water is collecting under the rear seat in my 2006 toyota solara convertible. where is the roof drains located?

If your windows are fogging up it could be a Leaking heater core. This happened on my 88 supra.

Did you ever get an answer to this question? My Solara convertible has filled with water under the back seat and floor panels as well. I can't find the drain holes underneath the car to clean them out. I think water may run out inside the rocker panel, but I'm not sure. Did you have any luck?

We have the same problem. First we thought it was a leak at the rear window. Well, that was leaking, and we fixed it but the problem persisted. The culprit is two tears in the rain "trough" - the vinyl piece that the rear part of the top drains into and, when working, channels water away from the trunk and back seat area, down through spaces in the frame. Cost of the part is $350-$450 not including installation. However, we have found at least one installer who will put a new one in at cost for the part if we replace the top though him. Top is about ready to be replaced anyway. We'll see...

How to clean drain pipes in a 2006 solara convertible

I'm having the same problem my trunk was filled with water and the back seat area is soaking wet, I brought the car back to the Toyota dealer and they told me that there is a problem with the convertibles draining the water when it rains and as stated in a previous post in to fix the problem it would cost approximately $400 for the part and then installation charges Toyota knew that they had a problem with water drainage and should have a recall but it will most likely not happen I was told by the Toyota dealer to keep the car in the garage when it rains or pay to have the problem fixed

Hey solara07, did replacing the trough fix your issue? In the exact same situation. Just replaced the top because of leaking window and now the water that drains back off the top is leaking through two tears (one on each side) in the trough rather than draining all the way to the end and draining out of the car. I'm already 1000 bucks into fixing a leak and still have a leak. Would love to confirm that replacing the trough fixes the issue before I throw another 400 plus installation at this prob...

Yes! We replaced the top AND the trough and the trough was indeed the culprit. Our replacement top plus trough replacement cost us a little over 2K, so you're on par. Very glad we did it.

That's awesome! I honestly never expected you to see this much less respond. Thanks bud! Gonna go ahead and order the trough tonight then. :)

On my 2006 Toyota Solara Convertible SLE, the water is under my back seats (I pulled out the rubber plugs so it seems to drain) and collects where my spare tire is. I love my car and it has like 78k miles on it. I can't afford to spend $1-2k on roof/trough replacement. What will happen if I drill a hole and paint at the low point of the spare tire wheel well so that drains out too? Then everything should flow through the messed up trough but still drain out? Currently she smells a bit musty from the water. :( Natalie

Natalie, drilling a hole in the tire well may help as far as the truck is concerned however when the water gets under the back seat and soaks into the foam padding of the seat... The smell will not leave. Mold will set in and without fixing the actual drainage problem your car will continue to mold and eventually become unbearable. It it rains really hard and the area under the seat overflows into the floor and the padding under the rear carpet gets wet then you're in real trouble because that padding does not dry out easily. It took 2 weeks with the carpet pulled and I direct sunlight before it fried enough to put the car back together. Until you can afford to replace the trough and top I would suggest getting it under a tarp and eliminate the possibility of any further water introduction into the interior of the car. I know that's not what you want to hear but....

I am having the exact same problem with water under my seat of my 2008 Solara. I'm really glad I found this information about the trough! It sounds like that is exactly my problem! But right now I need someone to please tell me how to get the get the water out from under the seats.

Kelli, if it's just the back seat then you're lucky. You will need to remove the seat entirely in order to dry it out. There are no tools required to remove the bottom half of the back seat. All you have to do is pull up on the seat right in the fold where the carpet meets the seat. There are two tabs that hold it in place. When you pull up you will disengage them and then the seat will slide out. You can use a flat head screwdriver or small prybar of some kind if it doesn't feel like it wants to give. Hopefully you'll be able to stop there because the top half of the seat and removing the back floor board carp

Srry ... Carpeting are much more difficult and time intensive. :( Good luck though!!

I have been dealing with this issue as well. I was able to pull out the bottom cushion of the rear seat (with a crow bar, as mine wouldn't pull out by hand), and the cushion was sitting in water. However, I was able to pull the drain plugs very easily and the water drained. I was ab;e to pull the floorboard carpeting forward just enough to get to the drain plugs there too (two on each side). Now, I will have to wait and see about how things dry out. I may try to put a sock/stocking full of salt, rice or kitty litter back there to absorb the moisture. I will likely keep my backseat out of the car for a while to make sure it fully dries. I know this won't stop the leaking into the back seat, but at least there isn't constant standing water there anymore. I will try to resolve the other issues when I have more time.

