# Can't open trunk **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [December 23, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812 "2008-12-23T23:12:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bisstess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@bisstess](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bisstess)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/1 "2008-12-23T23:12:20Z")
2006 Volkswagen Passat. When it gets cold out, I can not get the trunk to open when I push the button on the electronic key thing. I do not here a click or anything. New battery did not help. I have to gain access through the back seat and use the emergency latch to open the trunk. Has anyone else had this probelm? What was the fix? ---
**Author:** ![bisstess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@bisstess](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bisstess)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/2 "2008-12-23T23:13:16Z")
I meant I can not hear the click… ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/3 "2008-12-23T23:23:58Z")
Put your ear directly on the trunk lid and see if you hear a hum or buzz when you push the button. You mean there is no outside key lock?? If you hear a sound when you push the button, first try lubricating the latch and if that fails, adjust the trunk catch so there is a little less “pull” on it when closed… ---
**Author:** ![bisstess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@bisstess](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bisstess)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 11:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/4 "2008-12-23T23:29:08Z")
Correct, there is no key lock. Can you help me with the procedure for adjusting the trunk latch? ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/5 "2008-12-23T23:34:02Z")
Is there a mechanical trunk release in the interior of the car? If so, it should work even if the electronic device does not. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 1:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/6 "2008-12-24T01:34:06Z")
I believe the key lock disappeared in mid 2002. Sorry I don’t have much of an idea for you. You can try cleaning and lubeing the latch parts making sure you don’t use too much or too heavy a lube. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 3:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/7 "2008-12-24T03:55:44Z")
McP’s suggestion is good. If it opens with the inside release, the latch mechanism is working properly. The problem is then in the remote transmitter or receiver… ---
**Author:** ![BarryNNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@BarryNNJ](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BarryNNJ)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/8 "2008-12-24T04:29:22Z")
Your car is out of 4 year/50,000 mile warranty? How far? Maybe time to ask VW for goodwill. ---
**Author:** ![rocketman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rocketman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rocketman)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 1:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/9 "2008-12-24T13:19:00Z")
No mechanical key lock on a car trunk? What a STUPID design! You mean you can’t use a key to get into your trunk without the remote ? Ferry Porsche is spinning in his grave. Rocketman ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/10 "2008-12-24T14:59:04Z")
What happens if you push down on the trunk as you hit the button, possibly taking some pressure off the latch? ---
**Author:** ![cappy208](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cappy208/32/31_2.png) [@cappy208](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cappy208)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/11 "2008-12-24T15:11:29Z")
two things typically cause this. the rubber trunk deck seal gaskets get dislodged. and/or the lock mechanism gets gunked up and gets stiff with the cold weather. when you do get the trunk open, check to make sure the rubber gasket is seated all the way around the edge, and make sure there are no tears or other obvious defects causing the trunk to not be seating correctly. if the trunk deck doesn’t seat all the way down there will be too much pressure on the electrical lock to let it release. the lock mechanism itself may need to be cleaned and greased. ---
**Author:** ![wentwest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wentwest/32/6073_2.png) [@wentwest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wentwest)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 12:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/12 "2008-12-25T00:04:40Z")
Have you tried the other remotes? Maybe the one you are using is dirty inside, needs a new battery, is broken? If the answer is no remote works, then I guess I’d open the trunk like you have been doing, then push the remote while looking at the latch. Any movement? Buzzing, Humming? Click? If there is any sound at all, clean and oil the moving parts. Warm it up with a hair dryer - did that help? Is there some sort of way that the remote can be disabled for heightened security - check the owners manual. ---
**Author:** ![mshugna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@mshugna](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mshugna)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/13 "2008-12-25T00:18:36Z")
could be that the gasket is freezing the lid closed…since it happens in cold weather…when you get it open wipe down the rubber gaskets with a silicone spray to prevent freeze up. ---
**Author:** ![Alexa\_Rae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@Alexa\_Rae](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Alexa_Rae)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/14 "2009-01-08T23:16:31Z")
I just recently experienced the same problem as Stessier. I am unable to open the trunk on my 2001 Acura 1.7 EL. Because I am used to opening the trunk with either the keyless remote or with the mechanical trunk release found inside my car, I did not know that the trunk did not have a key lock entry to it until now. Unfortunately, the mechanical trunk release is not working either. When I tried to use it, the release felt looser, as if a cable might have snapped, if that is possible (?). I can hear the latch in the trunk clicking when I hit the keyless remote; however, the trunk will not open. I tried to use the spare keyless remote; however, the trunk didn’t open. I am able to access the trunk by lowering the rear seats, but I will not be able to do that all the time. Can anyone suggest further ideas as to how to repair this? The thought of paying to repair this problem baffles me, since Acura designed this car without the possibility of manually accessing the trunk with a basic key. It’s one thing to be security conscious; it’s another to be practical should the battery in the keyless remote die or the mechanical release no longer works. … I’m disappointed that I NEVER noticed that the trunk didn’t have key access when I bought the car! ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-open-trunk/23812/15 "2009-01-09T00:03:27Z")
Everyone forgot about the electrical solenoid that pulls the latch. It could be an intermittent failure of the solenoid. Or the relay that trips the solenoid. This should be somewhere under the dash. I’ve heard VWs suffer from electrical gremlins. This may just be one.