rear boot saloon

[arman123]

Been having problems with opening the rear boot on my car last few weeks.

Its been intermittent but know i can only open it with the key or long holding the middle button on key fob.

The soft button does not seem to work. Could this be the lock actuator?

Any help appreciated.

[Crasher]

A code read should help but probably yes.

[pdlh]

Having repaired my 52 reg saloon boot a couple of years ago with the same symptoms, whilst a scan is a good idea, giving you it is opening fine with the remote middle button, if you do not have VCDS and don't want to spend at a garage, I'd open the boot with the key, and then take a look at the 4 or 5 thin cables which go between the car and the boot lid within the rubber flex hose, they are very thin and one of mine had broken within the rubber part where the cables are folded over on themselves when the lid is closed. I soldered it back together, a bit of heat shrink and it's been ok for another couple of years.

If not, it might be the actual soft release button on the boot lid, but I'd 100% start looking at the wires.

As the cars are now reached 20 years old in some cases and 190k miles on the clock, I'm starting to see a few issues now with the cables in the flexi hoses on the doors playing up as well. They are just all going brittle over time.

Paul

[arman123]

Hi thanks for you replay bit know the boot is not opening at all even with key it just turns fob not unlocking boot I’m stuck can’t get into boot my rear seats don’t fold down any help guys how to open

[arman123]

:1zhelp:

[arman123]

Any idea how to get into boot really appreciated.

[pdlh]

Does not really make sense, the key is mechanical, it's not electrical, when you put the key into the lock on the underside of the boot lid, and turn the key 90 degress to the left, it mechanically releases the boot lid, it clicks and you can lift the lid, it will set off the alarm if the car is locked, although most of the alarms in these old cars no longer sound. That is a different issue. Make sure you are turning the key from the 12 oclock position, to 9 oclock. It will stop about 11oclock, but it should mechanically click as you keep turning.

[pdlh]

Don't suppose you have the rare folding rear seat option on your saloon? just thinking of the worst case senario if you have to crawl in and hack away at the carpet inside trim of the boot lid? to try and manually pull the release?

[arman123]

I was using the key to open it but today it will not open turning key as you described but nothings opens my rear seats are not the folding type. Really stuck here to honest a bit gutted really I can try remove the rear seats but then a bit lost as were to go next.

[pdlh]

I'm sorry for you, I don't know why the key is not working. Maybe you can be lucky over the next week as you are driving around, and it will go over a bump and if it is a bad wire, it might just work one time, and at least you can then open it.

[arman123]

If I could get it the boot from the back seat does anybody know a way to open the boot manually?

[arman123]

Well tried again this morning was trying everything to open it but did not budge then I just gone a bit annoyed and just used brute force and yanked on the thing and it opened :D so stripped the lining on boot to get to motor out ordered new one there and then. Checked all the wiring I could could not see any break. The reason the key was not working was the cable that connect to the lock came loose and fell out don’t know how but that’s why the key would not work. Re attached the cable and know key works. As the boot was open I had a good look at the rod that connects to lock and figured out worse case if it’s stuck again like this I can drill a hole behind number plate and it would be a doddle to release this lever. Anyway new actuated ordered hope it works and it’s not wiring will update soon.

[pdlh]

I'm glad you got in eventually, what a nightmare. Keep us updated when the new part arrives

[arman123]

So had some time over the weekend to replace the motor. Very easy to do but the new motor was the same it did not work:aargh4:.

It had to be a wiring issue(you were right pdlh) so started stripping down the wires and pulling the grommets out and eventually found that pesky wire joined them together and motor started working :D put in old motor and that was working as well:(.

Did a better repair on that brown wire but it was very hard to get it back into that plastic pipe so in the end had to join a new wire on.

Secured everything with some silicon tape and it all working know.

Have a spare motor if anybody needs it.3888638887

[pdlh]

yes, same spot mine failed, after 19 years of ownership and nearly 150,000 miles I've put on her, and the car has done 200,000 I've seen most of the issues with this motor. But it still amazes me a 200,000 mile car, costs hardly anything to run, still does 700 miles on a tank of Diesel, with the a/c on all the time. real mix of driving, so they are good motors, and the 1.9 tdi engine is so good.

Biggest issues in more recent years of ownership, HVAC stepper motors keep jamming, wires in the door and boot lid looms breaking, wiper mechanism siezing and window regulators snapping.

[arman123]

Had mine since 2008 and it only on around 177000 miles at the moment . Had near enough same issue both front window regulators replaced,wiper mechanism replaced,front drivers door wires breaking. HVAC motors were playing up so i just took it out and moved the leaver so i get it to hit the windscreen.

Been a good car for me over these years i service myself every summer oil and all filters and recently had front pads disk and calipers done.
AC is cold as ice and its never been re gassed.

great engine if looked after.