Help please!!Hi all,
Has anyone got any advice on how to open a 2019 daf xf grill when the door won’t open to access / release the catch. Desperately need to fill up oil but can’t and miles away from anything useful.
Cheers in advance
Can your boss?
Sorry, but a first post, asking to get under the grill, without keys…
Dingelingeling…
Phone up office, make it their problem. No doubt you’ve told them for long enough the door doesn’t open and they’ve done nowt about it so let them pay a DAFAid callout charge.
Cab over job I’m afraid.
Saying that I can’t remember if the xf grill used to catch & crack with the cab fully over if it was still stowed. The Actros used to.
As already said, not really your problem.
md1987:
Cab over job I’m afraid.
Saying that I can’t remember if the xf grill used to catch & crack with the cab fully over if it was still stowed. The Actros used to.
As already said, not really your problem.
It is if she’s not checked the oil, and now has a critical low level…
.
You have pull the lever under the top passenger step to release the grill from locking position .
the nodding donkey:
Can your boss?Sorry, but a first post, asking to get under the grill, without keys…
Dingelingeling…
You worried they want to siphon off the used oil and washer fluid?
Seriously what does that really give the access to for nefarious purposes? On the Actros there is no security, other than being a bit difficult to find the release levers.
fingermissing:
You have pull the lever under the top passenger step to release the grill from locking position .
I’ve had trouble where it doesn’t work, the grill remains locked. What seems to have worked (most of the time) is to pull the lever all the way towards you as far as it goes, then jam something in it like a rag or one of your gloves (therefore holding it in the pulled position). This seems to release at least one of the catches, so pull that side of the grille free. Might have to do the pull/jam again for the other side.
the nodding donkey:
md1987:
Cab over job I’m afraid.
Saying that I can’t remember if the xf grill used to catch & crack with the cab fully over if it was still stowed. The Actros used to.
As already said, not really your problem.It is if she’s not checked the oil, and now has a critical low level…
In that case better get pumping then 
Another not very bright design from Daf.
KarlM:
fingermissing:
You have pull the lever under the top passenger step to release the grill from locking position .I’ve had trouble where it doesn’t work, the grill remains locked. What seems to have worked (most of the time) is to pull the lever all the way towards you as far as it goes, then jam something in it like a rag or one of your gloves (therefore holding it in the pulled position). This seems to release at least one of the catches, so pull that side of the grille free. Might have to do the pull/jam again for the other side.
Good tip 
Timely reminder for drivers to carry out simple lubing jobs for themselves.
Yes i know there’s a high number of ''aint my jobbers 
‘’ out there, but a few minutes a week spent going round with some grease, spray grease and/or the oil can lubing things like hinges locks (even dog clips) and cables that open grills will make your life a hell of a lot easier, don’t forget the humble fifth wheel itself, depending on what type of trailers you tow these can run out of grease between inspections.
Never ceases to amaze me watching Scania drivers in particular having to force the driver’s door open because the hinges have never seen a drop of lube since the vehicle was built.
It all goes to making your job easier and safer.
Juddian:
Timely reminder for drivers to carry out simple lubing jobs for themselves.Yes i know there’s a high number of ''aint my jobbers
Never ceases to amaze me watching Scania drivers in particular having to force the driver’s door open because the hinges have never seen a drop of lube since the vehicle was built.
It all goes to making your job easier and safer.
Sometimes it’s not the drivers fault. I was on an assignment recently for a large supermarket. I went into transport and asked where I get water to fill the washers. I was told to defect the cab and run it round the VMU! I suppose that explains why they were empty.
Not my cup of tea as I’m used to carrying out the basics like bulbs & fluids myself.
Always used to carry the 2 part truck drivers tool kit.
Gaffa Tape. For if it moves and it should not.
WD40. For if it should move, but it does not 
LazyDriver:
Juddian:
Sometimes it’s not the drivers fault. I was on an assignment recently for a large supermarket. I went into transport and asked where I get water to fill the washers. I was told to defect the cab and run it round the VMU! I suppose that explains why they were empty.
Not my cup of tea as I’m used to carrying out the basics like bulbs & fluids myself.
Don’t get me started on places like that, they’ve no doubt employed a moron or two, filled the fuel tank with adblu and vice versa, headlight bulbs in upside down, twin contact side light bulbs in single contact holders with multiple variations on the general them of ‘‘shouldn’t have allowed within a mile of a bloody wagon in the first place’’, and because fool management employed said types in this modern day of one size fits all, the rest of the staff are assumed to be as useless…i’m sure this dumbing down is part of how civilisations start to collape ie like the one we’re currently witnessing.
