We do a lot of muddy off-road work in the RRS and have only just had our first flat and had cause to change a tyre (happened on the black top funnily enough).

Unfortunately though the cable release on the spare was jammed up with fine dirt and dust which made trying to get the bastard lowered on my own a real nightmare.

Once I got it down I then had trouble reeling it back in and ended up having to put the spare in the back.

I eventually got it back up into position, sans spare, but it will no release at all bow even with someone else putting lots of weight on it to replicate the weight of the spare.

Anyone else come across this.

It's not a sealed unit which seems a little strange given it's location and propensity to get muddy when off-road. 'Black Betty' Java Black RRS 07 TDV6

Happens mainly when people wind it up without any weight on it, You can unbolt it from the car, and take it apart (you may have to drill out some rivets)and undo it all and clean it and put it back together and rewind it with, as you say, some weight on it. Is it under warranty? try claiming, Or buy a new assy, I don't think they are that expensive (well in the UK at least).  RRS TDV8 Buck Blue (no, not now in my dreams). ..........D3 TDclankety clankV6 ............BMW 318i

mine just did this. I now have a can of WD40 in the space under the boot mat where the jack and tools are. Pain in the ass.
 If you see a bandwagon - it's too late.....

Java Black HSE TDV6 O7, alpaca, FF sunroof, adaptive Xenon headlights, SC grill, black privacy glass, clear indicators, tow-pack, colour-coded all black.Gone, but forever in my memory. Until my new one comes...
In the stables:Mercedes CLK 230K Cab W208; BMW 318d; VW Golf (LHD) 1.6 SE in Spain:New RRS to come soon...

Common design fault - just had mine exchanged yesterday under warranty

I recall something in the manual saying not to wind the cable up without the wheel in place as this will jam the unit Not much help to you now but a warning to others MY10 3.0 TDV6 HSE, Zermatt Silver, 20" Diamond Turned Alloys, Factory Privacy Glass, Premium Leather, Contrast Stiching, Side Steps, Etc

Gone 2006 '56' 2.7 TDV6 HSE, Zermatt Silver, 20", Side Steps, Brembos, Dynamic Pack, Etc

VW Transporter, 19" Rims, T32 170 BHP, Lowered

It is certainly not in the german version that came with my car mate...

Just got he word back from Alto's and it's stuffed.

Was full of grit and pebbles from off-roading and it jammed up.

Given the position under the spare, you wonder why it's not a sealed unit?

Mind you, not everyone put's their pride and joy up to the top of the wheel arches in mud puddles every other weekend

Fortunately will be covered under warranty. 'Black Betty' Java Black RRS 07 TDV6

UPDATE:

Went in today to have the unit replaced under warranty and incredibly, after installing the unit (and whilst winding the spare back into place) the new unit jammed on the workshop crew half through the wind up and they have had to send for another unit.

back in tomorrow for another go 'Black Betty' Java Black RRS 07 TDV6

Jimmy Salsa wrote:

UPDATE: back in tomorrow for another go

Jimmy i have had those type of repetitive problems, radio cut out, steering wheel shudder.. it goes in every quarter/month and still not fixed  Another Pommie Bar Steward down under

MY20 Defender 110 SE P400 Eiger/Ebony
MY10 3.0 RRS TDv6 Fuji/Ebony/Anigre

i don't understand why you *prisoners* have to go off-road all the time...  
L 405 2013 FFRR 5.0 SC
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Times have moved on, no more labour gangs,nobody left to build roads, either surfing or in the pub, so to get anywhere it is all off road

there was a time when you needed a criminal record to get here a very select place

Now if you have one they don't let you in .. how times change... basically they are also shipping their long time criminals who are residents and not citizens back to their Country of origin, including the UK  Another Pommie Bar Steward down under

MY20 Defender 110 SE P400 Eiger/Ebony
MY10 3.0 RRS TDv6 Fuji/Ebony/Anigre

XXXAngelXXX wrote:

i don't understand why you *prisoners* have to go off-road all the time...

What can I say, heading bush is just naturally bred into all us convicts.

The result of generations trying to find a quiet place to escape all the annoying, uptight europeans who keep trying to tell us we're not as good as them, even though we continue to beat them at almost every sport on the planet  'Black Betty' Java Black RRS 07 TDV6

I also had the spare tyre winding mechanism seize. Our was due to bulldust, mud, grit and various other guff collected on a 6k trip outback.
The design of the winding mechanism is a joke as the opening for the wire (on our car) was facing forward So while we had the spare on the roof for the trip, the scoop on the winder was collecting soil/creek samples for us. Maybe an archaeologist could have dissected the layers and told us where we went on our trip Who designs one of the world's best of road cars with that sort of basic flaw? Life is a break in non existance so enjoy it to the fullest, without ifs or buts just soak it up!