Boot Lever Problem

[nordberg]

Since I bought my W reg (2000) Elise five months or so ago, I have had a problem with the boot lever in the door pillar. The problem initially was such that every time I popped the boot, it would not shut again as the lever had not returned to the seated position (I had to manualy return the lever pull to the depressed position). Its now got to the stage (this morning) that the boot does not even shut because the cable is not returning the latch mechanism. Is this a comon fault, and is it easily rectified by simply changing or lubing the cable?

[Mark H]

Sounds like the cable is rusted and not moving freely in its casing because of the muck, probably best to replace the cable before it lets go anyway and your stuck with a boot that wont open.

[enxrjm]

New cables are available to buy. Mine used to stick - solved in the short term by WD40 sprayed up the wire from inside the car. Eventually decided to do something more permanent and risked undoing the boot release connection and pulling out the whole wire. It was covered in rust but cleaned it off, covered it in grease and managed to thread it back up the sleeve (I also found that the handle connection to the wire was bent from where I'd had to knock it closed every time). It now works fine.

 

A case of proceed at your own risk if you want to try it as it may not be possible to rethread the wire - just glad it worked out for me and managed to save a few quid and what sounds like some fiddly work to fit a brand new cable.