S40 (New) Trim : Removing Boot Trim Grab Handle!!

[froggyted]

Guys, how the feck do I remove the plastic grab handle recessed into the boot trim (S40, 08 Facelift)? The Haynes Manual is as, is so often the case, useless: 'Carefully pull the grab handle recess trim from the boot panel'. It's IMPOSSIBLE to carefully pull it, even with force it doesn't want to budge! I have easily removed the plastic fasteners and the plastic lock cover and now all that's holding the felt trim in place is this panel. What should have been a 10 minute job to get to the lock mechanism has now taken well over an hour, including reading through threads on this forum. It's already slightly damaged now so am prepared to replace, but don't want to damage the felt trim panel because I know this won't be cheap. Any ideas?

Incidentally, the lock mechanism is still functional, but the latch doesn't always engage and the mechanism now makes a marked noise when the tailgate is lifted and closed. I want to see if there is anything loose or out of position before the problem gets worse. All my own fault to be honest, due to using the grab handle to close the boot lid and on occasions using too much force, resulting in the lid slamming down.

[nbuuifx]

I used a screwdriver and levered it out but I did break it a little. If it helps I'd forgotten about it since and with it's position have never noticed the slight damage since.

[froggyted]

Hi, thanks for your reply nbuuifx. I assume that it was fairly easy to put back in then? Did you lever it from the bottom? Looking behind the boot inner skin with a torch it looks like it is held in place by a tab at the bottom but it doesn't respond to considerable force with a screwdriver to lever this up. I am expecting a replacement part to be fairly cheap and will order at the same time as the new loom I now need.

[froggyted]

Incidentally, after reading other threads on here, I identified the problem as frayed wire insulation in the loom to the boot. The noise was, I suspect, caused by two wires shorting across each other as I opened and closed the boot, activating the lock motor. When I pulled the rubber cover back to inspect, one wire snapped but I was able to bodge a repair with a spare length of wire twisted between the two and then all exposed wire covered by insulating tape. (Even with modern cars it's always handy to keep a small toolbox in the car with a few screwdrivers, spanners, pliers, insulating tape, wire stripper or utility knife, and a length of wire).

So, it's a new wiring loom for me, which will at least be cheaper than the lock (approx. £120 for the latter), and I needn't have removed the boot lid trim after all, which was eventually manoeuvred off around the grab handle. However, I now have a damaged grab handle to get off so I can replace it with a new one, and probably a few trim fasteners will need to be replaced too, which if I remember correctly are over a quid a piece.

[nbuuifx]

I had a broken wire in my loom but it was just the interior light, I just took the loom out and soldered the wires together and used heat shrink tubing to seal. Cost was nothing as I had the solder and tubing, but would only be minimal cost wise.

I personally wouldn't bother with a new loom but then I like to repair things rather than replace.

As for the grab handle I can't remember exactly how it came out but brute force was used!

[froggyted]

Keep an eye on that loom then because quite a few posts have been made elsewhere saying that they tried to fix but the loom eventually broke down again. I've already ordered the loom and handle from FRF (approx. £43 including p&p), and should have by Friday. I gave up trying to remove the handle and will wait for the new one to see how it's likely to come out. I will contradict what I posted earlier after having a closer look - it looks like it has to be prised from the top. I will post back with details when I've fitted everything back together, which may be this coming weekend, weather permitting.