# What WERE the designers thinking? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [July 2, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-were-the-designers-thinking/105544 "2017-07-02T23:08:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 5:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-were-the-designers-thinking/105544/41 "2017-07-04T17:15:33Z")
> [@TwinTurbo](#): > > In this case, you wouldn’t have to do that. According to the manual, the release is right behind the seat. This is from the owners manual; _1 Open the cover._ _2 Move the lever to the left to fold_ _the seatback._ _3 Move the lever to the left to_ _open the trunk lid._ The release handle behind the seat is to fold the seat back down to allow entry into the trunk. The lever in step 3 is located on the trunk lid. ---
**Author:** ![irlandes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5e925/32.png) [@irlandes](https://community.cartalk.com/u/irlandes)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 12:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-were-the-designers-thinking/105544/42 "2017-07-05T00:12:16Z")
> [@asemaster](#): > > On a properly maintained modern day car where the battery is replaced proactively at 6 year intervals and the driver is alert a completely dead battery is a rarity. I can’t say I fault the builders for not designing an action plan for a dead battery. I can! And, just did. ---
**Author:** ![kurtwm1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kurtwm1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kurtwm1)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 12:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-were-the-designers-thinking/105544/43 "2017-07-05T00:17:59Z")
Mars?..😁 ---
**Author:** ![irlandes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5e925/32.png) [@irlandes](https://community.cartalk.com/u/irlandes)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 12:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-were-the-designers-thinking/105544/44 "2017-07-05T00:24:34Z")
One thing that has bothered me is the rear hatch on my 2002 Sienna and my Mexican 2009 Sienna. I have to admit I have never been in a situation where I had to exit the car by the rear hatch. But, if I ever did, I don’t think there is a way to open that rear hatch from inside. Am I wrong on this opinion? If there is a simple and obvious solution, I don’t mind feeling stupid; it won’t be the first time all week. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 3:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-were-the-designers-thinking/105544/45 "2017-07-05T03:12:03Z")
> [@irlandes](#): > > Am I wrong on this opinion? Nope, you aren’t. Hatchbacks are not statutorily required to have inside releases. The cargo space is not considered to be a separate area from the passenger cabin. ---
**Author:** ![irlandes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5e925/32.png) [@irlandes](https://community.cartalk.com/u/irlandes)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 4:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-were-the-designers-thinking/105544/46 "2017-07-05T04:25:11Z")
Okay, thanks. I had looked carefully and saw nothing, but I certainly know from 75 years experience that I can overlook things. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 4:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-were-the-designers-thinking/105544/47 "2017-07-05T04:49:08Z")
> [@irlandes](#): > > 2009 Sienna. > > I have to admit I have never been in a situation where I had to exit the car by the rear hatch. But, if I ever did, I don’t think there is a way to open that rear hatch from inside. There is no emergency release handle required on a van but there is a release lever behind a small panel on the inside of the back door that allows you to open it should there be some sort of failure. The cover can be remover by hand. ---
**Author:** ![irlandes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5e925/32.png) [@irlandes](https://community.cartalk.com/u/irlandes)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 1:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-were-the-designers-thinking/105544/48 "2017-07-05T13:53:37Z")
Thanks for the tip. It was a used car, and there is an opening at the bottom inside of the hatchr, but I could not find anything that seemed to fit the bill. In fact, it looks like the cover is missing. With your tip, I will get in there and look some more. The only way I can visualize needing to get out that back door is if you run into something what catches on fire, it would not be survivable to exit by the side doors, and the rear hatch would be barely marginal. I was a Crash Rescue firefighter at Fort Lewis in the 60’s, so even after 50 years, I still plan for such rare events. Just as in an inside motel (I much prefer the old style where you have direct access to the balcony in the open air) I run up and down before I go to sleep, and understand exactly how to exit in the dark with smoke. I will not use a high rise motel or hotel. I’d rather sleep in my car. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2017, 3:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-were-the-designers-thinking/105544/49 "2017-07-06T03:46:56Z")
I agree car sales people know almost nothing about the cars they sell. I figure they are there to sell extended warranties, lousy leases, expensive loans and add on “packages”. When I went to pick up a CR-V that I bought using texts back and forth, they had a $999 package of “conveniences” added on, 3/4 of them were standard on the model I bought and the others were things like door edge guards. I told Mr. Clueless that I wasn’t paying a dime to get that stuff, and either take it off right now, leave it there at no cost, or forget the deal. He said I was being a stubborn person and I should ease up. I shrugged and smiled. He sold me the car without charging for the “package”. Meanwhile, I asked him where the hood release was, and he had to go ask someone else! Anyway, my 02 Miata has a trunk lock feature that I think is really a great idea. It does have a key as well as a pull handle by the drivers seat, and a remote button too, but if you put the key in the trunk lock and turn it counter-clockwise it disables the electric release and the cable pull completely, so the only way it can be opened is with the key. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 3:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-were-the-designers-thinking/105544/50 "2017-07-06T03:49:59Z")
> [@wentwest](#): > > if you put the key in the trunk lock and turn it counter-clockwise it disables the electric release and the cable pull completely, so the only way it can be opened is with the key. Ah, a “valet feature”! [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-were-the-designers-thinking/105544.md?page=2)