V8V boot stuck shut
Discussion
I have searched a few threads on this but I am looking for a little advice please. 2008 v8v boot stuck with no response from fob, button or centre console. I have tried removing fuse (same as glovebox solenoid supply) in case a module needed re setting but no joy. Is it possible to drop the parcel shelf from inside as I have tried but am frightened of breaking something. It seams pretty tight. I would love ideas on how to get to emergency release to investigate further or other ideas.
Thanks
Mark
Thanks
Mark
its difficult to drop shelf from inside as you need to get to the red tab in the shelf to release the protruding rods on either side of the main shelf from the boot surround - and that is only accessible with the rear section of the shelf folded up
good luck, hope Yellow Tangs suggestion works
Graeme
good luck, hope Yellow Tangs suggestion works
Graeme
It is possible. The rear section of the shelf can be pushed rearwards against some elastic straps. This gives a 10mm gap through which a hook can pull through the red release tab to the top side ( the red tab is underneath, below the black tab in the middle of the top side). Pulling the red tab will allow the shelf to drop, and hopefully allow access to the emergency release. Of course this only works if the boot is not full of luggage, and you have to be a midget to get in there.
John thank you I will try that. I didn’t know the hinge was elasticated. I had visions of having to hacksaw through the ball/socket arrangements.
Does anyone know if there is an interim relay which powers the boot latch solenoid? The fuse checks out ok but there must be a further interface as the key fob cannot operate the lock directly. All three controls do not work and I can’t hear any solenoids or relays activating. Indicators still double flash when using keyfob.
Thanks for your help so far guys.
Mark
Does anyone know if there is an interim relay which powers the boot latch solenoid? The fuse checks out ok but there must be a further interface as the key fob cannot operate the lock directly. All three controls do not work and I can’t hear any solenoids or relays activating. Indicators still double flash when using keyfob.
Thanks for your help so far guys.
Mark
Hi John
Thank you very much for taking the trouble to show me that. I really appreciate it. I think however my shelf is different. I am not with the car at the moment but a look this morning revealed almost a continuous shelf with faint stitch line between 2 halves. It looks different to yours unfortunately. Mine is a light grey alcantara. I wonder if they changed for the 08 face lift? I can clearly see the 2 halves you have.
I think I am going to try and get wiring diag to discount interim electrical fault e.g. a relay before I start riving at the panel. A few ideas going through my mind.
Simply try prying ball socket joints out and see if panel swivels on side pins. Not sure if enough play.
Will a strong magnet pull side pins in?
Drastic but cut through ball socket pins
Does bulkhead cross member come out.
Etc.
Thank you very much for taking the trouble to show me that. I really appreciate it. I think however my shelf is different. I am not with the car at the moment but a look this morning revealed almost a continuous shelf with faint stitch line between 2 halves. It looks different to yours unfortunately. Mine is a light grey alcantara. I wonder if they changed for the 08 face lift? I can clearly see the 2 halves you have.
I think I am going to try and get wiring diag to discount interim electrical fault e.g. a relay before I start riving at the panel. A few ideas going through my mind.
Simply try prying ball socket joints out and see if panel swivels on side pins. Not sure if enough play.
Will a strong magnet pull side pins in?
Drastic but cut through ball socket pins
Does bulkhead cross member come out.
Etc.
Just found the info below on aston martin bits site. Not sure of the implications of ‘fixed’ side pins.
Anyone with post 08 vantage that could tell me if pins are sprung into a hole or fixed and go into some form of slot please.
THERE ARE 2 TYPES, THIS IS EARLIER TYPE, PART NO 6G33-46668-BCW CHANGE TOOK PLACE APPROX 2008. AML RETAIL IS £616.83
THE DIFFERENCE IS THE SIDE PINS ARE SPRING LOADED ON THE EARLIER TYPE - ONLY SEEN THEM IN BLACK, LATER ARE FIXED - ONLY SEEN THEM IN GREY.
WE HAVE TRIED LATE TYPE IN EARLY CAR WILL NOT FIT! NOT BEEN ABLE TO TRY EARLY IN LATE CAR YET.
Anyone with post 08 vantage that could tell me if pins are sprung into a hole or fixed and go into some form of slot please.
THERE ARE 2 TYPES, THIS IS EARLIER TYPE, PART NO 6G33-46668-BCW CHANGE TOOK PLACE APPROX 2008. AML RETAIL IS £616.83
THE DIFFERENCE IS THE SIDE PINS ARE SPRING LOADED ON THE EARLIER TYPE - ONLY SEEN THEM IN BLACK, LATER ARE FIXED - ONLY SEEN THEM IN GREY.
