Galaxy Boot Wont Shut!

[alexwatson]

I have a 03 Galaxy and the boot wont shut or lock when you close it (gently or with a bit of force) the hook on the lock doesnt seem to cath into place it goes over the peg but doesn't lock on to it i have tried using WD40 but that didn't help

[seatkid]

1. the key barrel may have stuck/seized in the open position, insert a key and use moderate force (dont break the key!) to see if you can move the barrel mechanically full left/right (beyond the normal narrow electrically operated range), some penetrating oil may help.

 

2. Remove the tailgate panel, and you should be able to sus the problem from within. One possibility is there is a permanenent feed to the solenoid, in this case its likely to be a short in the loom in one of the two rubber gaitors to the tailgate.(shorts are common here see Tech FAQs)

Edited March 26, 2013 by seatkid

[alexwatson]

Excellent cheers I will try that

[practicalgalaxy]

hello everybody sorry to revive a old topic i have the exact same problem i can hear a click when i pull the handle on the boot the wires in the tailgate rubber are all intact and i have tryed fitting another boot lock but does not matter how hard or soft i close the boot the hatch does not catch. if i manually flick the boot lock hatch it does not stay closed can anybody help me please?

[seanwhu]

Try moving the peg a bit towards you slightly,its held on with two torx bolts.   Mine did this when something fell in front of the latch when I slamed the tailgate and it must have moved the latch/peg thing slightly.

 

Good luck

[BrianH]

If it does it when your flicking the latch (i take it you mean pushing it closed using a screwdriver or something similar) it isn't the lock post.

 

Take the inside panel off, disconnect the wires and try again. If it then works you have a fault in the locking wiring somewhere. You should be able to open it with the key in this state (do this with the door in the open position first to get your head round it though).

 

There may be a fault in one of the other door gaiters (drivers door most likely, others a possibility though) if you can't find anything in the rear hatch.

 

If it still does it try your old latch - if that does the same they are both knackered is the most likely option!

Edited March 14, 2016 by BrianH

[antzatgalaxy]

Having just had the same problem on my Gal, I thought I'd add a further solution. On mine, the latch just wasn't latching - either when shutting or using a screwdriver with the boot open. I recalled from before I could use the screwdriver to simulate the post and latch the lock and then release the lock by lifting the boot handle. Now what I was finding was that with the boot shut, I could still lift the boot open and the alarm wasn't operating (i.e. it would lock all the doors, fail to arm and then open all the doors!). If I leaned on the boot hard enough I could make the alarm think it was closed and it would arm, but I could still lift the boot open - and the alarm would then go off.

 

So if you can use a screwdriver to simulate the post, but can then still pull the lock open (i.e. it hasn't latched), then this may help.

 

What I've discovered having removed the lock from the car is that the latch mechanism is contained within the lock, so you can't get to it because the lock is rivoted together. However, the manual release is visible at the back of the lock as an arm that sticks out. There are two arms, one is hooked up to the boot servo, it's the other one. You can unscrew and remove the servo to give more fiddle room (if you've removed the lock). If this release arm seems to be unsprung (freely moves back and forth), then the latch inside is stuck open.

 

To remove the lock, follow FAQ's on removal of boot trim and undo the three torx screws around the lock mechanism on the outside and remove the lock from the inside. You can then unplug the connector and prise out the switch (careful as it is only held in by plastic nobbles, which are likely to break) to completely free the lock from the two cable sets. However, you may be able to avoid all of this and do it in situ from the outside....

 

Effectively the lock mechanism is held together by three rivots and all the moving parts rotate or move on these rivots posts. The latch mechanism rotates around one of these rivot posts. It is spring loaded, but clearly friction is now greater than the force of the spring (It's not the spring visible if you have removed the lock, that is the servo return spring). I'm betting at this point there is a bit of corrosion around the lock and the plastic coating on the latch mechanism is worn or damaged? So crap has got in there. So now what you need to do is free up the latch, So yes dumping a whole load of WD40 or Silicon oil in there may help (though you'll probably miss it), but you'll need to work it to free it up. To do this - as you can barely see inside the lock - you'll need to use a small screw driver and with the lock pushed into the closed position (with a larger screwdriver), push the small screwdriver inside the lock just to the outside of the C shaped post hole to where you might expect something to latch the arm of the C shaped mechanism. There should be enough play to push the latch further open and back so it eventually springs all the way back - It's not a large movement. You'll know it's sprung back because the lock will be latched. A bright light or a narrow beam torch will help you see inside the lock.

 

Once it's moving, a good flush with an oil spray in the right place to clean out some of the crud should help, but suggest you use the small screw driver to ply it with lithium grease.