www.jec.org.uk

My 89 v12 convertible has been stored in a metal container for the past few years.

i guess its sweated in there as i cant now open either front doors despite the doors being left unlocked.

any ideas how to get in? Ive tried the usual things, wd40 on the handles, and latch, wire pole trying to work the interior door handles but neither door will budge despite the handles working ok.

boot opens fine but of course theres no direct access into the passenger compartment from there.

to make it worse car was left in park so not easily moveable to trailer to shop.

Any help gratefully accepted!

That's a good one.
Might have to cut the rear window out and crawl in!

There's now mobile specialist car access professionals around that have all the necessary "tools of their trade" to get into virtually any car.
If you get one of those then you'd have to pay of course plus a call out fee. But apart from that fee you should only engage one that will charge you only in the event of successful access. You'd have to prove ownership of the car course

Where is this container located?

Thanks, i did have the AA out who had various rods but he was unsucessful so would be keen to learn more about these pros that i could call out. Gladly pay someone if they could get in.

Any links?

Ive owned this car for over 15 years now, id kind of forgotten about it car due to other stuff but its now been dragged out of the container and is in my garage at home near chester, was hoping to her back on the road as id previously spent a fair bit keeping her going

Didn't realise you'd already had someone out. Problem with roadside services is that they're only allowed a fixed time per category of call. And then might not be familiar with olden day cars that are more mechanical than electronic for their car door locks. Don't know Chester but most of the indie car parts' shops would know someone who's been around in car security call out trade for sometime -- that'd be a better find route than Google IMO

See whether you can get an exploded diagram of the door mechanism's and rods/cables layout? The parts' catalogue normally has one associated with the parts' lists. I'd be lost without my genuine Mk IX parts' book. Could be useful for anyone ou do get out. Or showing you what to tug/push/pull if you do have to force entry and pull off the door card.

Had a mobile vehicle locksmith out for my Passat that had its Bowden cable frozen -- the PTFE inner should'nt have allowed that to happen. But it did. VW had changed the revision number upwards by the time I'd bought a replacement. He kept on heating up the lock, letting it cool, heating it again, etc -- you might try that to see whether that'll free the rust/corrosion sufficiently with the expansion and contraction of the connected metals? He also put a very hot key in

Bloomin' shame, you're getting to the point of having to lever out partially the pax door panel opposite the external door latch mechanism to force it. Or levering down a window to gain more access to the lock press and squirt WD40 down / in it. The ¼ light is another point of entry to force to catch the internal handle; or it may be narrow enough to get a thin arm in up to elbow to reach internal lever with a hook?

Let us know your progress?

Aeroresh,

Sorry to hear of your problems. A few thoughts:

- As you clearly know, you haven't got any quarterlights, so that's not an option.
- It's extremely difficult to lever down that window without shattering it, so don't try that either.
- Don't try and get into the car (at this stage) by removing the rear window or cutting the side roof. The internal door panel is extremely difficult to remove when the door is closed without damaging it because of the fixture in the top front corner.
- The door is opened through a fairly simple arrangement of two vertical rods attached to the door handle and going to the lock mechanism. There are also two horizontal rods going to the internal door handle and then another horizontal rod which is moved by the door lock actuator. As you said that the car was unlocked originally, the only connection that you need to worry about at this point are the two small vertical rods connected to the door handle. Haver a quick look at the Jaguar parts website and you'll see the arrangement of all 5 rods. You then know what you're working with. Print off those pictures if you do call out anyone to make sure they know what they are doing.
- If neither of your doors are working and the car was left unlocked then either both handles have seized (possible) or the doors have jammed on the rubbers (also possible). I'm assuming that the interior lock flaps are both in the forward position? You could try locking and unlocking the doors using the key and just see if that makes any difference.
- The door handle has a very positive engagement as you lift it up. So, you should be able to feel if the lock engagement rods are actually moving. If so, then the door has probably stuck on the rubbers and may require some force to open it even if it damages the rubber.

Good luck

Paul

When you turn the key in the locks is there any resistance at all? Unscrewing the door mirror allows access to the 2 rods, one for the door catch and the other for the lock. (NB Bad people mustn't read that bit).

XJS Convertibles don't have quarterlights

XJS Convertibles don't have quarterlights

Having posted the wrong pic I've obviously forgotten why I was crossing the road

Not having had (but nearly buying one but when I sat in it it was like sitting in a bucket -- for me anyway) an XJ-S I seemed to remember that "¼ light" operated independantly of the main window. Or at least was a seperate piece of glass...