WE HAVE TRIED LATE TYPE IN EARLY CAR WILL NOT FIT! NOT BEEN ABLE TO TRY EARLY IN LATE CAR YET.
I note you say you have checked the fuse however when my 12v cabin outlet failed I discovered the fuse was marked spare on the chart. Might be worth checking every fuse in the box in case there is a second one that has failed that is not labelled properly.
Easier perhaps than breaking fixing pins especially as it sounds like an electrical fault. Just my two penny worth.
Easier perhaps than breaking fixing pins especially as it sounds like an electrical fault. Just my two penny worth.
Yes sound advice. I am definitely conscious of ruling out electrics before ‘invasive’ tactics. I am trying to locate a wiring diag so that I can follow path through. Check any interim relays and confirm power is on it’s way to the boot latch. I wondered about getting to the back of the cabin console release button and double checking that power appears there. Removing that switch is another research area which requires looking into. Not sure if that is easy or not.
Many thanks for responding.
Mark
Many thanks for responding.
Mark
Some progress.
Have managed to open the boot from inside. This will allow me to fault find why the controls are not working. For the benefit of anyone in this predicament and with the later parcel shelf then this is how I did it.
Disconnect the strings from the tailgate posts. Force the rear part of the shelf downwards slightly against it’s normal hinge direction. This allows enough play to work with the fixings. On the later shelf the side pins are plastic and held in an upturned u shape channel at each side. There are also 2 pins with locate in holes across the back rail. See owners manual for diagram. From within the care I used a plastic scraper between the back rail and the shelf to lever up and out over the u shaped side retainers. From there a long reach gets you to the tailgate emergency release.
I now need to diagnose further but nothing is simple !
From diagrams it looks like all 3 boot release controls go to an input on the CEM module located in passenger fuse box. From there the cars logic outputs a signal from a transistor output to the latch so
solenoid. In other words not straight forward switches putting power to solenoid. I am now going really hoping it is the boot solenoid or something simple and not the output from the CEM which has gone. I have checked the fuse stated in the manual as boot release and it is ok. This is a bit misleading however as this is probably a fused which is common to all of the FET transistorised outputs.
Next step boot latch wiring plug off and check whats happening.
Mark
Have managed to open the boot from inside. This will allow me to fault find why the controls are not working. For the benefit of anyone in this predicament and with the later parcel shelf then this is how I did it.
Disconnect the strings from the tailgate posts. Force the rear part of the shelf downwards slightly against it’s normal hinge direction. This allows enough play to work with the fixings. On the later shelf the side pins are plastic and held in an upturned u shape channel at each side. There are also 2 pins with locate in holes across the back rail. See owners manual for diagram. From within the care I used a plastic scraper between the back rail and the shelf to lever up and out over the u shaped side retainers. From there a long reach gets you to the tailgate emergency release.
I now need to diagnose further but nothing is simple !
From diagrams it looks like all 3 boot release controls go to an input on the CEM module located in passenger fuse box. From there the cars logic outputs a signal from a transistor output to the latch so
solenoid. In other words not straight forward switches putting power to solenoid. I am now going really hoping it is the boot solenoid or something simple and not the output from the CEM which has gone. I have checked the fuse stated in the manual as boot release and it is ok. This is a bit misleading however as this is probably a fused which is common to all of the FET transistorised outputs.
Next step boot latch wiring plug off and check whats happening.
Mark
Some progress.
Have managed to open the boot from inside. This will allow me to fault find why the controls are not working. For the benefit of anyone in this predicament and with the later parcel shelf then this is how I did it.
Disconnect the strings from the tailgate posts. Force the rear part of the shelf downwards slightly against it’s normal hinge direction. This allows enough play to work with the fixings. On the later shelf the side pins are plastic and held in an upturned u shape channel at each side. There are also 2 pins with locate in holes across the back rail. See owners manual for diagram. From within the care I used a plastic scraper between the back rail and the shelf to lever up and out over the u shaped side retainers. From there a long reach gets you to the tailgate emergency release.
I now need to diagnose further but nothing is simple !
From diagrams it looks like all 3 boot release controls go to an input on the CEM module located in passenger fuse box. From there the cars logic outputs a signal from a transistor output to the latch so
solenoid. In other words not straight forward switches putting power to solenoid. I am now going really hoping it is the boot solenoid or something simple and not the output from the CEM which has gone. I have checked the fuse stated in the manual as boot release and it is ok. This is a bit misleading however as this is probably a fused which is common to all of the FET transistorised outputs.
Next step boot latch wiring plug off and check whats happening.
