trunk won't open!!

brian

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2000
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI (sold)
trunk won\'t open!!

On Saturday my trunk wouldn't open the first time I pressed the trunk release on the key fob. I heard the mechanism noise as usual, but the trunk did not latch open. It opened the second time. It did this twice on Saturday. Now, neither the key fob nor the key will open the trunk!! This is very, very annoying. I have 23,965 miles on the odometer.

If I call the dealer on this, is it important to go to the dealer that I bought the car from? Now that I'm also in CT, there's a dealer less than 1/4 mile away...

-brian

PS. InfoSec posted some information about this in http://forums.tdiclub.com/NonCGI/Forum17/HTML/000396.html . Do you think its the same problem? The key opened his, but my key won't.



[This message has been edited by brian (edited July 17, 2000).]
 

Sacha

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2000
Location
Saguenay, Québec, Canada
Re: trunk won\'t open!!

brian, you can go to any dealer in the state or Canada. My first service will be due when i'll be in montreal in august, and guess where i'll get it done, in Montreal, and I live in Halifax, 13 hour drive. So no problem for you to go at the 1/4 mile away dealer
 

SpeedingAgain!

Active member
Joined
Apr 1, 2000
Location
Ardfern, Argyll, Scotland
TDI
none
Re: trunk won\'t open!!

This is a bit of a long shot but it is worth a try until you get to a dealer.
The locking system works using a vacuum to activate or deactivate the locks. Cut a tennis ball in half leaving one half with a smooth face to seal against the area around the boot lock. Press the half sharply against the lock so it seals and release it again just as quickly. Try to do it quickly so a vacuum is created around the lock which may undo it.
I'm not a car thief, just heard about it from someone!
 

Ted Strong

Veteran Member
Joined
May 23, 1999
Location
Fox Island, WA USA
TDI
Jetta TDI, 1998, Red; Passat TDI Wagon, 2005, Silverstone Gray
Re: trunk won\'t open!!

Brian, what year is your Jetta? I know that the A3s had a problem with the bolts holding the striker plate for the trunk. My '98 had the same problem where I could hear the mechanism click but the trunk would not alwaws open. The new bolts have a lock-washer facing which keeps them from getting loose. VW has recognized this problem in one of their technical service bulletins.

Ted
 

brian

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2000
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI (sold)
Re: trunk won\'t open!!

Ted, I've got a 2000 Jetta.

Somehow I'd need to get the lock cover plastic molding off without opening the trunk. The service manual assumes you can open the trunk to do this.

Maybe the dealer will take exception to my problem and speed me thru. After all, its a safety issue if you can't get to your spare tire...

-brian
 

Autopilot

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 30, 1999
Location
Burnsville Minnesota
TDI
Y2K Jetta 5 spd Canyon Red, 2013 JSW 6MT
Re: trunk won\'t open!!

Brian,
Sorry, I was away on vacation last week.
I just had the same problem with my '00 Jetta. Here's what the problem is and how to fix it if you want to do it yourself:

1. Crawl into the trunk from the back seats. Bring a flashlight and a medium sized philips screwdriver.

2. Remove the 13 screws that hold the trim piece onto the trunk lid. These screws have felt glued to them to match the cloth on the trim piece.

3. Remove the trim piece

4. You will now be able to view the rather silly mechanism that VW installed here. There you will note a small bent rod, about 1/8" in diameter. This is the actuator for the mechanism. At the bottom of this rod there is supposed to be a plastic piece attached. The rod is threaded at the end and the plastic piece is supposed to be screwed onto it. Most likely, this plastic piece has been pulled off the rod and can no longer serve it's function of pulling the latch. You will have to trip the latch yourself. This will open the trunk.

5. Now, you can work outside the car which is a lot more pleasant. Screw the platic piece back onto the rod and then snap the plastic piece back onto the release mechanism. It is a ball and socket joint. It would also be wise to use some sort of glue in the threads so the plastic piece does not come off again.

If the plastic piece is damaged, it should of course, be replaced. Mine did not seem damaged at all.

Good luck. If you had the dealer service it, please post what they said the problem was and how they fixed it if you can.

Thanks

[This message has been edited by Autopilot (edited July 24, 2000).]
 

vwtechnc

Active member
Joined
Jul 4, 2000
Location
high point, nc, usa
Re: trunk won\'t open!!

I suggest a small worm or squeeze clamp around the black plastic piece, that is waht spreads apart to allow the rod to come apart.
 
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