Trunk cable repair

Here is a little tech tip that should be filed away for future use. Because of a minor design shortcoming, the release cable for your trunk will eventually break. Alfa has foreseen this problem and has provided an emergency nylon "cable" with the pull ring under the left side of the rear seat. The nylon cable seems to be very elastic, and I was afraid it would break, why it now ha been replaced by a steel cable.  In case this doesn't work, the trunk can be opened easily by removing the rear license plate. This will reveal two Phillips head screws fastening the plastic trim in place. This piece can be removed by sliding it to one side and lifting, or by carefully bowing the center out until one of the ends clear. Under this piece you'll find a 1/8 inch hole. Insert a large nail or stiff wire, find the release arm and push to the left.

New Cable Installation

In my experience, the cable is long enough to allow a proper repair without replacing it. To gain access to the latch mechanism, remove the four plastic fasteners securing the plastic part holding the carpet edge (a quarter turn counter clockwise is supposed to do it). Back off the cable lock screw and remove the broken piece of cable. The two metal tabs securing the cable should be carefully bent out. Then slide the housing toward the release lever inserting the end of the inner cable into its hole. Check that the release lever by the front seat is in its normal down position. If not, slide cable housing toward release lever (though as little as possible). Tighten lock screw on cable and bend metal tabs over cable housing being careful not to flatten them and crush the housing. Close the trunk and try repaired cable to assure that the cable housing is clamped tight enough and that the release arm does not hit the housing before the trunk is released. If it does, the housing will have to be shortened. So far, the first repair hasn't required this. If all's well, replace plastic over the carpet edge, the plastic trim at rear, and the license.

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