That's exactly what I tried first but the carpet wasn't drying. It is molded carpet that has a hard plastic cover over the foam and the moisture stayed trapped inside it. I eventually had to pull it completely which requires removal of both front seats as well and then alive the back plastic molding of carpet with utility razor many many times. Then layed the carpet out upside down in the sun for almost a week before it dried out enough I felt comfortable reinstalling. I also sprayed it all down several times with white vinegar in order to kill the mold spores. Hope this helps...

how do we get a recall of this issue because I am having the same problem.

The rain trough issue for the Solara seems to be really picking up. I guess the life of this product must be right around 8-10 years. If you try to order this part (as of August 2017) from Toyota you will find it is on what they call manual backorder and the wait time is likely 5-6 months. That means the part is not in inventory anywhere nationally and they are gathering sufficient numbers of orders to warrant having a manufacturer run off a batch. According to a couple of dealers I spoke with there are close to 70 of these on order right now and you have to pay the $484 list price up front to get in line. As a 2006 Solara owner who has a leaky rain trough, and needs a new one as soon as possible, this is not great news. If anyone gets a lead on a stash of these parts somewhere post a note here :) The part itself doesn't look very complicated. I'm considering talking with a custom sail maker or similar and see if they could recreate the material layout. For the $484 asking price I could probably make the pattern, buy the material and pay a commercial sewer to put it together and still have some money left over.

My 2007 is in the shop right now for leaking that started about 8 months after the top was replaced. In mine, the water was gathering under the carpet in the trunk and under where the jack is stored. The shop just found out about this 6-8 month estimated wait for getting the parts, but they seem to think they have a good idea for a repair (rather than replacement) that will take care of it and at lower cost. I’m trying to be optimistic about this.

Having the same roof water issue. I pulled the 2 plugs under my back seat and plugs in the tire well area and they’ve been off for 6 months. I don’t seem to be retaining a lot of water. Has anyone had any negative consequences from keeping them pulled long term? Ie salt corrosion? Only in the past year have I noticed humidity inside my car (like internally fogged), so I guess that is the life 8-10 years. 2006 solara.

I have the same problem with my solara 2004 convertible, but water only in the trunk and a lot, I can’t located the drain holes?any one please have pictures?

You need to have the "rain rail" replaced. Take the car to an auto upholstery shop.

Having the same in my 2008 Solara. Pulled back seat and trunk plugs but still hear a lot of water slushing when I brake. Where are the other plugs?

My 2007 Solara convertible is leaking into the trunk also. I had the top replaced $1000 because the window rotted and leaked, with extended warranty Toyota said “Normal wear and tear”. When leak was spotted I took it back to the lady that replaced the Top, she said she knew of an aftermarket boot they are making. I also talked to a car wholesaler he said a Used Solara goes for $1500 at auction. So being pissed, I tried lowering the top 1/8th of the way... I can see where the cheap vinyl is separated. I purchased some rubberized roof patch and some fiberglass cloth and fixed it by 90%. Carefully making sure the black adhesive didn’t touch my beige canvas I used painters tape to limit the area. So my question is: if I remove the panel at the top of the trunk: A) will that give me access to the Trough to fine tune my Gerry-rigged patch? B) If I do take that cheap looking cardboard panel off... Will I be able to get it back on?

Update: just went outside and checked my truck...it just rained pretty hard and my trunk is bone dry... the rubberized roof patch worked. When you open your top a little, use a yard stick between you windshield and the convertible top to keep it from closing. Look where the to meets the trunk...there is black vinyl, on mine a seam was visibly separated. Gorilla tape didn’t work. So I went to Hope depot and got “Stop Leak” Rubberized roof patch. It comes in a tube that works with a caulk gun. In the instructions it says to apply on top of reinforcing fabric. (I used fiberglass cloth, looks like tape). When you find the hole in the black vinyl, clean the area with rubbing alcohol. I used a small putty knife and put the “Stop leak” on a cardboard palette . Apply first coat directly over the hole, making sure that you don’t get any of the sealant on the convertible canvas...use tape, painters or masking tape to assure you don’t get it on the canvas... the hole or split seam is most likely to big to seal with just the sealant, apply generously. Make sure you put the stop leak all around the hole after cleaning the area. Then put the reinforcing fabric on top and make sure it is completely saturated with sealant. Wait an hour than put on another coat of sealant. You can even put another strip of fabric to make sure it’s sealed. I personally put the top up before it was completely dry to make sure it would flex properly. All I can say is, it worked for me for under $10

