[The_Tok'Ra]

Hey guys,

The G21 boot floor on some cars has rails that lift up when you are on the move, it's supposed to help stop items in the boot from moving around. It looks like this one in the E-Bay link below

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186292903871

The issue I have with it is that the rails are plastic and when you are on the move, and there in nothing or little in the boot the rails rattle around in their aluminium housings, and I HATE rattles in cars.

There is a 3 or 4 pin connector right behind the rear seats, down in a little recess.

Can anybody tell me how I disconnect this little connector?

I want to remove the boot floor and see if I can find a way to stop the rails from rattling around.

Thanks!

[The_Tok'Ra]

Bump. Anybody?

The plug does not seem to just be a press fit, I've deformed the plug housing slightly just trying to wiggle it out with pliers. The rather limited access really doesn't help.

Nobody else seen this connector type and know how to release it?

TIA

[xenon]

There's a tab right at the bottom you need to press in with a pointy thing.

[bmnut]

Originally Posted by The_Tok'Ra

Bump. Anybody?

The plug does not seem to just be a press fit, I've deformed the plug housing slightly just trying to wiggle it out with pliers. The rather limited access really doesn't help.

Nobody else seen this connector type and know how to release it?

TIA

Like Xenon says above there's normally a 'release tab' you need to keep pressed down and then ease the sleeve off by slightly pulling it out of shape. Unfortunately they're usually an absolute pig to release .
From your photo it looks like you can just make out where the tab is on the bottom of the connector.

[Riccardog]

I've got the same rails (part of the comfort pack). Can't say I've noticed them rattling and, like you, I've a keen ear for rattles.

Then again, I do have a rubber boot protector mat over them, so could just be muffling the noise. Therefore, as an alternate solution, perhaps consider going down this route? As a bonus you get to keep a pristine boot floor!

[The_Tok'Ra]

Thanks Guys! I'll take another look at it. It's quite well recessed as well, so that's not helping me to see the realease tab. Cheers!!

[paulockenden]

I was a bit annoyed when I bought mine that the 330e G21 doesn't get the lifty-uppy rail things. But if yours are rattly then perhaps I've dodged a bullet.

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by paulockenden

I was a bit annoyed when I bought mine that the 330e G21 doesn't get the lifty-uppy rail things. But if yours are rattly then perhaps I've dodged a bullet.

If you have a rubber boot liner like Riccardog has in his car, then that would stop the rails from being able to move for side to side when they are deployed.

I have a big foam rubber mat that's 1" thick in mine at the moment, it's a 1 meter square interlocking floor tile that I cut down to size to fit, but it does not lay 100% flat, so the rails do still rattle around a little sometimes.

But when the boot is empty, they rattle around all the time and it's very noticeable, to my ears anyway.

I've actually already bought a rather rough looking boot floor w/o the rails on it, and If I cannot fix the rattle from the rails I'll just put that in the car instead.

My foam rubber mat will be going back in regardless, so it will cover the marks on the "used" boot floor anyway.

[Arthur55]

I have the rails and I checked mine today, they do move a little bit. But with a BMW boot liner and a dog crate I can't hear any rattles.

Must admit I did know they did anything lol

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by Arthur55

I have the rails and I checked mine today, they do move a little bit. But with a BMW boot liner and a dog crate I can't hear any rattles.

Must admit I did know they did anything lol

They only raise up about 2mm apparently, just enough to lift them above the aluminium housings and put a little pressure on the underside of whatever is in the boot.

If there is nothing in the boot though, they are free to rattle against the sides of the slot in the housing that they raise up through. The rails are like a T shape, with the rubberised coating on the top of the T, if that makes sense.

[Arthur55]

Ah.....clever.....

See why you hate the rattle now......at least you've identified the source.

[The_Tok'Ra]

Hey folks, I had another go at this connector today, but I'm not finding the little release tab

I had a look under the black ribbon tape that holds the connector housing in place, but I don't see a tab under there either.

Pics with better lighting....

[bmnut]

Most of the connectors that I've encountered have a plastic 'barb' on the plug side normally (a bit like a fish hook) which engages into a 'cut-out' on the socket side of the connector.
The trick is to try and depress that barbed bit whilst using open the socket side but without distorting it out of shape. The problem is they are an absolute pig at times to try and get them apart.
Maybe it's fate telling you to leave it alone? I know what you're going to say though......the noise p*sses you off!......so I get where you're coming from!
Know any auto electrician near to you who may have either the experience and knack at getting them apart or even some secret tool no-one knows about?

[The_Tok'Ra]

Looking at it, I'm starting to think that in this case, perhaps the release tab is on the side of the connector housing, and that I need to slide a thin tool down the side of the male housing to release it.

I'll try to find something suitable.