Mark
Have managed to open the boot from inside. This will allow me to fault find why the controls are not working. For the benefit of anyone in this predicament and with the later parcel shelf then this is how I did it.
Disconnect the strings from the tailgate posts. Force the rear part of the shelf downwards slightly against it’s normal hinge direction. This allows enough play to work with the fixings. On the later shelf the side pins are plastic and held in an upturned u shape channel at each side. There are also 2 pins with locate in holes across the back rail. See owners manual for diagram. From within the care I used a plastic scraper between the back rail and the shelf to lever up and out over the u shaped side retainers. From there a long reach gets you to the tailgate emergency release.
I now need to diagnose further but nothing is simple !
From diagrams it looks like all 3 boot release controls go to an input on the CEM module located in passenger fuse box. From there the cars logic outputs a signal from a transistor output to the latch so
solenoid. In other words not straight forward switches putting power to solenoid. I am now going really hoping it is the boot solenoid or something simple and not the output from the CEM which has gone. I have checked the fuse stated in the manual as boot release and it is ok. This is a bit misleading however as this is probably a fused which is common to all of the FET transistorised outputs.
Next step boot latch wiring plug off and check whats happening.
Mark
Sorted
So thought I would conclude for the benefit of others.
If you can’t get in the boot and your car is post 2008 facelift proceed as follows.
Move one of the seats fully forward and put the seat back forward. Clamber into small space behind seat and perch on the rear carpeted shelf.
Unhook 2-off parcel shelf strings from tailgate posts.
Gently push down on rearmost parcel shelf against the hinge direction. You are trying to create a small space so the whole shelf can move to the rear of the car. When you have a little wiggle room use something safe like a plastic spatula to lever the shelf out of its side pin mountings. To do this put the spatula down between the parcel shelf and the leather covered cross rail. Lever this part of the shelf up by 1/2 inc, then to the rear by 1/2 inch then push downwards at the side pins. Look in your manual for parcel shelf install as it helps visualise the side mountings.
You should now be able to push the parcel shelf into the boot space and gain access to the emergency release handle.
Hey presto you are in and can start fault finding.
I removed the rear trim consisting of several plastic push clips and the leather pull tab. The emergency release handle comes off by poking out a plastic peg then pulling the cable out of a slot.
I removed the plug from the boot latch and tested. White and green wire is the solenoid supply and the thicker black wire is the earth. With a test meter I was able to read a pulse 12v to the plug. A continuity check on the solenoid pins was open circuit.
Phew. Solenoid and not Central control module!
I ordered a new part from astonmartinbits. Kirsty was extremely helpful.
The new part was Volvo, my original was Ford. Different shape but fitted fine.
Test and reassemble. Oh and if you look and think the factory missed a third bolt from the latch, they didn’t. The screw for the leather pull handle provides the last latch fixing bolt.
Hope that may help someone prior to jigsawing through their parcel shelf.
Mark
So thought I would conclude for the benefit of others.
If you can’t get in the boot and your car is post 2008 facelift proceed as follows.
Move one of the seats fully forward and put the seat back forward. Clamber into small space behind seat and perch on the rear carpeted shelf.
Unhook 2-off parcel shelf strings from tailgate posts.
Gently push down on rearmost parcel shelf against the hinge direction. You are trying to create a small space so the whole shelf can move to the rear of the car. When you have a little wiggle room use something safe like a plastic spatula to lever the shelf out of its side pin mountings. To do this put the spatula down between the parcel shelf and the leather covered cross rail. Lever this part of the shelf up by 1/2 inc, then to the rear by 1/2 inch then push downwards at the side pins. Look in your manual for parcel shelf install as it helps visualise the side mountings.
You should now be able to push the parcel shelf into the boot space and gain access to the emergency release handle.
Hey presto you are in and can start fault finding.
I removed the rear trim consisting of several plastic push clips and the leather pull tab. The emergency release handle comes off by poking out a plastic peg then pulling the cable out of a slot.
I removed the plug from the boot latch and tested. White and green wire is the solenoid supply and the thicker black wire is the earth. With a test meter I was able to read a pulse 12v to the plug. A continuity check on the solenoid pins was open circuit.
Phew. Solenoid and not Central control module!
I ordered a new part from astonmartinbits. Kirsty was extremely helpful.
The new part was Volvo, my original was Ford. Different shape but fitted fine.
Test and reassemble. Oh and if you look and think the factory missed a third bolt from the latch, they didn’t. The screw for the leather pull handle provides the last latch fixing bolt.
Hope that may help someone prior to jigsawing through their parcel shelf.
Mark
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