5/9/18 Glad to find this site. Just discovered water in the trunk of my 2008 Solara. That "musty" smell gave it away. Will try self repair as described by SolaraSucks. Our car is garaged, so doesn't surprise me no discovery in 4 years. It was outside for 5 weeks - boom!! That was what it took!!

I have a 2006 Solara and have just starting hearing a sloshing sound. I’ve always kept it covered but got lax about it in the last few months. Thanks for all of the information. Is it worth replacing the top? I love this car.

Since replacing my top and trough, I haven't had any more problems. Is always parked outside and no more leaks. So yes, I think it was worth it. As long as you go ahead and replace the trough at the same time!

I did. But it may not be your top. It may be the rain rail (or trough) that channels water from the car/top joint through wells behind/around the back seat. The rail is made of material that, over time, cracks and allows water under the back seat and trunk. I had mine replaced for $500 by an auto upholsterer. Don't take it to a dealer--they take it to the auto up. I also needed a top, so I think all told, I paid $1500. Well worth it.

Is time to file a lawsuit, for knowingly causing health issues to the consumers. Anyone...?

Greetings all. I have an '06 Solara convertible with the musty smell, wet trunk spare tire well and found water under the back seats. When I finally took the back seat out, there was a fair amount of rust on the bottom and edges of the back seat frame and a puddle and wet foam. I have read most of this forum/feed and it appears that the trough is the culprit. The trough appears to have 2 seams that have separated . It looks repaiable as reported by SolaraSucks and I want to attempt a repair ( I was thinking Flex tape may work if it bonds well). I have watched videos of top replacement but want to find the 'Toyota' instruction pages from their repair manual. Does anyone have them? Can it be found online?

Check the rain rail in between the convertible top and the body of the car on both sides of the car. Are you Clean the actual drain with small brush and a wire when the wire and the brush come out on the bottom near the front of the rear tires, pour some water in the drain and you will see it coming out. This might be your only issue good luck.

Garthrichmond - what business did you take your solara for trough & top replacement? I'm in the Richmond VA area if that where you are. Thanks

The drain rails are located right behind the rear window of the convertible top, look in between the body and the convertible top with the top down, naturally this only apply if your rear window is not leaking. You might be able to find more information on YouTube there is a very helpful video. Good luck

Sorry not in Virginia

I have a 2005 Solara and I'm having the same problem. I replaced the convertible top, but I am still getting water in trunk and rear seat. I removed the plugs in the trunk, removed the rear seat and plugs under the seat so the water can drain. But I have not been able to find what others have referred to as the "drain rails", "rain rails", "trough", "trough assembly", "trough assembly tarpaulin rear bow drain". The part seems to be backordered at every Toyota parts dealer I have checked. Does anyone know where I can find this part?

To follow up to my post earlier today, I believe the part that needs to be replaced is the Trough Assembly Tarpaulin, Part # 6599006010 which fits the Solara for years 2004 through 2008. I called a couple other parts dealers today, including Village Toyota in Florida and I was told that they are backordered across the country and that the company that made this part went out of business. Apparently Toyota has been trying to find some other company to make the part but have not been able to yet. Village Toyota checks with Toyota North America on a regular basis to get the status, because they have a number of customers requesting the part, and they are now being told by Toyota North America that the part may be available in November 2018. I was told to call the Toyota North America Customer Service number: 800-331-4331 to make a complaint and request that they get on the problem. Village Toyota said that if enough people call them, they might do something about it.

Part # 6599006010

Found something interesting today. An aftermarket partial replacement. http://www.thehogring.com/2018/05/17/electron-top-sells-solara-rain-gutters/ They only sell wholesale, but at least it is something now

Thank you for posting the link. I'm going to look into it.

2008 SOLARA CONVERTIBLE - Put a deposit on trough in March. Got a call today from local dealer. They checked today and Toyota said the part was discontinued and will not be made and refunded my $500. Not sure if they are correct ( 6 weeks ago they said Toyota had contracted for the replacement) but I think I will look into the replacement I found yesterday. Those that are waiting for the part might check with their dealers. If my dealer (Sheehy Toyota) is wrong, at least I got a refund and can explore other options.

