Trunk Release, no power

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johnod

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Hi I'm new here, I've had my 05 LS for about 3 years now, I like it just fine, unfortunately I've screwed up.

The battery in trunk is disconnected, ( car parked for the winter).
The lock in trunk won't turn with the key for some reason, so I can't unlock it that way.
Naturally the inside release doesn't work without power.

I thought maybe I could just jump the interior switch with another battery, BUT I read somewhere that there is no power at switch, that it just breaks the ground.
Anyone know if that's true, or how I might be able to get trunk open?

Thanks
 
The switch connects to an electronic module that reads the state of the switch. If the module detects that the switch is pressed (and the car is moving less than x MPH), then this module sends a message to the module in the trunk (REM) to instruct it to apply power to the trunk latch release solenoid. All that is to point out that no, this isn't a simple switch directly connected to a solenoid like it would be in a lot of older cars.

You'll have to supply a decent amount of power to the whole electrical system. You should be able to get enough in by connecting a small 12V battery (maybe a portable jump pack) to the power port in the dash. Another option is to pry the back seat backs down, but that does risk doing some damage.

Is it possible that the key you are using is the valet key, or was cut from the valet key?
 
Well that sucks for me.
No not using the Valet key, tried them all, wish it were that easy.

Thanks.
 
I have a cord that connects one cars cig lighter port to another cars, I sits under the passenger seat in the event this happens to me (it has) and it works to get enough juice to pop the trunk. I also keep regular jumpers in the trunk for once its open. It claimed to supply enough juice to jump a car but there is no way in hell that would ever work.

They carry them at most auto parts stores. I think mine was like 10-15 bucks

similar to this one,

http://www.amazon.com/Wagan-EL9796-...082&sr=8-21&keywords=power+port+jumper+cables
 
Wait, I'm not sure if this is right...

Is there a way to get into the trunk through the seat backs in the car? I'm pretty sure I released them at some point, but my memory isn't perfect and I'm still kind of sick. If you can get in there, crawl back and pull the escape handle, which should be connected by a cable to the trunk latch, and push up on the trunk lid from inside.
 
The release handles for the seat backs are inside the trunk. If he were inside the trunk...
 
The releases are in the trunk.
I thought they were in the car too.

Anyone know a trick to get the seatback down from inside the car?
 
johnod said:
The releases are in the trunk.
I thought they were in the car too.
Click to expand...

No, You can take the seat bottom off and start unbolting the seat backs. Still there would be some prying involved and some risk of damage. Applying power via the power port still seems like a reasonable and low risk thing to try.
 
I had that happen to me. I removed the seat cushion, removed the bolts that hold the bottom of the backrests and pried between the 2 backrests until I was able to insert a piece of 2x4 to have an opening between them. Then with a flashlight and a stiff wire with a hook at the end of it I hooked onto the emergency release strap, pulled and the trunk opened.

There was a previous post in which someone described how to insert a screwdriver from the top between the backrest and the shelf to unlatch the backrest. I think it was G-Rell in a post like 3 years ago that mentioned you could unlatch the backrest with a screwdriver.

Certainly if one can make it work by supplying voltage through the cigar lighter port, it would be much easier.
 
I have an AC battery charger that plugs into the dash, I just tried it.
I figured if I plugged it in that would be enough to open trunk.
Anyway it didn't work, there was a rapid clicking from under the hood, from something, but as it's dark now I didn't check to see what it was, just quickly unplugged it.

??
 
LSV8FAN said:
I had that happen to me. I removed the seat cushion, removed the bolts that hold the bottom of the backrests and pried between the 2 backrests until I was able to insert a piece of 2x4 to have an opening between them. Then with a flashlight and a stiff wire with a hook at the end of it I hooked onto the emergency release strap, pulled and the trunk opened.

There was a previous post in which someone described how to insert a screwdriver from the top between the backrest and the shelf to unlatch the backrest. I think it was G-Rell in a post like 3 years ago that mentioned you could unlatch the backrest with a screwdriver.

Certainly if one can make it work by supplying voltage through the cigar lighter port, it would be much easier.
Click to expand...

Do the seat bottoms just pull out?
 
johnod said:
I have an AC battery charger that plugs into the dash, ..
Click to expand...

Yeah, don't ever do that (attach an AC battery charger without a battery connected). Most such chargers have a pulsed DC output. This pulsed output is okay if there is a battery to filter it down to steady DC, but without a battery you could damage some of the electronics in the car.

The suggestion about a cable going from the power port of another car to the power port of your LS was a good one. Certainly, the $16 or so for the cable is a lot cheaper than the possible damages from prying seats apart or using a battery charger.
 
joegr said:
Yeah, don't ever do that (attach an AC battery charger without a battery connected). Most such chargers have a pulsed DC output. This pulsed output is okay if there is a battery to filter it down to steady DC, but without a battery you could damage some of the electronics in the car.

