Rover 200 & 400 Owners Club

I have two that have failed, or in other words fail to grip the bar when shut.

Is this a rust issue or do these catches just break with old age? I do have a working spare but haven't tried removing /striping one yet. If indeed that's possible?

Have you tried adjusting the position? You can adjust the catch itself (three bolts holding it to the boot). I've found over time it can get pushed backwards and swivelled slightly sideways making it hard to lock. The fixed loop at the bottom can also be adjusted, it's held on by two Torx bolts. My hatchback was getting harder to close and I'd run out of adjustment on the catch so I tried moving the loop up a bit. Perfect, the boot closes effortlessly now. Thought I might have a rattle afterwards if the boot was too slack, but I haven't.

Having said all that, I met a fellow Rover R8 owner at last year's POL who was staying in the same Premier Inn as us. Think he was from Germany. He reckoned these catches break and he'd got a box of them off old cars for anybody who wanted one.

If you do manage to take it apart for repair I'm sure we'd all be interested in what you find out.

Cheers,
Hugh

I had the same problem and I figured out a fix.
Initially I extended the slots on the lock mechanism to make it sit lower when closing.
This did not work so I extended the slots again.
Again this did not work.
At this point I figured out the problem:
The back of the lock mechanism housing is at a 45 degree angle.
This sits right against the aperture, and so expanding the slots does not work.
However, putting 1mm washers under the lock mechanism makes it sit 1mm proud,
and also allows the mechanism to be set 1mm lower.
This works without any problems for 2 years now.

Also the black plastic buffer break/cracks thats another issue for it not closing as we as no lube on the lock , putting washes underneath as RichardR66 says can cure the problem sometimes but not always some for sale on ebay and I also have some for sale the catches are same on 45 hatch but not the saloon.

Interesting. The one on my early 214 is metal. Maybe more durable.

g259fsg wrote: ↑Sat Feb 21, 2026 10:39 pm Interesting. The one on my early 214 is metal. Maybe more durable.

They are both the same apart from the plating early and yellow plated later painted and both have the plastic buffer on or should have .

Thanks for al the info'!

The hatch assy' had been removed for paint to the gutter. The lock started to fail to latch after this work was completed.
I effected a cure for a while by repositioning the bar assembly, now it's failed completely.
I suspect a lack of lubrication hastens breakage.