Connector C265 latch #!@#*!

[TexasTorque]

OMG. I consider myself a person of reasonable intelligence but can't figure out the latch holding down the release lever on C265 up in the passenger side footwell. Doesn't help that I can only get at it with one hand, even with the 4x4 module out of the way.

I've picked, I've pried, I've grabbed it with needle nose pliers, I've cussed a whole lot... I can't tell what is actually supposed to move and which direction... I've tried prying A up and away from the black body. I've tried pressing the black area I've labeled B. C wiggles a tad when I stick it with the pick, so I think it's part of the answer? I've pushed and pulled it in all directions though and it isn't giving up its secret if so. I've tried grabbing D with needle nose and pulling towards me and up.

It is close to breaking and at this point I'm close to being ok with that, but thought I'd ask for pointers (and decompress a bit, ha!)

Sponsored

 

[VRFlyer]

It's a contact pressure latch, don't be "OK" with breaking it!

You probably need to concentrate on the black (lip) tab under that grey handle, since it seems to protrude from that cap.

Edit: I believe you labeled it as "B"

 

[HammaMan]

I put a decent sized flat head screw driver on C while lifting it

 

[{tpc}]

I think the gray part "rotates" when you press on C and lift? Can't tell what the sides do though.

Looks like one that as you rotate it, the connector with the wires should "slide" out from the rest of it?

 

[hix117]

Not helpful to your issue but I consider myself reasonably intelligent too and snapped the passenger kick panel clip and my passenger headlight harness clip trying to get them undone

 

[TexasTorque]

It's a contact pressure latch, don't be "OK" with breaking it!

I would actually be very mad at myself!

I put a decent sized flat head screw driver on C while lifting it

@HammaMan so you're saying there's hope... haha... do you recall which way you were applying pressure on C by chance? Like wedged in between A and C and prying the top towards you if your view was as in the picture? Or is it supposed to be more of a thumb press and you were pushing it back towards the overall connector itself?

Not helpful to your issue but I consider myself reasonably intelligent too and snapped the passenger kick panel clip and my passenger headlight harness clip trying to get them undone

I feel your pain @hix117 I'm almost (hopefully) done with all of the wire-up for adding 360 cams... Actually, I think this connector will be my last wire. One of my lessons learned here is that if I ever need to replace the door locks on my house or otherwise secure something, I'm using Ford harness connectors instead. Ain't nobody getting past those things!

Thank you all for the guidance and moral support!

 

[TexasTorque]

I think the gray part "rotates" when you press on C and lift? Can't tell what the sides do though.

That was my original thought too, but I've not managed to make that happen yet.

I did go back out and press some more on C. I tried pushing it back towards the connector and it wasn't doing anything. I did wedge a screwdriver between it and A and pulled towards me and now have C looking like this (for better or worse!) as one interpretation of HammaMan's experience but the lever is still not rotating.

...and i'm looking like this

 

[TexasTorque]

I don't know why C moves.... Probably a decoy to throw someone like me off the trail... but I raised it back up and re-tried one of my moves before deciding to humble myself here on the forum.

Came at it again with a flat-head screwdriver resting under the little lip I'm pointing at in this pic. I pressed towards the back of the connector and up (green arrow) and it finally let go. Had to give it quite a bit of pressure that I wasn't risking earlier today.

The black part "B" in my original picture was indeed the latch point. Mine's a little scarred now from being jabbed with a pick.

Progress, but it hasn't given up yet... the two connector halves are not coming apart with the latch fully open. Simple pulling and wiggling of course didn't work. Not many place to pry but so far no luck. Had to walk away and let the blood pressure come back down, haha

 

[HammaMan]

The latch is just that, as it reaches its full open position it opens the connection a little bit. Same goes on install, as the latch begins to move it fully closes the 2 connectors. You can see in your image the channel in the gray part where the bottom portion of the connector slides out

 

[TexasTorque]

Yeah, I've pulled apart the big C316 connector under the hood which has a similar lever concept so I was generally expecting something similar once I could get the lever to release. The inner connector of this C265 one certainly pushed out a bit from the female side as the lever raised but it isn't wanting to come any further.

With the lever fully open and wiggling by hand not getting me anywhere, I tried a pry tool wedged between the outer connector casing and the latch portion of the inner connector casing and rotate as much as room permitted to put some opposing force on the outer and inner connector. It would move slightly but just moved back into place when I let off like there's something else still holding it. This one has some heavier gauge wires in it than I have come across so far, so maybe those pins are being stubborn.

 

[TexasTorque]

The latch is just that, as it reaches its full open position it opens the connection a little bit. Same goes on install, as the latch begins to move it fully closes the 2 connectors. You can see in your image the channel in the gray part where the bottom portion of the connector slides out

I finally figured this out and then it sunk in that you had already told me the problem. I couldn't see up into the gray channel but could see black in it from my vantage point so it looked like it was ok. Turns out that pushing the lever all the way back like I was doing had sent the channel past where it needed to be for the pins on either side of the male connector to slide out. Had to back off of the lever rotation several degrees. Then it FINALLY slid out effortlessly.

Thank you all again....

Sponsored