New Owner - No manual !!

[stuartL]

Hi I've had my Chim 450 for a couple of months now and have heard a number of comments about accessing the car when things stop working. e.g. when the solenoids on the mirrors stop opening the doors!

I've had a couple of times recently when pressing the mirror buttons hasn't done anything at all, no noise or anything but luckily with some persistence and swearing they've eventually worked and let me in.

Accessing the car is fairly obvious when you look at her from the side so no worries there, however I'ce hear there is a way without worry of damaging stuff, to access the car from the back. As I have no books with her I am at a loss as to this method.

Also opening the boot! the button under the dash is very reluctant to open my boot, I've spent a fair few embarrassed times at the petrol station fighting to refuel. Is there another option for opening the boot?

Obviously I don't expect peeps to put such secrets on the forum but if someone could e-mail me how to open the boot or open the doors without damage I'd really appreciate it.

Anyone else having similar problems with door and boot opening via these solenoids and is there a fix for the problem (Other than swearing profusely which does seem to work on occassion!)
.

Thanks
Stu

[M@H]

Obvious when you know it.. but the boot button only works with the ignition on.

I'm afraid no-one is likely to mail a newbie details of how to get into the car without keys as we don't know you yet..

Cheers,
Matt



>> Edited by M@H on Wednesday 9th March 13:57

[stuartL]

hehe fair enough Matt. As for the boot button, I know it only works with the ignition on, but I still have the problem. I can hear the solenoid going click but the boot doesn't open. As for my door problem, when I have problems with them (often) I don't get the solenoid click, just silence.

[PeterC]

It sounds like the car needs servicing by someone who knows about TVR's? The problems you describe are I believe simply down to neglect in these secondary but important areas of the routine service.

For a simple and quick solution you could try an application of WD40 on the door and boot lid locking mechanisms, this sometimes works. Check with the "Bible" for more details of how etc.

[M@H]

Hmmm... if you hear the clicking then its probably just a case of something being a bit gunked up and "dry" at the lock end of the equation.. I'd have a squirt about with some WD40 around the catch and test it with the boot open (i.e. push the catch closed with a screwdriver whilst leaving the boot open)

>> Edited by M@H on Wednesday 9th March 14:34

[M@H]

...beaten to it

[stuartL]

Ahhh, good idea with the screwdriver! I'll give that a try.

As for the servicing, well I know who has been doing it (very reputable garage on the south coast) but I'm not impressed. Basic stuff hasn't been done well, for instance the wind screen washer nozzle pipe was fitted backwards! so the blocked end was put into the rubber hose, The otter switch wasn't working and only one of the cooling fans was operational which mean't that she over heat when standing. The tracking was also way off, and she'd been 'serviced' not 100 miles prior to my taking delivery.

Anyway I've got David Gerald doing her now. We're slowly going through the jobs that need doing as and when I can afford them.

Thanks for the help so far, I'll try the screwdriver and WD40 when I get home tonight.

[petros]

got the same problem with my boot, everything seems to be ok but have to press the button 3 or 4 times to get it to open. andy at central tvr in stourbridge fixed it by moving the plunger in the boot but the problems back now after 1 week. please let me know if you find a solution.

[parrot of doom]

Don't slam the boot down, close it gently and push it into 'click'. Perhaps somebody has been slamming it in the past, and the lock has got a bit fed up with it all.

[snorky]

door button problem sounds like corrosion in the connector for the push button which is approx behind the speaker in the door - take spkr out and check the connector - it's the one with only 2 wires...