body | Years | Risk | Good buy | Cost as % of good buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 4B11 | GF | SUV | 2012–2018 | R3 | €9,500 | 3% |
| 2.2 DI-D 4N14 | GF | SUV | 2012–2018 | R3 | €10,750 | 3% |
The last column is the point. The same repair is an inconvenience on one variant and a reason to scrap the car on another. A failure costing a quarter of the vehicle's value changes the purchase decision regardless of how rare it is.