Boot randomly popping

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:34 pm

So I have something wierd going on. The last few days I have noticed my boot has been opened in the garage.
At first I thought it was the key fob boot release being bumped in the wife's handbag but yesterday I was in the garage with the keys on the bench and it popped right in front of me.
This happened again tonight. Keys definitely not being bumped accidently.
I can only think this is one of three things,

There's a short somewhere and the car is electronically popping the boot (odd though as the car hasn't moved since Sunday morning, though the drive on Sunday detoured onto some rough dirt roads :oops:

)

There's someone nearby with a garage remote etc that is interfering with the keyless entry and popping the boot (not sure how this works)

Or, the spare set of keys that have been lost in the house for a few months now are going flat and the low power to freaking the fob out and popping the boot (again don't know if this is possible)

I'm worried if I leave the car somewhere in public the boot is going to release itself.
Has anyone experienced this or have any ideas as to what is happening?

taminga16 · Postby **taminga16** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 10:37 pm

My first thought was a faulty earth, but your idea of the lost key is not to be discounted.
Not being able to visualise the circuit, I am at a loss as to how to test it.
Greg.
Do the number plate lights show when the boot is opened? because that is a whole nother' thing. (apologies to Keb' Mo).

davekmoore · Postby **davekmoore** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 10:49 pm

Does someone who understands electronics know a way to track down a remote key?

If so, you'd maybe stop the boot popping and you'd find your spare key.

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 11:29 pm

Yes the number plate lights come on (so I'm also worried about the lights draining the battery)
Funnily enough, just recently all the batteries in all our key fobs started dying.
Our daily car, both fobs battery's needed replacing, the garage door fob and the SE's fob. So I assume the other missing remote is dying too

taminga16 · Postby **taminga16** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 12:13 am

Yes the number plate lights come on (so I'm also worried about the lights draining the battery)
This was my concern as well.
Greg.
Regarding locating the "Lost" keys,
Off Frequency an AM tuner and walk through your house, listen for changing tones.
Greg.

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:36 am

crap. Woke up this morning and the boot had popped over night.
Will try to find a battery powered AM radio and give the key hunting thing a go.

In the meantime, can I disconnect the electric boot release? It feels like the lever in the centre console is a cable? So maybe there is a separate release switch in the boot for keyless entry?

davekmoore · Postby **davekmoore** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 10:13 am

Globe and holder easy to remove. Gently pry the (right) side with a screwdriver.

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:52 pm

davekmoore wrote:Globe and holder easy to remove. Gently pry the (right) side with a screwdriver.

Might have to do this till its sorted. But not having number plate lights means no driving at night

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 3:21 pm

I suppose you could put something like a telephone book on the boot preventing it opening whilst in garage. I do think its well worth checking with an auto elect etc to see if there is another cause- the idea of it being related to a lost set of keys sounds a bit fair fetched.

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 8:04 pm

I haven't had any time to look at it but it hasn't popped for the last two days. weird...

Nevyn72 · Postby **Nevyn72** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 10:01 pm

Roadrunner wrote:I haven't had any time to look at it but it hasn't popped for the last two days. weird...

No, GOOD!..... Don't go disturbing that battery preserving Karma! :wink:

Postby **Okibi** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 11:28 pm

Do a walk around the nearby houses pressing the buttons on your remote, see if anyone's car unlocks etc.

taminga16 · Postby **taminga16** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:57 am

PLUS 1, and check to see who might be a way ATM.

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Tue Apr 22, 2014 3:23 pm

Hmm, so after about a week of no random boot opening, I was hoping it was just a wierd occurance that had stopped.
But last night at about 11pm it happened again. was laying in bed and could hear clicking noises from the garage. Went and had a look and the boot was popped and was repeatedly trying to open itself. I could see the latch flicking back and forth repeatedly like morse code.

I pulled the trim off inside the boot to expose the latch mechanism and wiggles the wires around, everything seemed fine.
I couldnt leave it in this state as the lights were on and the latch clicking away randomly was annoying, so I pulled the plug

There was threee plugs, one on the right was for the lights, the middle one I disconnected which disabled the remote boot popping, and the left one which is connected to the middle one has a relay in it.

With the boot closed (i can still open via the cable release in the cabin) I pressed the boot button on the key fob and the boot didnt open obviously, but I could hear the faint relay clicking.
Could this relay be faulty and randomly switching and in turn opening the boot??

Nevyn72 · Postby **Nevyn72** » Tue Apr 22, 2014 5:50 pm

Roadrunner wrote:Could this relay be faulty and randomly switching and in turn opening the boot??

It would be one of the easiest things to eliminate as a possible cause, see if you can borrow the relay from your sister in-law's car for a while to give it a try. :wink: