Tailgate sticky tabs - detached

RPSN · Post by **RPSN** » Sat Mar 20, 2021 5:23 am

I’ve noticed there are two (previously sticky) tabs on my car which have become detached and are hanging down at the top underside of the tailgate (one each side). This looks a bit unsightly when the tailgate is open.

I’ve now secured them back in their original position which is onto the tailgate plastic side channel.......Looks better now.

Fez · Post by **Fez** » Sat Mar 20, 2021 11:17 am

Are you sure tabs are required, after three years of own my car was looking at my scuff plates and realised that they still had a protective plastics covering on them...

RPSN · Post by **RPSN** » Sat Mar 20, 2021 1:30 pm

Yep the tabs are required.

Only one end of both of them had become detached. The other end goes behind the tailgate top inner panel (depicted by the markers in the photo).

With regards to the scuff plates on your car, at least they had extra protection for the first few years

TwoJagsSimpson · Post by **TwoJagsSimpson** » Sat Mar 20, 2021 4:44 pm

Does any one know what the purpose of these sticky tabs is? I thought the previous owner of my car had stuck some tape on to stop a water leak. I am trying to establish how water is getting into my boot and by a process of elimination have concluded that it’s getting into the top of the tailgate, possibly via the antenna mounting. The high level brake light has water in it, but I don’t know if that would occur anyway as condensation once water has got into the boot. Water is running down the inside of the trim to get into the boot, but is it getting into the trim because it has got through the antenna mounting or is it just getting in the top edge of the tailgate and getting into the trim because those plastic tabs have come off? Anyone have any ideas please?

Fez · Post by **Fez** » Sat Mar 20, 2021 5:02 pm

Hi search the forum there a a few posts on leaking boots, and how to fix.

RPSN · Post by **RPSN** » Sat Mar 20, 2021 5:23 pm

TwoJagsSimpson wrote: ↑Sat Mar 20, 2021 4:44 pm Does any one know what the purpose of these sticky tabs is? I thought the previous owner of my car had stuck some tape on to stop a water leak. I am trying to establish how water is getting into my boot and by a process of elimination have concluded that it’s getting into the top of the tailgate, possibly via the antenna mounting. The high level brake light has water in it, but I don’t know if that would occur anyway as condensation once water has got into the boot. Water is running down the inside of the trim to get into the boot, but is it getting into the trim because it has got through the antenna mounting or is it just getting in the top edge of the tailgate and getting into the trim because those plastic tabs have come off? Anyone have any ideas please?

The purpose of the tabs is to keep the tailgate plastic side channels flush against the top inner side of the tailgate body instead of there being a small gap. This ensures they sit better when the boot is closed and it may help to reduce water ingress (although they do not completely seal that area). Any excess water that enters there runs down through the plastic side channels and out of the drain holes at the bottom of the tailgate.

Many owners have reported condensation in the high level brake light (coupe) and this IMO is caused by poor design. It has started to happen on mine and I’ll be tackling the job soon.

By the sounds of it, the water leak you have and how to rectify it is covered here......

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=5065#p50815

Derivative · Post by **Derivative** » Sat Mar 20, 2021 7:27 pm

My boot leak ended up coming from higher up than the rubber washer plastic clips in the attached thread above.

I had to go further up towards the hinge. In the end I liberally applied CT1 in any and every nook, cranny and join I didn't like the look of under the black plastic guttereing. The double sided tape down the side was also shot so that got replaced as well to help reduce the amount of ingress.

Fingers crossed, since I couldn't find the obvious point of entry despite being inside a shut boot at all sorts of angles with a torch whilst the other half had the garden hose all over the tailgate.

RPSN · Post by **RPSN** » Sat Mar 20, 2021 7:59 pm

Derivative wrote: ↑Sat Mar 20, 2021 7:27 pm My boot leak ended up coming from higher up than the rubber washer plastic clips in the attached thread above.

I had to go further up towards the hinge. In the end I liberally applied CT1 in any and every nook, cranny and join I didn't like the look of under the black plastic guttereing. The double sided tape down the side was also shot so that got replaced as well to help reduce the amount of ingress.

Fingers crossed, since I couldn't find the obvious point of entry despite being inside a shut boot at all sorts of angles with a torch whilst the other half had the garden hose all over the tailgate.

Hopefully your car boot will remain leak free.

CT1 is a superb sealant, it’ll even seal underwater and its adhesion properties are second to none.

I can now see why there’s a luminous green emergency release handle in the boot.....just in case the other half decided to lock you in there

Derivative · Post by **Derivative** » Sat Mar 20, 2021 10:54 pm

The luminous green handle had to be disconnected as part of removing the entire interior boot trim to find the source. She missed a trick there!

RPSN · Post by **RPSN** » Sun Mar 21, 2021 7:54 am

Derivative wrote: ↑Sat Mar 20, 2021 10:54 pm The luminous green handle had to be disconnected as part of removing the entire interior boot trim to find the source. She missed a trick there!

Either that or she knew what she was doing!

Tailgate sticky tabs - detached

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