Hi guys, can anybody help? I put some shopping in the boot earlier today, and drove approx. 25 miles on the motorway, when I got home the boot wouldn't open. I tried the usual ways from the fob first, then externally from the button. There was a slight noise but not the usual sound when the boot releases. I also noticed the number plate lights come on dimly when the fob or button are depressed. I tried bridging passed the control solenoid under the drivers side foot well, straight to the battery and got the same result, I'm edging towards the conclusion it might be a bad earth and have read that it is possible to bridge the earth by connecting an earth cable to the number plate bulb and trying to open the lock then, has anybody done this, and lived to tell the tale? Any suggestions on how to get the boot open? I have remover the rear seats to access the boot space, but the opening size will not allow sufficient space for me to get inside the boot still to reach the locking mechanism. The vehicle is a 2006 X type saloon 2.2 diesel. Not split folding rear seats.

 

Unfortunately you may have to smash one of the rear lights and use the emergency trunk,opening handle.
A lot of X Type owners rigged the release handle and now have a pull under the license tag so you don't need to take a hammer to the lights.
Good luck.

 

Sometimes if you get something caught in the boot/trunk lock it will release if the lid is pushed down very hard while unlocking to reduce the load on the jammed catch.

If however it's a bad earth/ground - sometimes caused by the wire breaking inside the flexi hose connector between lid and body - then your info on connecting the earth/ground point inside the number plate lamp to an earth/ground on the bodywork is good. Those lights, the trunk motor and the trunk release switch ground are all spliced together. It's well worth a try, but don't connect the live side by mistake - you'll blow Fuse 55, 7.5A in the glove box fuse panel.

Also note that as a UK car, you don't have an emergency pull handle inside the boot/trunk - US spec item!

Let us know how you get on!

 

Thanks Astromorg, Further update.


I tried the bridge through both the number plate light and managed to get a good earth on the lock mechanism from inside, but nether worked its looking like the lock mechanism is goosed....!


You can simply test which is the live on the bulb connections with a straightforward 12V driver light, ensure you have a sound earth then switch the lights on and see which connector causes the driver light to light up, that's your live. ;-)


I've put things temporary back together again as its now Xmas eve and I'm not going to be able to get any parts etc in any case. I'm taking the car to a mechanic I know who said he might be able to get in the boot relatively easy so will update on Monday 29th when he's had a look.


I get the feeling its the actual locking mechanism, after speaking to a Jag mechanic over the phone he seemed to think it might be a plastic bag etc that may have got caught up in the locking mechanism, but after looking through the opening where the back seat has been removed you cant see anything.


I can live without the boot over the Xmas period and have now got most of the things out that I need through removing the back seat. Found a couple of £s under there too that had fallen through the seat belt anchorage points to soften the blow ;-))


How ever its repaired ill keep you posted for future reference.


Have a great 2014 Christmas to everybody out there reading this

 

Only just seen this post as Xmas has now passed Happy New Year..... Let me know how you get on as I have the same car year and cc

 

Even though you don't have the emergency pull handle the lock probably has the holes for it.
Can you get a driver on to tne lock and pull the cover off? Then it's just a case of pulling and the trunk should open.

 

You're right Flyrr, though in practise, the plastic cover cannot be removed with the trunk lid locked down. It might be possible to break it open - still a cheap option! - but access is probably the problem. Without split rear seats the aperture in the bulkhead behind the seat back is different! We need Hex Type to tell us if it might be possible for a small person to get in there to do the job.

 

It will have to be a very small person as the opening is very small, Im working on getting my 12 year old daughter to have a go but she drives a hard bargain and it might be cheaper taking it to Jag...!!! ;-) Ill take some photos as to how I go on and post them when its done, I've left the job over the Xmas period just CBA but will have to do in the next few days as the MOT needs doing. I noticed there is a section on the top of the lock cover that has an opening and Im hoping this is there to put a driver in to open the lock in these circumstances, its a long shot but fingers crossed. I don't want to damage any parts but its looking grim. I haven't managed to get hold of the mechanic yet but will do in the next few days. Have a great New Year update shortly.

 

Wasn't going to introduce you to this link until you'd got the trunk open so as not to frustrate you, but the photos show the lock internals. What your brave daughter will be trying to achieve is to thread a wire hook down through the slot on the top lefthand side of the plastic cover (as she looks at it!) to engage in the eye that I fitted the plastic tie to. Pull it up and the lock will open.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...cy+boot+access

You need to get a move on because access to the boot/trunk is required during the MOT!

