Clamshell not unlatching on driver's side

[Vincent998]

Even if you pull the handle and grab the wire with a pick or any other tool it will NOT release period if those rubber pieces are broken. Both Craig and I have already done it. As soon as those rubber pieces deteriorate it’s gonna be a bad day.

I’ve got a 2000 mile car here with them bad. now Craigs car.

This is something to be concerned about for the future.

I certainly agree that if this becomes a pervasive problem, it's worth being concerned about it.

Would you care to speculate on why it won't release when the collars are broken? It certainly looks as though it would. Do you think the broken bits create a jam? Can you post a photo or photos of the broken pieces? I've got an idea or two (see the last two sentences of my previous message), but I'm reluctant to screw around with my (apparently OK) releases.

Besides the two cars you've got, do you know of any others with the same problem?

 

[TORQJNKY]

GOT IT!!!! From 69b302's recommendation about going through the bulkhead access and a video BMF sent me showing where to manually release the latch, it took less than 5 minutes to get the clamshell opened. Whew!!! I removed the bulkhead access panel, got a long extension from one of my screwdrivers, stuck my arm through the hole and accessed a side hole on the latching mechanism to manually release the latch. You can do this for both sides if you ever get in a situation where you can't use the headliner latch release or one side malfunctions. Images and video attached! As extrap said, we need a fix other than tie wraps! Thanks for all the forum's help!!

Drivers side manual release

Passenger side manual release

 

[extrap]

NICE! Thanks for very clearly posting the resolution! Never having had this problem myself I hadn't ever looked closely at my latches and couldn't quite understand what had broken or how to potentially access it, but I do now. Excellent ... and thanks to @B.M.F. too

Edit: Just realized, this ain't gonna be so easy for most of us who still have a supercharger. Maybe will still work, tho ... at least there's a chance.

 

[PeteK]

Thanks to both of you for bringing this issue to our attention, and for the resolution.

 

[Tomcat]

What a great community of support/effort!

 

[Tomcat]

Okay, it looks like my driver's side has the broken "sleeve/collar" (see attached picture).
Does the cable not work when the lead ball/cable falls through the slot in the mechanism and doesn't engage anymore?
MY cable looks kinked in the upwards direction which seem to have prevented the cable from becoming disengaged (so far lucky me).
What is the permanent fix...replace the whole cable or just the sleeve/collar?
I am thinking of closing/filling the gap (at the bottom of the latch) with epoxy/liquid nails to prevent the cable from disengaging.
Looking forward to

 

[Vincent998]

Okay, it looks like my driver's side has the broken "sleeve/collar" (see attached picture).
Does the cable not work when the lead ball/cable falls through the slot in the mechanism and doesn't engage anymore?
The cable looks kinked in the upwards direction which seem to have prevented the cable from becoming disengaged (so far lucky me).
What is the permanent fix...replace the whole cable or just the sleeve/collar?
I am thinking of closing/filling the gap (at the bottom of the latch) with epoxy/liquid nails to prevent the cable from disengaging.
Looking forward to

That’s on the right track, I think.

I don’t think this (potential) problem is solved yet. Almost everyone’s GT has a supercharger, which interferes with being able to using the removable engine bulkhead panel to gain access to the “emergency” clamshell release points. It doesn’t look possible to do on the passenger side, and possibly not on the driver’s.

After looking at my latches, I think there is a simple solution to prevent the problem from occurring. The photos from TORQJNKY show that the problem was caused by breakage of the plastic “spool” that located the wire in the actuating arm of the latch on TORQJUNKYs car. The breakage allowed the wire and ball end to fall out of the recess in the arm, and disengage from the mechanism, resulting in inability to actuate the release.

It seems to me that this can be prevented by making a small rectangular block and gluing it to the latch mounting plate so it’s under the wire and has just enough clearance to not interfere with the wire or arm, but prevents the wire and ball end from falling out of the recess in the arm. Under those circumstances, the release would still work although it would require a somewhat longer pull than normal.

Opinions and other ideas welcome!