Called National HQ today. They claim not aware of any such problem. So frustrated with them.

i have an 06 as well that just turned 100k. I have not driven much in last couple years. This summer, however, I took on road trip and discovered flooded trunk. found the same tears in seam of trough which was cause of leak. found upholsterer that would replace trough for $650 - but am wondering if Solarsucks repair held up for extended time. Also wondering how difficult it is to implement that repair as there is very little room to get to the torn seam. appreciate any input

Used small space heaters to dry the rugs, trunk and the well area that the top goes into. Had to get a new rain rail and top. The repair guy said to keep it out the the elements or put a cover on it to protect it from future problems. Wish I had a garage.

We have a 2006 Solara. A couple weeks ago, noticed it was fogging up, which meant a leak in it. At first, we thought it was the window, since it was wet in the back window area & back seat (bottom part of the seat only). We put silicone on it, still leaked. After taking it through the car wash, there was soap all inside the back window area. We took it to an upholsterer to have checked, and he said the 2006 have the rain trough in the top, so he would have to replace the entire top (for $2,000). I love my car, but with 205k miles, hardly worth getting replaced- even if it still runs great. When we got home, we took out all the wet parts, stripping the carpet, the center console, and all the seats except for the two front ones. We finally found the leak in the rain trough. Like mentioned above, the fabric has frayed at the seams in the rain trough (It's like a gutter for your house- it gets water out of your car). We tried patching it with tent patches, but they didn't stick. We than purchased a can of Leak Stopper's Rubber Flex, which dries pretty quickly. We checked it today, and it seams to have repaired the holes in the rain trough. Pray it holds for a while. We are leaving the back seat and the carpet out for a few days to make sure it stays dry, and also taking it to get professionally cleaned before putting back in. We did have to take out the carpet out of the trunk and back window. It was easiest to fix it by going thru the trunk, but had to make sure to put cardboard behind it, to avoid getting the stuff all over the place. Good luck, it's a lot of work, but we'll do what we can to save $2k.

I had the aftermarket part manufactured by Electron Top installed in December 2018 by an auto trimmer in my town. The part itself was not expensive (about $90) but I was charged over $768 for the installation. The problem is now solved. It was expensive, but worth it to me. I love the car, it runs great and only has 72k miles on it.

Wow. This is crazy. We all need to call Toyota USA to complain and make this known. I had a problem with my dashboard getting gummy and soft and my dealer said it wasn't a warranty item. They told me to contact Toyota USA and I did. After a few emails, they agreed it was an ongoing problem and the dealer replaced it for no cost to me. Call or contact them about this. We need many voices. Good luck. Thanks for all the info!

For anyone who attempted to patch fix this - can you do this from the outside? Not visibly seeing the leaks on my 07 but know that is the problem as I had the top replaced 3 years ago and the guy said she tried to patch the holes since the part is on crazy backorder. Any photos of where the holes might be would be so helpful!

I found one that is OEM (I hope) from a dealer in Florida. What I'm wondering is how much is it to have it replaced (labor cost)? After all this pain I want to make sure it's done right but I'm also not willing to just open my wallet for the dealer especially when Toyota's reputation is really suffering here. I was considering a 4Runner or a Hylander but not so much anymore.

I had the rain trough and convertible roof replaced Sept 2016 and now I hear the slouching again. I did pull the drain plugs in the trunk. I spoke to one mechanic and he wanted to keep the car and run a hose over it to see where it is leaking, at an hourly rate, of course. Does this make sense to anyone?

GuruSYFV I have the same exact issue. 2016 complete replacement and rain trough and now sloshing sound again. What did you decide to do?

I had the after market Electron part installed as well earlier this year. About $100 for part and $200 for labor. Works well.

