Saloon boot opening or not...

[MyMidLifeCrisis]

Folks,

This seems to bother my son (10) more than me, but....

When using the remote boot release, either via key or driver's door, does your boot lid rise up unassisted?

My "brother in law's" does, mine just releases from the catch and rises half inch or so. Warmer weather seems to improve things a little, from this I'm assuming they use gas struts rather than springs.

Anyone know for sure and are they adjustable?

Thanks

Tony.

B6 '55' Saloon in (bloody hard to keep clean) blue.

[mikecb1]

Tony,

The lid mechanism definitelty uses a non-adjustable gas strut, and it sounds likely that yours is a bit tired.

Mike

[johnloaderuk]

In really cold weather mine doesn't open even half an inch, and I nearly always end up having to push it open. In hot weather it's fine, so must be temperature related, but I can't complain as it's been opened a fair few times over the last 126k.

[dieseljames]

Mine works fine - untill it has been raining, or the car is facing just slightly uphill then it struggles.....could you not put your sun in the boot to push it open - if I was 10 then I would do this for sure!:D

[Spudrig]

When my car was in for a service at 20k, VW greased all the door mechanisms and the boot mechanism. This worked a treat, and the boot lid rose perfectly until the grease started to wear off. In the winter, and the cold weather the lid did rise a bit more slowly, sometimes needing a little push

[gamichea]

Definitely temperature sensitive. Mine lives outside and when the sun has been shining on it or the ambient temp.is reasonably warm it pops up like an 18 year old. When its cold its more like a 70 year old and needs some encouragement.

[mhurer]

If I wanted to grease the boot lid mechanism myself, rather than wait a year for the service, how would I do it? In other words, what grease would I use, what do I grease and how would I get access to the parts that needed greasing?

Apologies if this is covered in another thread.

[MyMidLifeCrisis]

"Mine works fine - untill it has been raining, or the car is facing just slightly uphill then it struggles.....could you not put your sun in the boot to push it open - if I was 10 then I would do this for sure!" dieseljames

Will do... please don't tell Social Services!

[MyMidLifeCrisis]

If I wanted to grease the boot lid mechanism myself, rather than wait a year for the service, how would I do it? In other words, what grease would I use, what do I grease and how would I get access to the parts that needed greasing?

Apologies if this is covered in another thread.


Ditto.... anyone DIY'd theirs?

[MyMidLifeCrisis]

Thanks for the responses one and all.

Tony.

[Spudrig]

If I wanted to grease the boot lid mechanism myself, rather than wait a year for the service, how would I do it? In other words, what grease would I use, what do I grease and how would I get access to the parts that needed greasing?

Apologies if this is covered in another thread.

Mhurer, I really don't know what type of grease to use, but just open the boot and grease the curvy bar thing at both sides of the boot lid. Sorry for the really rubbish explanation, but I hope you understand what I mean :p

And gamichael, that metaphor to describe the bootlid, legendary :biglaugh:

[Spudrig]

Here we go, this might explain what to grease (sorry for the really crappy effort :p)

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m406/Spudrig/Passat.jpg

[dieseljames]

grease the curvy bar thing at both sides of the boot lid.

Is this correct? I dont think this is the restrictive part - there will be a coil (or strut - however it is sprung) attached to the other end which provides the lift from behind the panels in the boot - I'm saying this because my bars have no grease on them and don't think I would want greased parts to be exposed - they provide excellent grab-rails when you are hopping on one leg struggling to get a wetsuit off!:D

[PDL]

Hi had the same problem with my car took it into the VW garage they initially heated up the gas struts to see if they can get life back in them.

This did not work so they replaced the gas struts under the extended warranty for free. I

I did however had to pay for the investigation charge.

[Spudrig]

Is this correct? I dont think this is the restrictive part - there will be a coil (or strut - however it is sprung) attached to the other end which provides the lift from behind the panels in the boot - I'm saying this because my bars have no grease on them and don't think I would want greased parts to be exposed - they provide excellent grab-rails when you are hopping on one leg struggling to get a wetsuit off!:D

James, that is where VW greased mine and it did seem to work ok. It does look messy with the grease on it though

[gamichea]

James, that is where VW greased mine and it did seem to work ok. It does look messy with the grease on it though

Hmm. Don't think I'd go there for service again if I was you.

[Spudrig]

Hmm. Don't think I'd go there for service again if I was you.

It did seem to do the job though. I think it might be time to ignore my diagram above then :p There is probably some mechanism hidden away that may have to be greased

[mwvw]

Could be a problem with the hinge pins, on our passat it initally felt as if you need to be a weight lifter to open th boot. Even after greasing the boot lid was very stiff to lift. Eventually one the pins sheared, made up a new bush and stainles bolt works fine now. I use the the white lithium spray grease as it seems to penetrate into the joint.

[martin1810]

That's what the dealers mean when they grease it. They try to grease the hinge pins which do sieze. A good start is wd40 followed by runny grease. The clear or white sprays are the best. It's very difficult to get the grease into the pin joint. You need to keep working the lid up and down.

[Quatrelle]

You will need to remove both sides of the boot lining if you want to access the working parts - which I guess I'll have to do before next winter. It was getting a bit reluctant this year.