 

[Tomcat]

The breakage allowed the wire and ball end to fall out of the recess in the arm, and disengage from the mechanism, resulting in inability to actuate the release.

It seems to me that this can be prevented by making a small rectangular block and gluing it to the latch mounting plate so it’s under the wire and has just enough clearance to not interfere with the wire or arm, but prevents the wire and ball end from falling out of the recess in the arm.

Thank you, that is what I assumed and I am going to try to use JBWeld (or the like) to semi-permanently close the gap to prevent the ball from falling down and disengaging the latch...

 

[twobjshelbys]

I wonder how much a ford dealer would charge to remedy this.

 

[B.M.F.]

I wonder how much a ford dealer would charge to remedy this.

The release cables are obsolete. So either a 3d printed part needs to be made to go in the latch parts to take up the room of the rubber that fails or you need to use zip ties for now.

 

[GT@50]

It's not like Ford didn't use zip ties on this car anyways.

 

[Tomcat]

...or you need to use zip ties for now.

I think I will use zip ties as a redundant safety measure. THANKS!

 

[B.M.F.]

Okay, it looks like my driver's side has the broken "sleeve/collar" (see attached picture).
Does the cable not work when the lead ball/cable falls through the slot in the mechanism and doesn't engage anymore?
MY cable looks kinked in the upwards direction which seem to have prevented the cable from becoming disengaged (so far lucky me).
What is the permanent fix...replace the whole cable or just the sleeve/collar?
I am thinking of closing/filling the gap (at the bottom of the latch) with epoxy/liquid nails to prevent the cable from disengaging.
Looking forward to

so yours still opens? Craigs cable just fell away from the latch finger..

I'm thinking a 3D printed u shaped piece that fits up into the latch and holds the cable from falling out and also has the desired thickness of the oem rubber.

 

[Tomcat]

so yours still opens? Craigs cable just fell away from the latch finger..

I'm thinking a 3D printed u shaped piece that fits up into the latch and holds the cable from falling out and also has the desired thickness of the oem rubber.

I added a little dab of JBWeld (to semi-permanently close the bottom gap) AND a zip tie lasso as a secondary precaution.

 

[Shark01]

Hope someone comes up with a little fix kit....great stocking stuffer

 

[Shark01]

I added a little dab of JBWeld (to semi-permanently close the bottom gap) AND a zip tie lasso as a secondary precaution.

Can you post a picture where to attach the zip-tie? Thanks

 

[Tomcat]

Can you post a picture where to attach the zip-tie? Thanks

See attached driver's side (passenger side is harder to see but its a mirror image, BUT up against the window). The white line is where I initially installed the zip tie but it required more slack/slop to account for the cable/lever movement so I elected to just hold the cable up without interfering with movement. You can probably also see my dab of JBWeld on what is left of the original clip.
The passenger side required releasing of the open/closed contact switch. Push in two tabs and release...left it dangling by the plug/wire.

 

[B.M.F.]

See attached driver's side (passenger side is harder to see but its a mirror image, BUT up against the window). The white line is where I initially installed the zip tie but it required more slack/slop to account for the cable/lever movement so I elected to just hold the cable up without interferring with movement. You can probably also see my dab of JBWeld on what is left of the original clip.
The passenger side required releasing of the

I put the zip tie on the ball side and it takes up the slack of the rubber missing.

 

[Tomcat]

I put the zip tie on the ball side and it takes up the slack of the rubber missing.

That is a great idea (especially taking up/accounting for the slack)...I was concerned that I would affect the free movement of the lead ball (it seems to move about 3/4").

 

[Howard]

Well, you guys have made me sufficiently nervous that I cannot leave my clamp release alone. On my GT the rubber washer on both clamps slides freely along the cable. Nothing prevents the cable from falling down, out of the slot in the release mechanism. Is that rubber washer supposed to be attached to the back face of the release fork (cemented? pressed in place?). If it was, it isn't any more on my car (first image). I propose to cement it to the back face of the fork, which will prevent the cable from dropping out of the slot (second image). What are your thoughts?