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Locked Out of the Trunk

3K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  cjlomax 
#1 ·
I was making a repair to the trunk lock system on my 95 SL500 and made a critical mistake. I closed the trunk without testing it and discovered the rod from the lock to the latch was not in place keeping me from being able to open the trunk. I read a couple of other threads about people being locked out and decided to post this. I was lucky because I had not re-installed the trim so I was able to get in through the tail light. Anyway here is how it goes.

Get a 4" hole saw but install a standard 1/4" bit in it for the pilot because of the deep gap between the high spots in the light. Drill a hole in the center of the backup light area off to the side enough to miss the backup light bulb. Once the hole is started change back to the standard pilot drill so you don't damage the bulb holder. You want to drill here because of the ease of removing all the nuts (6) holding the light on and its the best area to get the bulb door open hopefully without breaking it. Don't drill all of the way through but just enough to allow you to break out the hole with pliers. After the hole is broken open and the bulb door open you can now reach in and use a #8 socket to remove the 6 nuts. They come off easily after a couple of turns. Next grab the light and wiggle it back and forth and it should come out easy. Now you can go in with a small screwdriver and pop out the hold down pin in the cover for the lock assembly and pull the cover off. Now simply push up the white lever on the side closest to the tail light and the trunk latch will release.

I found a great tail light on ebay for $80.00 with free shipping. I won't make that mistake again. With the trunk open you can manually close the latch and test it with the key. Trust me it's the best way to go.
 

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#2 · (Edited)
well, hate to break news to you, but you can actually get to the rod without drilling a hole in anything or damaging anything. take off the license plate, take out the two license plate lights, and from there you can use various tools to reach in and twist the latch mechanism were the rod fits in.

this has come up several times, and when I was doing work on my trunk, being anal and paranoid, after verifying that everything worked, I wanted to make sure I could unlatch the trunk with it closed if something was amis.


So. after looking at the mechanism and access etc. i actually removed both lights and verified I could rotate the rod if attached to latch/unlatch and if the rod is not attached reach in with a flexible tool handle rotate the tange and latch and unlatch. removing the license plate give you more room to manuver.

you really only need to remove the light on the side closest to the trunk release button.

what you did works IF the rod to the trunk release is still in place in the latch itself. However, if it comes loose at the button end, and slips out, which it can easily do, then doing what you did still won't release the trunk. you then still have to somehow get to the actual latch.

several others who were locked out of the trunk have also used my technique to pop the trunk.
 
#3 ·
My problem was that the rod was not engaged into the latch. I knew this because the last thing I did before closing the trunk was bolt up the lock with the latch engaged in it. I looked at a car in our local wrecking yard (95 SL500) and decided I could only get to it through the tail light. Unfortunate for me but that's the way it goes. I wasn't sure if you could reach the white latch from the license plate light but knew it would not do me any good.

Matt
 
#5 ·
you won't be able to feel much. It's been several years since I verified it on mine, but what I remember is. remove the license plate, remove the passenger side license plate bulb and holder. Then you will need some kind of a rod with a right angle hook on it. not very long right angle, maybe an inch or so. working through the license plate light hole you can activate the trunk release arm. Sorry I don't have any pictures.
 
#8 ·
good description of the process. very similar to what I did, but I had a hook I made from a piece of brass brazing rod. the hook doesn't need to be very strong, it doesn't take much force to trip the release mechanism.
 
#10 ·
I found timm9’s posts on Benzworld. Here’s the link.


timm9’s situation was slightly different to yours, where his linkage had completely dropped out. However I think that post #23 onwards answers your questions. You might need to get a usb mini bore flexible camera (endoscope). Last post is an interesting alternative too.
 
#11 ·
I bought a $20 kit from China with an inflatable bag, some plastic wedges, and various long rods for situations like this. Wedge and airbag would push the window out enough to get a rod in there to poke the trunk opening button. I was a lot jockey at a used vehicle dealer years ago. Had to use tools like these all the time. The airbag made things very easy. Got to the point, I'd have a door unlocked in seconds.
 
#13 ·
I used that Peachparts method after stupidly closing the trunk with the lock ant cylinder out. It hit me a second after I closed it and I though oh no.

I had a choice of breaking the right rear taillight or fishing via the lock hole. The lock hole worked as I had no rod in the mechanism and that post had a good description of the process. Used a 1/4 inch wobble extension - screw bit some electrical tape and another flexible 1/4 extension to work it open.:cool:
 
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