Rear Bonnet wont open

trunk or engine?

 

On a Mondial 3.2 the trunk (luggage compartment) can be opened in an emergency via a lever located under the drop down flap between the two rear seats. See page 44 in the owner's manual. If the emergency cable is locked, broken or is not operating the trunk lock for whatever reason I'm not sure how to proceed.

 

Here is a photo of my lock
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if you can see the tube the cable goes through, here's what i would do.

-start with a compressed air nozzle.
spray up intot he tube aside the cable to see if air will flow freely through, or if it's completely blocked.

if air passes through, use a checmical like pb blaster, some kind of anti-corrosive/rust penetrating lubricant. spray some up on in, a good few blasts or so.

follow back up with compressed air to push the stuff all the way towards the rear end of the tube.

give it a few jerks on the cable, see if anything improves.
if nothing is immediate, wait a day or so, and try to tug again.

if this does not help, something is seriously bound up, or it could be a part of the latch mechanism has failed.

in those cases.... good luck! i really don't know how to help you. sorry.

 

Suggest have someone push down on the lid while you pull the manual handle

 

Yes. I don't think a coat hanger would work I am afraid.
It also seems difficult to access the hinge nuts, on the lid side.
The hinge is welded to the body.
Pressing the lid into its seals will remove pressure from the lock and may help the solenoid.
Do not continuously press onto the switch or you will fry the solenoid. Only impulses.
I would try to spray WD40 into the lock, somehow.
You may be able to pull the seal out around the centre of the lid and then with a special tool remove the bolts holding the latch via the gap?
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On the early coupes the secondary (emergency) trunk latch is not a lever; it's a simple pull toggle located n one side of the rear seat bench. It would be very unusual for this simple mechanism to be rendered unworkable by rust or anything else for that matter.

 

This would be a very very last resort option !!!!!
If all else fails ,and i mean all else ..... you could gain access to the lock from underneath the car .

It would mean a bit of work though - by removing the exhaust you gain access to the boot floor area from underneath the car . This boot floor is made of a plastic material in which a slot could be very carefully cut ( its up to you how big ) . You would then be able to see the lock mechanism , and SHOULD be able to unlock the latch ...

You can then fix whatever is the issue with the lock prior to any boot floor repair . As for this repair , I would make a cover panel which would be fitted to the floor underneath the car , just in case the lock fails in the future ..

I know this option is not ideal , but i would prefer to do this than risk any damage to the exterior bodywork

 

whatever you do to the gap, lay down a few layers of automotive grade masking tape.

the green automotive stuff has better adhesion and is a bit thicker to be more receptive to body/sanding/wet work.

as for the pb blaster, and such...
use a rubber tipped air nozzle if you can. that should help somewhat.
don't bother trying to make a sheath or something of that sort to seal it. it likely won't work.

 

I would try to push a hook under that trunk lid and get the cable to work.

Guido
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Has the wife said "I told you so" yet?

 

Stop stop stop stop! It is easy to get in did it myself 6 months after purchase.

Open the engine bonnet. This gives access to the hinges of the trunk. Remove the clips of the hinge on each side (Red arrow) then move the pin into the direction of the green arrow. apply WD40 to it preferable with WD40 rust remover.

If you have done that you can slowly lift the trunk lid. You should be ablt to lift it 80/90 dregrees. I suggest 1 or 2 persons holding the lid while 1 unbolts the latch. Et voila
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Yeah. What MvT said.

 

MTV's solution should go in the sticky section!

All the new guys on my Jag forum ask this when they remove the battery to replace it, which is in the trunk (boot,) close the lid and then can't get the solenoid operated latch to work because they have no power in the car.
Alden

 

haha! that's awesome! i would NEVER have known about that hinge dealy.

doesn't fix the cable though

 

Good man MvT!

 

Why did'nt I think about that !?

Guido

 

How did it go Dean? Did you already found a body in the back?