 

Thanks Astromorg that info is invaluable, it would have saved me allot of blind guess work if I had received it earlier. I did notice you had posted a similar post a while ago when somebody else had similar problems, but the link to the photos didn't work. I will certainly put the emergency cable tie in place for the future behind the number plate. If I read this right you are saying the opening in the top left of the plastic lock cover I referred to earlier is an aperture to allow access to open the boot lock? Ill try a re shaped wire coat hanger to try and hook the latch. Watch this space..!

 

Although I had the boot lid open, I just tried to access the emergency unlock link with piece of bent coat hangar - and it can be done without too much difficulty! The wire has to have a right angled hook at the end, 1/4 inch long - no longer! The length of the wire from the hook to another right-angled bend (To clear the 'roof' part of the lid) should be 8 inches. This 8 inches needs a slight curve in it, away from the hook direction (Like a curved tick!).

When feeding the hook in, the slot in the lock case - see photo in https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...cy+boot+access - can be 'felt' as the wire is passed through it. The hole in the end of the lever is the about another two inches down.

The most difficult bit will be doing that lying curled up inside the boot!!

 

Yes the biggest problem is access to the boot, its just not possible unless your 13 years old and slim...!! Needles to say my daughter couldn't manage to access the lock on her own, so I ended up having to do the following. I managed to pull the top fixing dowels out of their holes and with a bit of brute force pull the plastic cover off, using an old bent arc welding rod, the bottom of the plastic cover split but by that time I was ready to take a sledge hammer to the boot, so didn't worry. That then gave access to the lock aperture that was quite easy to open when you can see the outlay. I'm going to start a new thread and upload some pictures shortly and talk through a possible access way for anybody that has the same problem in the future. Assuming no body else has done this? I've now attached the cable ties for future and until the new motor / solenoid arrives. I'll give it a good clean up and do a few jobs on the tail gate any way while I've got the trim off. Next Job MOT !!!!

 

Well at least a replacement plastic lock cover is a lot cheaper than a broken rear light cluster! Glad you got there in the end!

 

Wow this has flummoxed me.. I got the new MOT fine, and picked up a new lock mechanism from Jag today. I connected the wires up to the new lock thinking Ill make sure it all works before fitting it but this lock is doing exactly the same.! Its brand new from Jag so I don't think it's broke. I connected the old motor direct to the battery to check if it was working or not and the motor didn't do anything. I've bridged from the GEM under the dash pin 2 and the same. Are there any other parts in the system that could have busted? Does anybody have a wiring diagram? The lock motor tries to move but there doesn't seem to be enough power to move it. I've tried bridging the earth to ensure that's not the problem but again same result, any ideas greatly received?

 

The wiring to the boot/trunk lock is shown in this link:

http://jaguar.bttlxe.com/xtype/Elect...ig.%2012.5.pdf

Just say if you want any guidance.

 

I'm beginning to really like you astromorg, lol pity were so far apart would have offered you a beer. Back to work and holding of till the hurricane season stops here, why do cars always go wrong when the weather takes a turn for the worse..!
I've put a novel opener into the cockpit from the boot so it can be opened from inside for future. The lever hides behind the fold down centre arm rest in the back seat, so all you have to do is pull the rest down and pull the hidden cable to open the boot. Will post photos shortly. The new lock from Jag has 2 year warranty on it so I'm not in any rush to fix, there doesn't seem to be any other components in the system so I'm going to check the motor direct again to the battery rule that out then its ether the control module or earth, nothing else left. Fingers crossed

 

Further update, I managed to get to the bottom of what the fault was with the lock. The reason it stopped working was due to a broken wire in the rubber shrouding between the boot lid and the main chassis of the car. Apparently this is a common fault and worth checking before doing anything else as the wiring at the lock itself was showing as sending and receiving the signal to open the lock but instead was lighting up the rear number plate lights, looking like a bad earth. Further bridging wires direct to the locking motor does not activate it and gives the impression it has failed. Hope this helps any member with this problem in the future.

 

I would suggest taking a knife to the back seats

 

Good Idea, but I don't think threatening the car with stabbing would have gotten it to open the boot. Still interesting approach, we could call it the Manson manoeuvre...!!