My last agency stint if you needed engine oil the shunters had to top it up for you, they had a few Stralis on rent, the brilliant design of which meant the cab had to be tilted to put oil in these things, which incidentally drank the stuff.
Shunters didn’t want to know with that faffing about, so i got the low down on cab tilting correctly (electric tilt pump) from the mobile fitter and took the job on myself for the lot (extra £hours), it never dawned on anyone that if you neglect vehicles and run engines low on oil they start to use more oil, a self perpetuating state of affairs
Another place i opened Scania bonnet to dip the oil, staring me in the face was the broken cab damper (they all do that sir) which had been rubbing its way through the grill etc for some time judging by the wear, told despatch desk VOR, looked at me like i’d asked for a ride in his mum, after getting over the shock he sent me round to the chap who changes bulbs and suzies, who oddly enough didn’t have a new cab mount in his arse pocket nor a suitable block and tackle to lift the cab enough to change it if he had.
I tell yer our industry is bloody doomed.
the nodding donkey:
Can your boss?Sorry, but a first post, asking to get under the grill, without keys…
Dingelingeling…
Have keys. Also have a faulty sodding door. Cheers bud for your time and effort writing your reply. Appreciate it 
Wifeyofatrucker:
the nodding donkey:
Can your boss?Sorry, but a first post, asking to get under the grill, without keys…
Dingelingeling…
Have keys. Also have a faulty sodding door. Cheers bud for your time and effort writing your reply. Appreciate it
Always happy to help. It was no effort, and didn’t take much of my time.
You cleverly edited your post, after mine, and then left it another day to reply. Not bothering to thank those who tried to help you, just a sarky comment regarding my post. Not surprised, from a bloke who calls himself “wifeyofatrucker” (ill leave others to draw their own conclusions).
So, ar you going to come clean? Why the desperate need to top up in yhe middle of nowhere, and why are you driving around in a truck with a busted passenger door?
Namaste
If you really must do it yourself you can try the following.
Get someone to push the grill in will little force while u pull the bonnet latch.
Then ask them to open the grill whilst you continue to keep the bonnect latch pulled.
Might take a few attempts.
Let us know if it works. If it does then make sure u lube the latch before closing.
If this doesnt work then you will have to open the casing around the bonnet latch and use a pair of pliers to pull the cable
Juddian:
Timely reminder for drivers to carry out simple lubing jobs for themselves.Yes i know there’s a high number of ''aint my jobbers
Never ceases to amaze me watching Scania drivers in particular having to force the driver’s door open because the hinges have never seen a drop of lube since the vehicle was built.
It all goes to making your job easier and safer.
If I had my own unit to drive I definitely would do this, bits of preventative maintenance go a long way I think.
On nights I get what I’m given so it’d be a pointless exercise, on days they’re mostly allocated to a driver. The state of a few of them is embarrassing. I’d say that’s down to 50% driver abuse and 50% poor maintenance as in only essential maintenance is done. They’re all legal just some not ideal lol.
For example the unit I used last night. Top up oil message when I got in so topped it up few litres to the minimum, relying on the dash display though. Picked up a loaded trailer from Liverpool and it blue smoked its ■■■■ off up and down the m62 ha. Was never going to sprint up Windy hill but it’s obvious when something is amiss, anything other than flat and forget it.
I’ve left a defect but I doubt the day driver will have had a word about it. If I owned it I’d just spend half hour pulling the turbo pipe off and check, could be few things but basic first port of call maintenance. If it goes till Christmas without being recovered I’ll be surprised, then twice the bill… wtf!
Edit. Cemex always kicked off when a new 5th wheel was needed. The drivers were too lazy to drop the trailer between weekly inspections to check and chuck some grease on. Which was recommended on the nature of work they do.
I do wonder how much of this preventative maintence is down to vehicle design. for example the daf i drive and the mercs have this bloody stupid electronic dipstick that draws a pretty picture on the dash. There is no dipstick at least under the grill. Trouble is if the oil level cant be read for some reason it assumes its fine and just adds a message saying it cant be checked in the smallest writing possible. Even if the driver bothers to read that what are they supposed to do.
The other day i saw a driver checking the coolent level on a truck he decided it was below the minimum and promptly topped it off with water no acsess to antifreeze/coolant I did explain to him that the mixture would now be too weak and wouldnt have the required protection and the best thing to do was defect it when he got back and tell the office. However, i doubt the office willl care and probably send him on his way with an “oh thanks” if he is lucky