Boot stuck shut

[Chrisalis888]

Hi all,

my beautiful 2001 XKR convertible is suffering from a jammed boot lid. Of course this happened on our return to Stansted airport, having had to divert to Gatwick then cross London by train tube etc. in the rush hour. On collecting the car in the rain, the boot wouldn’t open. No click from the internal boot release, no click from the fob boot release. Tried the hidden key hole on rear panel, (black key) and although that turned okay, it was clear that the mechanism was not turning. Having put three suitcases on the front seat and my wife on the dickie seat behind we set off, only to find that the dashboard said the boot was open! By process of elimination and the lack of any clicking from any of the boot opening functions I suspect the nylon tongue which holds the lid down has jammed, which is not too difficult to fix, once you can get the boot open. However, how do you get the boot open? Is there a way in through the back seats?

Thanks, Chris

[Astromorg]

Have you tried pressing down hard on the boot lid while trying to unlock it? if that's no good, you could try pursuing the options discussed here:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/xk8- ... pen-74293/

[Chrisalis888]

Many thanks Astromorg, appreciate the suggestions and have read the thread you kindly linked, well worth a read, but hope the downward push will solve the problem. Our US cousins clearly had a fine time getting it sorted, I will wait and try the other options before I buy a baseball bat though......

Will let you know how it is resolved.. might be a while as we are in Coronavirus isolation at the moment after return from Italy - long and boring story.

Thanks again, Chris

[Chrisalis888]

Hi all,

hope you and your cars are all running well......update on my boot, now we are out of isolation.

Seems like, unless someone out there has a magic bullet, I am going to have to butcher the rear end to get the boot open.

I have seen quite a few videos, threads et cetera (thanks to Astromorg) from which I have confirmed that the fixed clasp mechanism which clamps onto the boot lid catch is jammed, and will not release. It would seem from those various videos that I need to disassemble the panel to the rear floor of the boot and clean/clear/lubricate the mechanism, so the mechanical key will work when the electrics don’t.

All well and good, but can only do this once I’ve opened the boot - which I can’t! It does seem this is not a rare problem, but usually because there is a flat battery so the mechanical key solution is common answer.

Does anybody know how I can get the boot open? Have now tried forcefully pumping the lid up and down with the mechanical key turned, to no avail....am going to try same after using a hairdryer to warm everything up.

All thoughts welcomed and if any idea works I will buy you several beers next time you are in Southwold!

Cheers, Chris

[JimMann]

Hi Chris,

How are you doing these days - retired yet? (I am). The boot not unlocking is not a particularly common problem, especially as there are a couple of ways to open it simply. Obviously there is the solenoid method, but this requires a fully charged battery to work best and secondly there is the mechanical key in the lock option - which still activates the solenoid. As the battery is in the boot, are you certain that your battery is in good condition to allow the solenoid the best opportunity? There are 2 methods of energising the solenoid, there is the key in the slot option and there is also the button on the dashboard option.
To have the best opportunity to get the solenoid clicking, lift the bonnet and connect a suitable 12V power source to the car - a Boost Box is a good option. There is a +ve point under the nearside plastic cover to the fuse and relay group, and a -ve earth strap to the bonnet. Now turn on the ignition and try the dashboard button. If still no joy, with the ignition still turned on, use the second key to try the lock mechanically, which will attempt to pop the solenoid. Use the typical tricks of pumping the boot lid up and down.
If that all fails, then find a local locksmith but bear in mind that the lock is not necessarily in the vicinity of where the key hole is. Check inside a similar car for the layout to help guide the tools.

Look forward to seeing a positive outcome.

Regards

Jim Mann

[Lucky]

Chris,

Is the key turning in the boot lock but not doing anything, or is it not turning?

[Astromorg]

Looks like invasive surgery is required. Fortunately, as in the NHS, keyhole surgery is available that reduces the post operative scarring! You need Post no 49 in this link

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/xk8- ... ight=trunk

The only worry is that if the lock is seized (and that may be why neither key nor fob/solenoid will shift it) you should be able to generate a greater force with a decent lever than with the key or solenoid. That combined with pumping may get you there.

Best of luck!

[Astromorg]

Here's a photo of the boot lock. The arrow points to the lever that has to be levered towards the offside of the car to unlock the boot.

If the lever with the orange cap is moved down, then only moving it back up again will allow the lock to be unlocked by any means.

[Chrisalis888]

Thanks everybody for all the comments, looks as though being forced to work from home has benefited me - judging by the range of responses!

Hi Jim, I haven’t retired, but it looks as though I might be retiring now! Had been doing some consultancy work to help keep the fleet going, but circumstances appear to be conspiring against that at the moment....

Reference the boot, I think surgery is now the only option as Astromorg correctly points out. I had run through all the other options before coming to the forums et cetera, hoping that there might be an alternate Hail Mary out there - other than surgery - but clearly not.

I guess driving to a jag specialist doesn’t constitute an essential journey so I will have to survive without the boot for now. Will do some telephone research, one of my buddies (Vince Gavin – Ultimate Jaguar) recommends Nene Jaguar in a Peterborough, so I will give them a ring ready for the post apocalypse world of freedom. Take care all, hope to see you on the otherside and will provide an update as to the outcome when able.

[Andrewmac]

Hi Chris

I'm interested to hear how you resolved this, as I have the same problem but with the added twist of a flat battery. Dearly hoping the solution doesn't require any drilling of holes...

Thanks, Andrew

[Astromorg]

Are you implying that the flat battery is preventing the normal electrical unlocking systems from working and the mechanical key back-up is also out of action?
If it's just a battery problem you can power the electrics up sufficiently by connecting an external 12v power source in the engine compartment. (But it's NOT suitable for jump starting!)

[Andrewmac]

Exactly that. I can't unlock the doors so I can't open the bonnet. The boot key turns freely but doesn't release the latch.

[JimMann]

Your key should open the driver's door even with a flat battery. Once you connect the 12V source as suggested above, the alarm will sound, so have your fob to hand.
Jim

[Andrewmac]

When I turn the key in the door the interior handle moves as it should but doesn't release the lock.

It's a 2003 XKR convertible, btw...

[JimMann]

Hi Andrew, last year I had to gain access to an early XK8 convertible that had been standing out in the open for months, with a correspondingly flat battery. It was a simple operation to use the key in the driver's door and unlock the car. I could then pop the bonnet and fit the boost box to the terminals highlighted by Astromorg, allowing power to the ignition circuit to open the boot. After that it was a case of connecting the boost box direct to the battery and being able to start the car - first turn of the key as well!

In your case, if the car is unlocking - interior handle moving across - it may be a simple case of the fact that it is a convertible and with no power there is no window drop to allow the door to open easily. There should be no other impediment to unlocking the car manually and lifting the external door handle. I can't recollect, but I think there is also a manual key option for the passenger side door as well as the driver's door on the X-100. There is no way the flat battery is preventing access to the car - that would be a serious design flaw that would have popped up before now.

Jim