The suggestion about a cable going from the power port of another car to the power port of your LS was a good one. Certainly, the $16 or so for the cable is a lot cheaper than the possible damages from prying seats apart or using a battery charger.
Click to expand...

So you feel the car to car unit would work, where the AC unit didn't?
 
johnod said:
So you feel the car to car unit would work, where the AC unit didn't?
Click to expand...

Yes, as long as the bare end of the positive battery cable is not touching bare metal in the trunk. It probably isn't, or you wouldn't have gotten the clicking from the pulsed DC from the AC battery charger. BTW, this is also why you should never ever disconnect the battery while the car is running. That trick used to work to test the alternator, but it can lead to disaster with all the electronics in cars now.
 
joegr said:
Yes, as long as the bare end of the positive battery cable is not touching bare metal in the trunk. It probably isn't, or you wouldn't have gotten the clicking from the pulsed DC from the AC battery charger. BTW, this is also why you should never ever disconnect the battery while the car is running. That trick used to work to test the alternator, but it can lead to disaster with all the electronics in cars now.
Click to expand...

I've ordered one, just have to wait now.

Thanks a lot.
 
johnod said:
Hi I'm new here, I've had my 05 LS for about 3 years now, I like it just fine, unfortunately I've screwed up.

The battery in trunk is disconnected, ( car parked for the winter).
The lock in trunk won't turn with the key for some reason, so I can't unlock it that way.
Naturally the inside release doesn't work without power.

I thought maybe I could just jump the interior switch with another battery, BUT I read somewhere that there is no power at switch, that it just breaks the ground.
Anyone know if that's true, or how I might be able to get trunk open?

Thanks
Click to expand...

What could be the cause of this, aside from using a valet key?

I don't recall having this problem, but recently found out neither of my keys open the trunk manually via the lock cylinder. Any troubleshooting I can do? I checked the service manual but there wasn't much in that regard IIRC.
 
M4rk said:
What could be the cause of this, aside from using a valet key?

I don't recall having this problem, but recently found out neither of my keys open the trunk manually via the lock cylinder. Any troubleshooting I can do? I checked the service manual but there wasn't much in that regard IIRC.
Click to expand...

Maybe spray some lubricate into the lock mechanism? I make it a habit to use my key in the trunk lock and the door lock every once in a while (monthly or so) just to make sure they are still working.
 
M4rk said:
What could be the cause of this, aside from using a valet key?

I don't recall having this problem, but recently found out neither of my keys open the trunk manually via the lock cylinder. Any troubleshooting I can do? I checked the service manual but there wasn't much in that regard IIRC.
Click to expand...

Mine have never worked either.
 
Will do, thank you. Would white lithium suffice?
 
Found out recently that my daughter can't get her trunk key in all the way. It's like a key was broken off in the cylinder. She tried shooting copious amounts of silicone spray into the cylinder with no success....
 
DC power---from a battery?---to the power port (Cigarette lighter) will give enough power to unlock the trunk.

I sometimes take the battery out of my '02 and then want to leave the car locked up. No one ever sits in the back seat so I've had my seat-backs unlatched for many years. And I have a piece of cord tied to the trunk release handle in the trunk as well. I unlock the driver's door with my key, reach through to the lock lever in the back door, fold the seat back forward and pull the cord to unlatch the trunk. (In this below zero weather I take the battery inside and put it on the trickle charge setting on my charger. In the morning the battery is fully charged and warm from being inside. No problem starting even at -18 degrees.

KS
 
cammerfe said:
And I have a piece of cord tied to the trunk release handle in the trunk as well.
Click to expand...

You know, that's not a bad idea for an emergency trunk release. You could rig it up so the cord is hidden down the side of the seat but easy to get at and able to work without damaging anything. You'd want to be careful about what to use for a cord, you want something that doesn't stretch and has good tensile strength. You'd not want something that stretches until it breaks before it's able to put enough force on the release.
 
My keys just normally don't work in the door "on the fly". If I unlock via remote, I can lock/unlock all I want with the key. But if it sits for a while, none of my keys turn in the door. They feel like the wrong key.

But at least they work in the trunk. I have a bunch of chipless keys laying around and I carry one with my mini Leatherman everywhere, so I'm not too worried, but I like the cable solution. I get another copy made each time I need to start a dialogue with the guy at Home Depot and convince him to cut me a "Do not duplicate" key blank from eBay.
 
I thought there was testing terminals behind the passenger front wheel that you could jump power to...
 
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