Hi all

Just bought a cheap but (I believe a salesman would say) characterful 04 Panda, and I'm just in the process of fixing a few bits.

at the moment i'm trying to sort the boot. currently it only opens with the key, I've taken the handle assembly off to try and clean it up/replace it (as per the guide here), i'm not convinced that's the (only) problem though. The lock mechanism was unplugged before i got to it, and plugging it in didn't fix it, which suggests someone else has already had a go. I tried shorting the 2 terminals (common neutral and wire next to it) for the boot release but that didn't do anything, which suggests it needs a new latch mechanism? additionally there's a few gaps in the fuse box, one of them looks to have a boot icon for it (F32), but looking online the boot latch doesn't have its own fuse so i'm not sure if there is a fuse missing.

As an additional snag the button on the keyfob to unlock the central locking is broken so it needs unlocking via the key, so i'm not even sure if that changes the behaviour here.

So essentially I don't have a known good latch circuit to compare against to know what I should be aiming for.

Any thoughts?

I had to disconnect my tailgate handle electrics as it was opening on its own. I have seen a few posts about Panda tailgates being disconnected for this reason.

The door handle uses a micro-switch that triggers the rear door central locking motor. The micro itself gets corroded or the button gets clogged with dirt. Clean it up and see if it works again.

thanks all for your replies.

I tried shorting the wires to confirm whether it was the switch. That should simulate a button press? but the lock doesn't seem to be doing anything at all.

ive tried cleaning out the handle and micro switch i'm still not getting proper continuity through it, so I'm not happy that that's fixed either.

I don't want to go through the hoops of replacing those 2 if it turns out to be something else though, and i suspect it's me doing something wrong rather than there being 2 failures in the handle/lock mechanism anyway.

what model ?

active by any chance ?

It's an Eleganza 1.2, so it should have central locking, and the DVLA et al agree, so it isn't just a badge stuck on the back either!

Slight progress.

central unlocking now works. yay!

and i've also worked out why the lock was unplugged. when its plugged in the numberplate lights don't work.

so that suggests to me there's a short in the boot lock mech? is that repairable potentially, or is it a whole new unit?

success kind of.

having taken the latch mechanism out, there's a 2nd set of wires for a solenoid/servo that was disconnected. reattaching that allows me to short the handle connection and it works.

now just need to sort out the switch on the handle.

Can I also ask what the behavior of the boot open button on the key fob is supposed to be? does that just unlock it so I can open it with the handle or should it be opening the latch mechanism as well?

When you press it long, the boot unlatches and the other doors stay locked.

gr J

yes that works thanks.

just need to find a new mircoswitch for the handle. the old one was knackered.