Idiot of the month

[orange_dodo]

I have managed to shut my boot in a way that is completely unopenable!!

I have a cable operated boot release and decided to refurbish it this afternoon as it has always required a lot of force to operate. I'd pulled out the cable and lock mechanism in the boot, cleaned and greased it all and started by putting the mechanism back first (mistake 1).

I realigned the pin on the boot lid with the lock by leaving the bolts loose then gently shutting the boot to push the mechanism into the correct place. I then straightened it up and then tightened the bolts (mistake 2)

Then I made the fatal mistake of shutting the boot.

Sure enough the damn thing won't open now! Any ideas how to open a boot when the mechanism doesn't work!?

Right I'm off to shoot myself

[tvrgit]

not posting details on here, but YHM

[phillpot]

orange_dodo said:

Right I'm off to shoot myself

Is the gun in the boot ?

Sorry, thats not much help really is it

Hopefully someone will be along with a less radical solution but could you cut a hole behind the number plate big enough to get your arm in and release it?

Do you have speakers in the bulkhead, any chance of "fishing" through hole and releasing catch ?

[GreenV8S]

If you don't have any way to unlatch it remotely, you will presumably need to break in. If you have speaker holes in the rear parcel shelf (or don't mind an excuse to install some) that is one option. The other is to carefully chisel your way in through the offside rear lamp cluster, being careful not to damage the surrounding paintwork. You'd need to replace the lamp cluster but that will probably work out a lot cheaper and easier than bodywork repairs.

[orange_dodo]

tvrgit said:

not posting details on here, but YHM

Unfortunately I've tried that and it didn't work. I think the boot peg is caught on the unmoving part of the mechanism.

I'm going to end up cutting a hole in the boot lid at this rate.

[orange_dodo]

Don't have speaker holes but I suppose I could cut some! Would be less radical than cutting open the boot lid.



Mike, I think everything is in the boot!!

[orange_dodo]

I opened it!!!


Operated the mechanism, thumped the boot hard and swore loudly and it popped

I think the thought of having to cut it open stopped me worrying about damaging anything so i really thumped it hard!

Thanks for your suggestions everyone, I think I will be a little more careful in lining up the mechanism next time!

[GreenV8S]

phillpot said:

Is the gun in the boot ?

[tvrgit]

orange_dodo said:

I opened it!!!


Operated the mechanism, thumped the boot hard and swore loudly and it popped

I think the thought of having to cut it open stopped me worrying about damaging anything so i really thumped it hard!

Thanks for your suggestions everyone, I think I will be a little more careful in lining up the mechanism next time!

I said it would work... you weren't thumping and/or swearing hard enough.