Tailgate/Boot won't open

[nathan1985]

Evening all,

I have scanned the forum and sense a pattern emerging across other ranges but not the V50:

Out of the blue, the tailgate/boot on my 2004 2.0 D SE has suddenly stopped working. Yesterday it opened fine, today it doesn't open at all; tried changing the battery in the key, and verious combinations of locking/unlocking etc.

Hopefully nothing serious... I live in Germany so will be putting the pushchair through the back seat until i can get back to the UK to fix under warranty.

Thanks

[7050man]

If the car has a warranty, then local German dealer should be able to deal with this as the warranty is a European one, surely.

[nathan1985]

Originally Posted by 7050man

If the car has a warranty, then local German dealer should be able to deal with this as the warranty is a European one, surely.

sadly not - i bought it from a volvo 'specialist' not main dealer, so only have a standard 3 month return to base. I am back in the UK in April anyway - 2 weeks before the warranty expires but wondered the possibilities of an easy novice repair, or if its a dealers job..?!

Thanks

[KFCKFC]

I had a similar problem but mine was human error. The lock would make a noise when the remote was pressed but no noise was heard when I pressed the release on the tailgate itself.

If transpired that when I shut the tailgate a strap from a bag got trapped between the lock and the catch.

To open it I just had to resort to brute force.

[Gel]

Never the less may be worthing popping your nose into the Kraut local dealer and he may be sympathetic/offer quick fix..especially if you have the kid along!!.

[Guru]

Nathan, try unscrewing off both license plate bulb plastic covers and wiggle the bulbs, or remove and reinsert and such.

[Clan]

if you undo the outer handle / numberplate lamp unit ( 4 stainless steel torx screws on the underside of the handle ) this should give you access to the micro switch wires which you can short together to open the lock , if this doesnt work ( and the cause is likely to be water in the handle connector) your dealer should be able to find the wire from the microswitch down on the CEM under the glovebox , if you earth this wire it will open the tailgate .

[pj66]

i too have had this, (i have posted on the subject)(http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=88930), the microswitch will cost around £14, but, i tried it and it didnt cure it, wiring is ok, so the local dealer said it will be the cem, £400 + £250 (for programming) + fitting approx £800 just to open the boot

although i will give the previous posters idea a go first lol

[Clan]

its very unlikely a CEM . have they earthed the pin on the CEM which the microswitch is connected to ?
and when they do this does a feed come out of the relavent pin to actuate the lock motor in the boot lid ?
Its questions like this you need positive answers to before condeming the CEM itself ...

[BCBilbo]

Seems like you folks have some similar problems as myself.

My 2005 T5 tailgate stopped opening so I took it apart. After using my meter, I was able to figure out that a microswitch was the problem, which is a big pain as this is the only thing preventing my tailgate from opening. (unless I use a small wire to connect the leads on the wiring harness coming out of the tailgate). I see in the post that there is a recommendation to re/re the microswitch, but it is incorporated so intensely into the assembly that I don't think this could be done. Maybe?

I contacted Coquitlam Volvo in BC and was told by the parts tech. that I would need to buy a whole new handle assembly for approx. $150.00 Canadian, which, to me, seems like buying a new car when you get a flat tire. Sigh. His only advice was to go to a used parts place and look for something I could use. I live in Kamloops, BC, which is a big truck town, and I've never seen any significant Volvo parts in this town so I'd have to go to Vancouver (3.5 hours away) to look for a used part. Truthfully though, I don't want a used switch, and I'm sure many people would agree with this.

So I'm putting this out there to see if anyone has some ideas for me. I'm including some pictures to help out with my explanation.