Boot Wont Open

[midgelfc]

As the title suggests my boot wont open, was taking out some shopping last night closed the boot as normal and locked the car came out this morning unlocked the car and tried to open the boot and it wouldnt budge!

I can here the locking mechanism releasing (well sounds like it is) but the boot just wont open....... only threads ive seen on this are with regards to the boot not closing..... so has anyone else had this problem?

also does anyone know if there is a way to open the boot from the inside?

Thanks

[Toodeep]

Quite common and has been covered here often.

To open you have to crawl into the boot and push back the trim near the latch mechanism. From memory there is a curved slot just left of centre on the latch inside which is a small white thing that has to be slid along the slot (to the left I think) with a pen or small screwdriver. The tailgate should pop open.

Having done this you will see the rectangular switch. The problem is probably that moisture has got into the it. Take it out, disconnect the two leads and take it apart (it is in two pieces but take care not to lose the spring that may ping out). By the time I had discovered this I already had the trim panels on the inside of the tailgate off which made it easy to access the switch from the back. I am not sure it will be necessary for you to do this; the switch can probably just be prised out.

In my case it was enough to thoroughly dry the switch out with a hairdryer (or use the car's heater blower). Others have had to have it replaced due to corrosion but either way the cause is the same. I suggest smearing a little windscreen silicon on the two parts of the switch before reassembling. 15 minute job.

I'll look for the previous thread and post a link if I find it.

[midgelfc]

Hey Toodeep thanks for the info worked like a charm..... managed to get a small screwdriver in the latch and push the small white thing to the left which opened the boot. In the end didnt need to remove any of the panels.... i just pushed the white thing back and forward a few times with the boot open and this seemed to resolve the issue. so the boot opens and closes now as normal thankfully!

No need to visit a local stealer to get ripped of!

Thanks again Toodeep

[Toodeep]

No problem. My local dealer estimated in the region of £200 to fix they almost certainly knew about and could fix in half the time it took me. I sorted it and other issues thanks to this forum which has been great. Moisture in that switch may yet become an issue; there were visible beads of water inside mine when I opened it up and many others have found the same. Seal around the switch in-situ (Halfords sell Loctite clear windscreen silicone for about £3) or be careful when aiming that jet-wash.