[Kerry E Raghunath]

Hey guys.

I just joined the forum and needed your advice on an issue i just found.

I just bought a 2000 W202 C180 sedan and this morning i tried opening the trunk with the Key FOB and switch on the console but it won't open.

The car starts and runs properly so the battery is fine and the battery in the fob is fine too..

Any suggestions of what might be causing this ?

Thanks

 

[georgebuhr]

My car did not come with a key fob so I am slightly unfamiliar with how the w202's operate, but on many cars, you have to double press the trunk button to get it to open. Will the trunk open at all? I assume it must have a key hole in the trunk lid like mine. Can you unlock with the key and press the button and get it to open? When you press the button, can you hear the trunk actuator trying to unlatch it? If so, it may just be stuck. If not, it may be a fuse issue.

If you can get the trunk open, the first thing I would do is probe the connector going to the actuator, and make sure you are getting 12 volts and ground at the plug when you hit the switch. Depending on what you find at that point will determine which way to go from there.

 

[Kerry E Raghunath]

My car did not come with a key fob so I am slightly unfamiliar with how the w202's operate, but on many cars, you have to double press the trunk button to get it to open. Will the trunk open at all? I assume it must have a key hole in the trunk lid like mine. Can you unlock with the key and press the button and get it to open? When you press the button, can you hear the trunk actuator trying to unlatch it? If so, it may just be stuck. If not, it may be a fuse issue.

If you can get the trunk open, the first thing I would do is probe the connector going to the actuator, and make sure you are getting 12 volts and ground at the plug when you hit the switch. Depending on what you find at that point will determine which way to go from there.

Hey georgebuhr,

Thanks for the update. The trunk was opening fine a week ago then poof !!!

When i unlock the car and press the trunk button on the FOB i am hearing a faint sound of what seems to be the actuator trying to unlatch it. I have even tried pressing the keyhole button as well but still nothing.

I will still check the fuse and update you asap...


Thanks again

 

[RonCT2]

Hi,

You have to press and hold the button for 4 or 5 seconds and point the key fob at the trunk to open.
With the switch inside you have to lift it and hold up for 3 seconds for the trunk to open

 

[Kerry E Raghunath]

Hi,

You have to press and hold the button for 4 or 5 seconds and point the key fob at the trunk to open.
With the switch inside you have to lift it and hold up for 3 seconds for the trunk to open

Hey RonCT.

I tried all of those things and still nothing.

Will try to get the time to check the fuse and see if that may have gone bad.

Thanks :smile

 

[georgebuhr]

Wanna be clear on the keyhole button to be sure; did you try putting your key in the key hole and manually unlocking it and then pushing it to unlock?

Once you get it open, I would try lubing the hell out of the lock and actuator. Also make sure nothing got jammed up in the latch preventing it from working. It could also be that the actuator is now weak and may not be unlatching it all the way.

 

[Kerry E Raghunath]

Wanna be clear on the keyhole button to be sure; did you try putting your key in the key hole and manually unlocking it and then pushing it to unlock?

Once you get it open, I would try lubing the hell out of the lock and actuator. Also make sure nothing got jammed up in the latch preventing it from working. It could also be that the actuator is now weak and may not be unlatching it all the way.

Hey george,

Yes i did do as you mentioned above. I thought i was hearing the trunk actuator clicking but it wasn't. So it's either the fuse of the actuator is gone.

 

[georgebuhr]

I dont remember when they started putting them in cars, but there may be an emergency release handle on the inside of the trunk lid. If your rear seat flips down where you can reach in there, you should be able to open it that way.

 

[RonCT2]

HI,
It's caused by cracked/brittle vacuum lines. Common problem on these models.

 

[Kerry E Raghunath]

HI,
It's caused by cracked/brittle vacuum lines. Common problem on these models.

I dont remember when they started putting them in cars, but there may be an emergency release handle on the inside of the trunk lid. If your rear seat flips down where you can reach in there, you should be able to open it that way.

Hey Ron, even if it's the vacuum lines, wouldn't i hear the actuator when i press the key on the FOB ?

Hey George, Unfortunately my rear seats can't fold down so i'm lost at that point. My only other option will be to remove the seats completely and see if i can access it that way :-(

 

[georgebuhr]

With yours being a 2000 model, are you sure that the center arm rest doesn't fold down and have a hole there?

 

[Kerry E Raghunath]

With yours being a 2000 model, are you sure that the center arm rest doesn't fold down and have a hole there?

Yep...positive.

I'm trying my best to try and avoid going to the dealership because the $$$ they will charge, I may might as well leave the car there as payment :eek

 

[georgebuhr]

The good news then is that the back seat is easy to remove. You can have the bottom half out in under a minute, and the top half only requires removing 3 bolts. Then you just need to hope that there is a hole there to reach through to access the trunk. Yours is new enough that there should be.

 

[Kerry E Raghunath]

The good news then is that the back seat is easy to remove. You can have the bottom half out in under a minute, and the top half only requires removing 3 bolts. Then you just need to hope that there is a hole there to reach through to access the trunk. Yours is new enough that there should be.

Thanks George.

Sounds like a plan !!! :thumbsup:

 

[Patman1]

Not to sound silly or anything. But when the doors are unlocked, you can push the trunk lock in to open the trunk. If it pushes in but the trunk is not opening, then something is wrong with the actuator

 

[Kerry E Raghunath]

Not to sound silly or anything. But when the doors are unlocked, you can push the trunk lock in to open the trunk. If it pushes in but the trunk is not opening, then something is wrong with the actuator

Not to sound silly or anything. But when the doors are unlocked, you can push the trunk lock in to open the trunk. If it pushes in but the trunk is not opening, then something is wrong with the actuator

Hey guys...

Sorry it took a bit long to respond but i managed to get the trunk open.

I tried everything hat you all suggested and i gave up for a few days. Then last night i decided to try again cause i needed to used the boot/trunk. I tried the fob again and was not hearing the actuator at all so i decided ( again ) to use the key to see if it will trigger the actuator or any of the mechanical mechanism in the lock.

I pushed the slide key all the way up on the fob and inserted it into the key hole and carefully holding it ( so it won't break the fob casing ) and turned the lock clockwise and anti clock wise ( keep in mind that it was not allowing me to do this before ) till i started hearing a sort of clicking noise. So i thought to myself that at least i was hearing something now.
And after turning it a couple times i kept the key in the keyhole and pushed the keyhole button in and that was it...pop..the boot opened....much to my amazement and smiles...

I then pressed the FOB ans stared hearing the actuator sounding off...I pressed it a few times till i made sure i was hearing it over and over...I then proceded to check the fuse & the fuse box and all seemed ok...I then closed the trunk and pressed the FOB and pop...it opened.

This weekend i'm going to service the lock and check the actuator to make sure that it's good...if not...i'm going to have it replaced...

Thanks again for all your advice and support on this :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[georgebuhr]

Now its time to get some lube on it!

 

[plinker17722]

Yep oil is the giver of movment . I am a big believer of oil as long as no rubber parts are around it . If so then i use old ATF or Pass fluid.

 

[Kerry E Raghunath]

Yep oil is the giver of movment . I am a big believer of oil as long as no rubber parts are around it . If so then i use old ATF or Pass fluid.

Now its time to get some lube on it!

Sure thing guys...

Not too sure about the old ATF fluid though but luckilly i have a friend that has this below: