2006 LS Aust Focus Boot fix

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Focus Boot Opening Problems.
Copywrite. C graphic
Colin McDonald Adelaide South Australia
Hi, Yes 2006 LS Australian Delivered, South Africa Build LC-LX- Sedan and Hatch Probably Zetec and maybe Ghia ranging from LS to 2008 LT and possibly a few years beyond.
Not saying there is any difference to the wiring looms and the following process to the same vehicles elsewhere as pictured.
The boot opening problem is widespread across the world across all sorts of vehicles and trying to research a specific model, the 2006 LS Focus being a classic example can be very difficult. This can lead to 2006 meaning completely different models across the Globe ( Sorry Flat Earthers ) .
These Focus do not have a pull release inside the boot. Be Fricken nice if they did !

This is what we are working with.




Ok lets get on with it.
1) The Remote pressed twice doesn't open the Boot.
Question - Does the finger boot release on the boot open the boot ?
Answer – If no don’t worry about using the remote unlocking for further diagnosis use the boot release on the outside,

If the manual boot release works fine but the remote doesn’t on unlocking and locking the vehicle just keep using the manual release on the boot. Either change the battery on the remote or not and keep using the boot release.

2) Does the finger Boot release work and been intermittent or suddenly stopped working ?
Answer – If yes then have you got a multi meter and extension clamp wires and the ability to remove all trim in the boot and a few other bits and pieces and a bit of knowledge and skill ?

If Yes go on.
If no you can go on anyway or abort Now ?
Aborting now will be resulting in not being able to open your boot and – or spending $250 - $300 for a mechanic – electrician to fix.
Might pay to give your mechanic or auto electrician the following info.
Lets start:
Remove Trim in the Sedan boot = Lay the back seats flat, have a good head light or torch and the Back pain will be worth it. Some turning trim screws and some using a thin flat and phillps blade screwdriver.
Good news is that when you fix the problem the trim is far easier to put back on when the boot is open.
Put all the trim buttons – clips – screws – knobs in a resealable bag.
Never done a hatch but same theory.
They won’t be the same.
If the Boot is closed and you cannot open it from the outside you will need to undo the base latch from inside the boot.
Couple of trim covers to access Star Bolts plus left and right trim.
Latch star bolts are Star T40 compared to Allen key or Hex which you cannot use.



Picture of Star T40 Bit



Picture of my set up ‘ Don’t want to loose the star bit. Hence the tape.

In my case the bolts were not that tight.
Once done you may have to use a bit of force once the boot latch is unbolted to open the boot.

Right - The trim is all removed right ?
The boot is open right ?
I had to hacksaw the remaining plastic Trim to get it out the way. One small cut in the middle through the thin bit and remove. Not sure about advising this but it’s what I did.
Yeah my Wife calls me Feral !
Next Step - Remove boot panel trim. Remember the resealable bag here.
This will give you access to your wiring that needs to be tested.
Important Note: do not connect any 12V feed to any wire.
Ok so the boot lid panel trim is removed.
Take a while to familiarise yourself with the wiring you have just unvailed !
Important:
On the plug going to the unlock mechanism. White / Black plug with the remove squeeze tab on the white side. 4 wires – Looking for Thick Black and more importantly a thick White and Green Stripe Wire.
These wires are next to each other.
Ok, so if you see these wires ok cool – Really Cool - Moving on.
Note: do not try to remove striker base from lock mechanism.
There are 3 major components and a computer system to manage things.
Exclude the Comp System.
Major Components:
1- Manual release button on boot.
2- Release mechanism
3- Wiring

At this stage you will definitely need a Multimeter, clamp each end style wiring joiners for enough length to bridge circuits, some Bobby pins, small nails, pins, rivetts ? to access wiring blocks if need be.
Note: Most Multimeter contact ends are not small enough to trust putting them in wiring blocks and can be a pain in the *** hence nails etc and joining wires.

Test: Manual Release Button on boot from inside.
Ohm mode _ Pretty small 2 wire plug central coming from external boot button release.
Check the earth.
Remove plug – Pretty easy –

Pic


Check with multimeter on earth plug wires from boot release switch
Connect and test
Press manual release with multimeter attached to make sure it’s working.
Yeah bit of a stretch. Make sure you try it a few times.
If you do not get a circuit on the ohm meter then probably the manual boot button needs replacing.
Don’t ask me how to do it. Never replaced one.

Note important : Check Earth on this plug to earth on unlock mechanism plug not to any boot earth.
All good ?
Next : The White wire with the green stripe.
Important note: This is the activate unlock power source to the unlock mechanism to unlock your boot.


Pic


Do not connect any 12V source to it.
This White / Green stripe wire seems to, when working, deliver around 7.5v then 12V then 0.00v while the lock unlocks with mulitimeter attached. I’m thinking there is Capacitor in the mechanism and voltage stages is controlled by Comp System?
Using multimeter voltage check between the thick black and white / green stripe wire while activating manual boot release.
No Voltage observed ?
If there is voltage as described above then this would deem the Locking Mechanism to be faulty and needs replacement.
Plenty on ebay but beware the differences for year / model as described before.
Note the other wires next to black and white/green are for interior lighting.
Note: All so you may have had a dash message “ Boot Open” ? doing the following may or may not help ? I think that is another issue. Probably a seperate internal mechanism fault ?
Moving right along.
If you have tested the boot release button to be ok and have identified the White / Green stripe wire that goes to the locking mechanism plug and there is no voltage signal at all there then the fun begins.
Note: Depending if you have or not tried the boot release while you have been moving the boot up and down and suddenly the striker latch releases. Yeah don’t worry. There is a problem and it makes things confusing but carry on.
50% or more Remove the LHS cover that covers the wheel well. Reasonably easy.

There is a fairly large loom connector attached to the LHS side and is easy to remove from the body bolt to make things easier.
There should be the White / Green stripe wire going into this plug. Top wires and from memory going out the other side.
Once you have identified this:
Next step: Bridge this wire from the connector to the release lock mechanism white / green and operate the external boot release.
Important: More than likely this will release the striker plate so be ready for it to come away and drop very quickly.
So External boot release good ?
No power to Lock Mechanism white / Green wire when external boot release pressed.
Ok so that only leaves wiring.

Cue this sucker.

Level you got this far = easy well done ! I was actually impressed with myself.
I can only describe my own experience here hence the following.
This may get interesting ?
Body to boot external wiring convoluted rubber.
Removing the boot part attachment for the flexible rubber protector first.
Try to peel the convoluted outer part about 75mm.
Do you see some joins ie: wiring joins taped up ?


Important: Does the White/Green stripe actually exist in this part ?
My experience it didn’t but a equally large Green Wire Did ? WTF.
Here is the problem.
My green wire which was a joiner for the obviously lack of White / Green was joined to make up lack of length or to decrease the wiring hot spot for a lot of problems for having wiring problems as discussed earlier.
The White / Green and green solid wire ? wire is probably broken ?
Answer is to run a new wire about the same diameter and do a bridge. Pretty normal.
Ok so if you have got this far the problem is almost done. Well ?
Try all you like but pushing a new wire through the boot is virtually impossible. I used a bit of fencing wire with the bridging wire taped to the end. It worked nicely.
Once this has been done use the easiest method to join the bridge wire.

You have got it from here !

Kind Rgds
Colin McDonald
Copywrite: May/2024