Is this a sign of impending doom and eventually going to lead to total lockout, or merely a required adjustment, which I find a bit odd after over 10 years of gentle ownership?

you need to adjust either the stops either side of the hatch closing, or the main lock on the car at the bottom. It doesn't really matter how gentle you are 10 years of being opened and closed is enough to cause wear and tear and quite possibly things like hinges may have more 'play' in them than they would new hence why adjustment is required.

So this is quite normal then?

 

Thank goodness for that.

 

I was getting a bit concerned that it may be the start of a sleepy solenoid or electrical fault.

32 minutes ago, Adenuf said:

So this is quite normal then?

 

Thank goodness for that.

 

I was getting a bit concerned that it may be the start of a sleepy solenoid or electrical fault.

Could also be that its getting a bit weak, but try the adjustment first and see

Mine did this when the solenoid was full of crud.

 

I took it apart, cleaned up and rewound the spring, it was as good as new afterwards.

Check that the spring-loaded plunger is OK on the boot latch. This is what pops the boot lid open. It should be nice and springy.

 

19 hours ago, softscoop said:

Mine did this when the solenoid was full of crud.

 

I took it apart, cleaned up and rewound the spring, it was as good as new afterwards.

Looks like a sealed unit from the picture.

Obviously not.

 

Does it come apart easily then?

Providing you're talking about the white solenoid then yes it comes apart. 

 

The top should unclip with a bit of persuasion.

 

If your rear washer has ever leaked I bet the spring has a layer of rusty crud on it. 

 

I took the spring out, unwound it and gave it a good clean to remove it all. 

 

It's a flat spring so is a bit fiddly to get wound up correctly but shouldn't take too long. 

9 hours ago, softscoop said:

Providing you're talking about the white solenoid then yes it comes apart. 

 

The top should unclip with a bit of persuasion.

 

If your rear washer has ever leaked I bet the spring has a layer of rusty crud on it. 

 

I took the spring out, unwound it and gave it a good clean to remove it all. 

 

It's a flat spring so is a bit fiddly to get wound up correctly but shouldn't take too long. 

Oh. So what's the black thing with the red circle 'round it then?

I assumed THAT was the solenoid.

No that is the spring that pushes the hatch open slightly. 

 

The solenoid is essentially an electronic way of pulling the boot release, which on lower spec models is just done via a cable that feeds down next to the fuel flap release.

 

Remove the rear trim at the back of the boot and it should become obvious.