I just had the roof replaced on my 08 but the carpeted rear well area behind the rear seats (the area underneath the rear window where the roof retracts when it is open) is still getting wet when it rains (I live in South Florida so this is EVERY day!) My trunk and rear seats themselves are dry. The upholstery shop who replaced my roof reinspected it and determined that the trough is leaking at the corner seams (similar to other posters). You can see the holes in the seams if you partially open the top about half way and use a flashlight. Instead of replacing or patching the leaking seams only (like SolaraSucks did), he is going to attach a vinyl piece along the entire length of the trough and thinks this will solve the problem - sort of a full-length patch instead of a partial area patch - this will avoid the necessity of actually replacing the trough. He is only charging me $100.00 for the new work since I already paid him $1500.00 for the new roof. Hoping this will solve the problem. FYI, he says my drains are working perfectly, but if they were leaking or clogged that would cause the rear seats and/or trunk to get wet - some posters may have that problem instead of, or in addition to, the leaking trough. This work seems best performed by a custom upholstery shop which specializes in convertible tops. I'll try to remember to post again if the fix is successful.

Here's a pic of the trough with the convertible top removed - it looks like a v-shaped vinyl rain gutter which directs the water to the drains on either side of the car. Once the convertible top is removed, shouldn't be that hard to patch or insert a liner like my guy is doing.

Fix successful! Heavy rains and perfectly dry inside. Shop attached a waterproof membrane underneath the entire length of the trough - they did it underneath since it was easier to access it that way and they didn't have to remove the roof. So now any current or future holes in the trough can't leak into the car. Hope my posts help someone else - all of the existing posts helped me!

Make sure the side drains are clean. I took mine to Toyota 3 times before they realized it had side drains that were causing the water in my wells and trunk. The drains were clogged from oak tree leaves falling into to it. After they clean the drain the flooding stopped. I put the top down in the sun so all dried out good.

It is staying dry now. It had a leak in the gutter guard in the back window. Apparently, a lot of Solara's have had the same problem. We fixed it with some rubber sealant, and it's working perfect.

SOOO GLAD I FOUND THIS SITE. I have a 2008 Solara and have the same issue. Just found out about the trough drain myself. Can't believe Toyota would discontinue a part they know has an issue. Will keep everyone posted

Eureka! After countless hours of trying to figure out how to fix the leaking drain trough, I realized that if I ran water directly into the trough, there was no leak. If I ran water down the top into the trough, It would leak into the rear left floorboard. There was a piece of fabric that had come un-velcro'd right where the rear window is. The fabric was actually on the interior Side of the window, and should be on the fender side of the window. I pulled the fabric loose at the rear window, and reattached and straightened. VIOLA!! No more leak. Try this before you invest in a new top or drain trough repair. Good Luck!

Did u access this Velcro from underneath? From inside the trunk? And will it be obvious where the Velcro is supposed to go? Thanks

I want to thank everyone for their posts. My 2008 Solara has holes in the rain trough too, with a trunk full of water and musty smells. I bet it is soaking wet under the back seats. For starters, I am going to try the "Stop Leak" patch first, white vinegar and sunshine to dry it all out. Wish me luck. I LOVE my car but it has 200k on it, so it is not worth pouring any money into it.

SolaraLOVE: that's me too. I do love my car and I have taken great care of it. It has 200k+ miles (but it's a Toyota, right)? Trade in is 1200 and with that mileage a private sale is around 2200. Heck I'd buy it for 2200! I don't know a thing about cars but I've been researching for days. I'm a travel nurse, came home after a 3 month assignment to a drenched trunk, backseat and carpet. I pulled plug in trunk (took me 2 days of research to find out there was a plug-LOL) and today I took the seat part of back seat out and pulled plugs. They drained fine but it had water and mildew underneath seat and green mildew on top of seat. I'll keep working and thanks for the help. What I really want to know is if there is any update on a Toyota recall. One of the things that bothers me most is I drove my 2 year old grandson around in it for months. He has asthma and Toyota KNEW this was a THING!!!

