Okay, I went to get the top out of the trunk and put it on Betsy as it started raining. Sadly, the solenoid is not engaging and I can't get into my trunk. I know on the front, you have to remove the bumper, but how do you gain entry to the rear trunk???


Thanks in advance.

p.s. To add insult to injury, my Haynes manual, car cover and all my tools are in the rear trunk also.

You can't except through the engine compartment bulkhead.
Lots of other threads with suggestion on using many socket extensions to remove the 2 10mm bolts hold the latch assembly. There was another suggestion about unbolting the hinges. . .
Try this first. . Have someone else work the release, while you press down one the lid above the catch. this will release some of the pressure on the latch and allow it to operate easier. .
When you finally get it open, you might consider hooking up an emergency release pull wire. I put one down under the car by the muffler.

Check that the switch has power to operate the solenoid.

The first thing I always do is put a pull cable in the engine compartment whenever I have a solenoid!

Other than that there a couple of methods

1. Have a friend push down on the trunk while you press the botton! (confirm you have 12v at the wire leading to the trunk solenoid first)

2. Pop the plastic cup out and connect a bunch of extensions with a 10mm socket and undo the latch. (unfortunatly your top is in the trunk so you cant do that one)

3. Drill a small hole from below and feed a coat hanger in to pull down on the latch pivot!

Edit: Man you guys are fast!

Thanks guys, I guess I need to check and make sure I am getting plenty of voltage to the solenoid, I can hear a slight click when releasing the button, bot nothing like I normally hear when it is operated. I tried the 2 person technique with no success. I even considered the thought of something shifting up against it, so I drove down the road and jabbed the brakes a few times hoping to shift everything forward, no luck. Sadly, I am on vacation and where I am staying, there are no tools and all of my tools are, you guessed it, in the damn rear trunk! I guess I had better start praying that it doesn't rain between Lincoln and Durango.

Motorcycle style...if it rains, find an overpass!

I would double check that you have a full 12 volts going to the switch. If not, you may end up pulling the hinges....

Shoe, I know you said you tried w/ the help of another but I wanted to say that when the lid "is" holding it down it makes that very quite click you described. Other than that I'd think problem @ solenoid switch or ground. Maybe someone that was attending RRC could bring you one .??

If you still have the trunk hing torsion bars installed, be VERY careful removing the hinges. They're going to slam their way up and could cause substantial cosmetic damage, and possibly even induce a serious amount of pain to yourownself!

The Cap'n

possibly this thread will help?

Trunk

quickest way is to drill a hole in the rear valance about 1/8 in diameter.
From there you can push the drill bit in, not running and release the latch.

If you have someone post a few pictures of the rear latch assembly, where you drill the hole will make sense.
Plug it with a rubber plug afterwards...then you will always have a way in.

I know you don't have any tools, but you can find a drill...just keep asking around till you find one.
Look for guys with trucks...they typically have shit with them.

I suspect you may have over packed the trunk a bit so there is to much pressure against the latch.

Use the two person method again, but push down really hard with all you got for weight when they release the latch and you might get it.

Rich

I have had the very same problem with my rear trunk , so I fixed the problem for good. over the last six weeks I restored the rear trunk latch to stock. I'm a happier driver now.

Trunk Latch

Unfortunately, even if I had a custom made tool to reach the latch, I will never be able to get it on the bolts as the top is in the trunk along with the trunk being paced full, including 3 tool boxes with ALL my tools, extra clothes, my car cover in a bag and many other items. Looks like the the hinge removal may be the best option, that or drill a big ass hole in the top of the fuching trunk. Anybody going to RRC have a spare Alaska blue mettallic deck lid?

:thumbsup

No, just push both cups in that hold the roof....they will give if you just trash one.

You can reach things from those holes...I did it once, never undid the hinges, just used the cup holes.

With your roof in place, you may need to trash a cup and use a long rod to do what you need.

Rich

One additional thing to check. After searching threads someone mentioned several owners have drilled a hole down under the latch (look up under the bumper) and have hung a release wire down. Possibly your PO did this?

I just looked at my trunk and it looks like you can drill a small hole above the center of the licence plate and slide a flat blade screw driver up under the pivot latch where the button was and pop the trunk!

Thanks everybody for your help and input, the trunk is now open. Actually it was really simply, you just push the button and open it up.


Shoe










































p.s. Please note, when you use the 2 person technique............make sure your buddy knows the difference between PUSH and PULL!!!

Dang Shoe~ I hate those damn things. Got one on my v8 & that sucker is coming off. Annoying as hell when it get's stuck closed. I've had the hole drilled on one car & no matter what I put in that little hole. I could never get it to open. Adding a wire will help in the future. Hate setups like that though. So out it comes

With your trunk being full I'm not sure you'll be able to put much through to get it. Your best bet is through the little rubber cups for the top. Cut one out if you need too. If you can find a harbor freight they have some small fiberglass feed poles. Like a foot long that screw into each other up to 10ft. Feed those through & try to hook the tab. There is a hook attachment that comes with it. Still going to be a PITA to do

If it is still clicking sounds like it is trying to work. Surprised it didn't pop with a second person. I'd try that again with them pushing & pulling alternately while someone pushes the button. Probably did that already. Good luck bud

And therein lies Ducky's problem...

You know this how, Rob?

since you are in Nebraska, try and find some balin' wire to make a manual release now that you have it open.

I had my wife pump the brakes after my 1st brake job on a 914. She had 2 914's previous to meeting me. After listening to her pump the peddle for 5 min's I got up and saw her pumping the clutch. What'da ya gonna do? Glad it all worked out. Full steam ahead.

Not much help but .. my suggestion is remove it, find the nearest large body of water & hurl!

I would suggest changing your trunk release switch to something other than the "button" type. I use a spare fog light switch so that it keeps power applied to the solenoid until it is pushed it back in (turned off). That way, if your solenoid does not open immediately when you pull out the switch, you can simply walk to your trunk and push down on it yourself to unlatch it.

Of course, the back-up cable release is still recommended.

I just used safety wire and drilled a small hole user the latch just in case. I also like the different switch idea, I always have to get out of the car, push the button and run to the back before it releases. Switch coming soon!

I just remove the factory latch, or 1/2 of it and run without a latch. The lid never pops up becasue its held down by the t-bars. No latch, no problem...

My car cover was the villan I believe, was too fat and applying too much pressure. I moved it to the front trunk and my Mother's cover will be going in the back.

Moms in the trunk!?

push, pull...phunny