Peugeot 405 boot lock repair

 The boot lock on the Peugeot 405 would not open. I suspected an electric problem. After trying many times the lock suddenly opened. I checked connections and oiled the moving parts and all seemed well for a while. Until one day the lock refused to open, no matter what I tried. 

I thought of drilling the lock, but I found pushing the lock farther broke the plastic lip. Now the boot opened, but I would need a new lock. 

This is the locking mechanism. The brown part is the latching part and the white plastic thing is the actual lock. The lock operates the latch by a metal rod. Another rod connects the electric motor to the latch.

It took quite a while before I realised the two halves of the lock are separated by removing the two screws and the rubber gasket. With the the two halves separated you can remove the lock from the housing and levers. 

The new lock comes with a new gasket and two keys. 

 

The lock reassembled and working well. 

I decided not to refit the electric motor. So now it's an old fashioned manual lock.

Peugeot Starter motor problem

Very considerately the Peugeot 405 refused to start in the morning. This could have happened somewhere much less convenient. Still a problem that needed to be solved as I want a reliable car. It had hesitated to start a few times, so I thought it might be the battery or even an earthing problem. But in the end the car would only start after a tap on the solenoid. I heard a little "thunk" and then the car started easily.  

I decided the solenoid was definitely suspect and, as this a "new to us" car,  buying a new starter looked like the most reliable option to reach optimum reliability.   

I found it is not as easy to buy a new starter for such a "modern" as it is for our usual old cars as there are various starters available for this engine. The most probable replacement looked very different from the one I took out of the car. It was a great relief that this new starter did work and to celebrate I also treated the car to a new set of spark plugs. Now our "Josephine" starts and performs as smooth as a French limousine should.  Vraiment ça marche très bien!

 

New from 1995 Peugeot 405

New to us that is... After twenty years was time to replace the faithful Rover 216. What car would be more suitable to replace it? I decided I'd like to try a French "limousine".  I found a Peugeot 405. Sure, it's more of a "Sensible Sedan" than a "Luscious Limousine" and a 404, 504 or even a 505 would have been a more classical treat, but I was looking for a roomy and comfortable but uncomplicated runabout and the 405 seems to be all that and more. The Rover went off to another custodian after a quick wash and vacuum session. Now we'll find out how the Peugeot fills the boots of the Rover. Up til now we're not disappointed in our French "Voiture Vert" . 

Ça c'est pas mal!