I have an 2008 Solara convertible and had the rain gutter issue causing water to collect under my rear seat base. I removed the rear seat base and the plugs and drove it like that for several months while I gathered information. My local upholstery shop didn’t want to replace the top because of the known issues with the rain gutter and the inability to obtain OEM parts from Toyota or ASC, the company that converted all the convertible Solaras from coupes went out of business as of June 2017. I used this video and did the work myself: https://youtu.be/K-Uxe6cIZhg My top replacement job took 3 days, I didn't rush, and it turned out perfect. I am an advanced craftsman DIYer but this job was intimidating! I must have watched certain sections of this video 10 times while I was doing the job to be sure I understood. Mr. Cruz in the video made it look so easy! The back corners were the biggest challenge, getting the top pulled over the rear bow after installing the end screws and "one finger" of staples in each end. The rain gutter in the back was my biggest concern. I bought a repair kit from Hydro-E- Lectric out of Florida off of Ebay and it replaced the cracked vinyl parts and reused the existing plastic molding under the trunk lid. My original rain gutter had vertical tears beside where the vertical heat-sealed seam reinforcements shrank and pulled at the vinyl. One item that I didn't see in the video, and I really wondered about it for hours, was attaching the two 1-inch ballistic nylon straps that connect the rear molding (secured by 4 nuts) to the rear bow and limit the downward travel of the rear bow when the top is opened. I couldn't decide if those straps were important or not. In the end I decided that those straps were needed to preserve the rain gutter, to minimize anything contacting or rubbing against it, so I stapled them in place after the top was secured to the rear bow. After the rear bow was secured the rest was pretty easy as Mr. Cruz says in the video. The trick then was being careful with the glue, I used 3M spray adhesive which wanted to get everywhere. I ordered my top from autotopsdirect.com and was very satisfied with the quality. With this new top $600 and the Hydro-E-Lectric rain gutter kit, $120, I’m sure I have a durable solution I’ll enjoy for years. PS: there is Velcro that holds the ends of the rain gutter to the rear corners of the top and there is Velcro that holds the headliner to the top of the window.

Has anyone tried patching the trough? The trough isn't the only problem. I'm under the impression that the trough is no longer being made. Good luck finding a good used one. There are drains that become clogged and cause water to collect in the trunk. I have an 02, so it's even harder to find parts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVxJEKR74cU

Andy, Would you please post the part number of the link to the rain gutter it you purchased from Hydro-E-Lectric? I can't find it on their website. Thanks!

I found that the drain trough was clogged with debris (rotting leaf and twig parts) right as the trough transitions to the side drain. The top must be partially open to do this. I could run my hand between the canvas top and the rubber trough just enough to remove the debris. There was plenty in there. I then hosed down the trough on both sides to remove any remaining debris. It works fine now. No water in the trunk or seats. See photos

after market part on ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/124075339358?hash=item1ce3776e5e:g:CFkAAOSwcCJcr5jA

i recently bought a solara 2007 150k KM on it. Same issue. a tear in the curve section of the gutter , was creating a musty smell, got it drycleaned, ozone cleaned to kill the mold. but when it rained water seem to come inside again. Did not wanted to spend 1000 just on trough repair, found the patch from inside, patched it with black silicone and a small strip of leather, after drying got silicone spray and gave 3 layers on the trough from the outside to make it usable for future and 1 layer on the trough from inside. hope fully the patch and liquid spray silicone layer would last few years on it. Try it if you guys still have any issues on the flexible gutter rail. it is a tough spot to spray and make sure you mask the canvas and the body before spraying and let each layer dry atleast 1 hour goodluck.

My trunk was full of water on my 2008 SE. The rear carpet was flooded underneath. The seat foam was wet. I had no idea where the leak was until my girlfriend was going to drive my car, and she put the top down. When she put the top down, half of the glass rear window just came apart from the fabric top leaving a huge opening. I had her put the top back up and the glass sealed so well against the top you would never know it was no longer glued to the fabric. I used E 6000 industrial glue to glue the glass back to the fabric. No more leaks. But then I read about the rain gutter. I took off the piece with the rear brake light. I used a powerful flashlight to inspect the gutter. It was perfect, no tears or problems of any kind. So now my Solara is dry and it cost me 8.00 for the glue. I don't think it is unreasonable for Toyota to expect people to replace the gutter when replacing a worn out top That is the procedure, top is replaced the gutter is replaced because it is actually part of the top system. A company does make the gutter. I found it on the web. So before you go crazy over something, and start replacing things for big bucks, make sure the glass is sealed to the fabric all the way around. If you need it, the rain gutter IS available from Robbins tops and it is only $200.00. With a new Robbins top and a gutter, you should be good for many years of dry driving. And if you want to protect the gutter, don't let leaves, pine straw, and other junk sit in it to get wet and to rot the gutter like junk in the bottom of a pond. That is why the gutter rots and tears. Remove the brake light piece (EASY!) and use a leaf blower to totally clean the gutter but don't get too close with the blower. When I clean my gutter, and if it is dry, I spary convertible top fabric water proofing on the gutter to keep the gutter happy.