Stiff boot lid on Bora

[pcs7038]

The boot lid on my Bora is very very stiff - I have to push hard to lift it and pull hard to shut it. Apparently this is a common 'feature'. Is there a common solution?

[Eshrules]

im no expert but after talking to the mechanic of the family, i reckon you're going to just need to replace the hydraulic struts that lift the boot, they shouldnt be very expensive from a scrappy and its not that hard a job, bolt on bolt off, job done! other than that, they could just be a little seized but for what its worth,id just replace them, i could be totally wrong though!

[pcs7038]

Should have mentioned - the car is less than 2 years old and the problem has been there since I bought it, so I wouldn't expect the hydraulics to have seized. Although if they have, it is presumably a warranty item...

[Eshrules]

ok, a couple of things.

something like the hydraulics wouldnt necessarily be age-conditioned, it can be down to all kinds of things, if the boot has been slammed open and shut for those years, there going to have taken a beating, can be affected by things such as the weather conditions or could have just been a pair of badly made ones, anything could cause it. the other thing id probably check is the actualy hinges of the hatch, make sure theres no 'stick' in the hinges, u might wana try a bit of grease or wd40 see if thats the problem.

other thing in regards to the warranty, depends on how long you've had the car, how long the warranty was for and what dealer you bought it from. if its a main vw dealer you will probably get it done if its within a reasonable time. but trust me, anywhere else that may not be as reputable as they should be will wriggle out of it, they will class it as a wear and tear item and could argue that, rightly or wrongly, the fault was highlighted to you at the time of purchase, in which case it then becomes your word against theres.

[Paul Jay]

Hi

Had a similar problem with my old Bora V5.

There was nothing wrong with the struts at all, it was the many joints in the hinges that had seized over time.

Freed mine up with Plus Gas (works faster than WD40 it seems, but leave for 10 minutes so it can get to work properly), worked the hinges several times to make sure all worked smoothly and then sprayed on some white grease to avoid further water ingress. No problems since and I know subsequent owner.

Hope this helps.

[pcs7038]

Thanks - I'll give it a go with WD40 and see what happens.