Ford Focus boot no longer opens.

[marb]

Yesterday I had trouble shutting the boot so I gave it a good slam. It shut ok and at my destination I opened it ok. A day later I come to open it and turn the key. Nothing. I try to open it from the button above the dash which sounds like it is opening with the usual clicking sound and again nothing.

Is there a way I can open it from inside the boot by pulling the seat back ? It's a Ford Focus 1.6 1999 5 door model. Also the rubber ring around the boot lock itself has broken off (nothing to do with the lock problem) and it looks unsightly. Can I get another ?

Update*

Just been in the boot for half an hour trying to open it and no joy. Just ending up losing my temper. There seemed to be a small bit of hard black plastic stuck in the mechanism. I Pulled some of it out with long nosed pliers but still has no effect.

 

[Spark123]

Have you tried getting someone else to press the button while you push the boot up?

 

[marb]

Yes and I managed to get it open. Great I thought but then it wouldn't shut. The lock seems to stay in whatever position it was last in without springing back. You have to manually line it up with pliers to get it to hook back over the bolt to stay shut. Then the process starts again because you can't open it without getting inside from the rear seat and pushing the mechanism with pliers. I have spayed with Teflon lubricant but it hasn't made it any better. The only thing is the black plastic seems to be part of the lock itself which is now a bit of a ragged mess after me pulling at it.

 

[Burnerman]

I wonder if the tailgate release solenoid is retracting fully - I've had similar issues before, but not with Fords......sometimes the boot lock won't fully catch because it is actually being half held open with its solenoid.
There will be 2 solenoids involved - one that actually locks / unlocks the boot from within the tailgate lid, and one on the actual striker that pops the boot open via a lever.
John

 

[Stivino]

I had that once with a Primera. The plastic coating on the striker had started to come away and was fouling the catch, preventing it from releasing.

 

[marb]

How did you get the catch to work again ?

 

[Stivino]

The catch worked all along. It was just the plastic that was jamming it. When the boot release button was pressed, I could hear the solenoid thumping, but it wasn't able to release the catch.

 

[bedfordkeys]

get in the boot remove the trim held on with 2 screws and pull the trim with a meduim sized flat screwdriver there is a metal sprung loaded block adj to the hook push it away from the hook and the tailgate will open,colin

 

[marb]

What about the lock, I will have to have the same one to fit my key.

 

[bedfordkeys]

i would get one off ebay with a different key thats the lock barrel and the latch together there are 2 tpyes of latches one fpr remote locking and one for non remote you need to get the right one if you want to use it electronicly,colin

 

[marb]

Do you mean remote as from the button on the dash or remote from the key ?

 

[bedfordkeys]

remote key

 

[marb]

Thanks.

Its going in for an MOT on Tues. I hope this won't be a failure.

 

[bedfordkeys]

it will be a failure if you cant get to the spare wheel

 

[panther100]

it will be a failure if you cant get to the spare wheel

Thats not true. If the spare wheel is inside the vehicle then it is not part of the MOT.

I think this will cure your problem http://fordfocusworld.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=620