Boot won't open

pcmx5 · Postby **pcmx5** » Sun May 05, 2013 7:05 pm

Went on a pleasant drive to my partner's grandsons 5th birthday today,bit of a problem,couldn't open the boot to get the presents out!!
Cannot open it with the lever,which seems to come up a fair way before doing anything but will not open with key as well despite jiggling .pulling etc .
There is a certain amount of noise as though the cable is doing something,but the fact that the key doesn't work either is a worry.
Anyone had this drama ?Any suggestions?

Car is a 96 NA8A.

Peter.

Postby **NitroDann** » Sun May 05, 2013 7:08 pm

Thing in the boot are probably pushing hard against the mechanism, you can try doing a hard stop and shifting the things in the boot.

Dann

aka_juffa · Postby **aka_juffa** » Mon May 06, 2013 10:08 am

Hi Peter,

You have probably tried this....When the lever or key won't pop the boot I push down on the boot lid as I turn the key. Usually works if there is something big in the boot that is pushing up against the boot lid.

Good luck.

J.

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Mon May 06, 2013 2:08 pm

there was a long post on this a few years ago. I suggest give the MX5 Factory a call- if anyone knows they probably do.

itrungs · Postby **itrungs** » Mon May 06, 2013 5:16 pm

If you don't keep the spare in the boot, you can remove the panel behind the seats to get a good view and some access to the boot area. Just remove the rear parcel shelf carpet, and the nuts holding the largest panel and you should be good to go. Abit of a faff but it should at least give you a good view of what might have gone wrong.

You might also be able to shift things in the boot by jacking the car up, up until a point where the angle is great enough for things to move around.

16bit · Postby **16bit** » Mon May 06, 2013 5:28 pm

aka_juffa wrote:Hi Peter,

You have probably tried this....When the lever or key won't pop the boot I push down on the boot lid as I turn the key. Usually works if there is something big in the boot that is pushing up against the boot lid.

Good luck.

J.

what he said, worked for me in the past without anything in the boot too.

pcmx5 · Postby **pcmx5** » Mon May 06, 2013 11:04 pm

Thanks all for your advice, been up to my elbows replacing weatherboards so haven't got to the boot problem again. Have tried the push and turn and wiggle and turn jobs before I posted with no success.
Thinking of removing console and trying to take out slack in the cable and driving over bumps while pulling the lever or backing over the rear lane centre gutter to provide some twist.
itungs , I have the spare in position so does this make your solution useless?

Thinking maybe I caught a cloth handle from one of the bags in the mechanism as there really isn't a heap of stuff in there.

Thanks again and keep the ideas coming, will let you know how I go .

Peter

itrungs · Postby **itrungs** » Tue May 07, 2013 12:56 am

Unfortunately my solution is pretty useless with the spare in the boot.

funmx5 · Postby **funmx5** » Sun May 12, 2013 8:47 pm

how did you get on with the Boot Pete?

pcmx5 · Postby **pcmx5** » Sun May 12, 2013 9:27 pm

Jason, off to MX Factory in the morning to do the drill behind the number plate job.Fingers crossed!

Peter.

aka_juffa · Postby **aka_juffa** » Sun May 12, 2013 10:12 pm

Ouch. Thats a long drive, Geelong to Ringwood. Remind Dick not to drill too far into the boot...don't want to ruin the present trapped in there.

J.

pcmx5 · Postby **pcmx5** » Mon May 13, 2013 4:21 pm

Mystery solved! Great service from Dick at MX5 factory.Drilled the hole ,got the rod to the lock and pulled .....nothing!

Dick went under the car and took out one of the drain plugs fron the boot floor and found there was something caught in the lock.After a bit of tugging they retieved my brand new vest minus part of the metal zipper which I had managed to catch in the jaws of the locking mechanism.

Moral of the story, always make sure the lock is clear of any objects before closing the boot.

Thanks to Dick and all who contributed advice.

Peter.

taminga16 · Postby **taminga16** » Mon May 13, 2013 5:57 pm

pcmx5 wrote:Mystery solved! Great service from Dick at MX5 factory.Drilled the hole ,got the rod to the lock and pulled .....nothing!

Dick went under the car and took out one of the drain plugs fron the boot floor and found there was something caught in the lock.After a bit of tugging they retieved my brand new vest minus part of the metal zipper which I had managed to catch in the jaws of the locking mechanism.

Moral of the story, always make sure the lock is clear of any objects before closing the boot.

Thanks to Dick and all who contributed advice.

Peter.

Hi Peter,
Zippers caught in things, with my middle boy it was always thing

caught in zippers (He was always in a hurry). Would it be prudent to create a drilling template and post it somewhere here?
Greg.