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Manual trunk release?

150K views 30 replies 16 participants last post by  pastor.bob.cunningha 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Dumb question for ya here.

The other day I got back from vacation and my battery was dead (I had left the GPS plugged in and on), no problem I thought "I've got cables in the trunk"....hmmm...battery is dead, and the electric trunk release won't work from the fob or the dash switch, can't get into the trunk to get the cables, lucky someone else in the airport parking lot had cables & boosted me.

Is there any kind of manual release handle in the interior of the car? Also, I do not have the fold-down rear seats or I could have gone in that way.
 
#3 ·
Nope - no manual release in the cabin - just an emergency release handle in the trunk itself... Kind of a design flaw, if you ask me, since most people store their jumper cables in the trunk (like yourself!)... If you don't have a fold-down seat, you are kinda SOL... I suppose that you could somehow rig something up to the emergency pull handle if you really wanted to if you don't have fold-down seats.

But honestly, how often is your battery going to go dead? I wouldn't worry about it...

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#24 ·
Nope - no manual release in the cabin - just an emergency release handle in the trunk itself... Kind of a design flaw, if you ask me, since most people store their jumper cables in the trunk (like yourself!)... If you don't have a fold-down seat, you are kinda SOL... I suppose that you could somehow rig something up to the emergency pull handle if you really wanted to if you don't have fold-down seats.

But honestly, how often is your battery going to go dead? I wouldn't worry about it...

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Where is the emergency release handle located
 
#5 ·
Only the police equipt 8th gen Impalas have trunk key holes.

An overly complicated possible solution...an isolated separate battery to, in theory, jump start the trunk opener
 
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#7 ·
Yeah I'd never really given it much thought but with no manual key lock on the trunk there's no way in, there should be a manual handle inside similar to a gas door release.
Another thing that happens is if you put your key in the ignition and turn it to start when the battery is dead you cant turn the key back far enough to remove it, which means if you need to go for help you have to leave the key in the car and the doors unlocked, anyone that comes along with a set of booster cables can just drive your car away, that's really a bad design too.
I'll see if my cables fit under the passenger seat, it's good heads up for anyone who has their cables stored in the trunk.
 
#8 ·
If your in a real pickle, and key is stuck with a dead battery and need to leave, you can remove the key-in ignition lock cylinder. The shroud/cowl around column comes off, then there's a small hole above ignition switch, if you poke that hole, the key&cylinder slide out.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Good point haha.
You could keep the two specific tools required for that in the glove box.
(Or just keep cables in the cabin in the first place :giggle:)
 
#11 ·
Yeah, it really is a poor design - both the trunk opening and the "can't remove key from ignition" issue when the battery is dead (don't understand that one at all). They could have had a manual trunk release just like they do for the hood... But, like I said, your battery shouldn't die very often, so it's not typically a big deal (until it happens!).

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#13 ·
Yeah, it really is a poor design - both the trunk opening and the "can't remove key from ignition" issue when the battery is dead (don't understand that one at all). They could have had a manual trunk release just like they do for the hood... But, like I said, your battery shouldn't die very often, so it's not typically a big deal (until it happens!).

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Yeah, thank god they weren't "smart" enough to install an electric release for the hood.
 
#15 ·
Personally, I'm with chevy on the keyless trunk. Theres so much crap on these cars to prevent you from killing your battery, I think another option would have been a good idea..but I feel it works. What you could do is install a holder for cables behind rear bumper..no need for power to get cables out, of coarse you'd have to get on the ground..
 
#16 ·
Sure, they may have implemented ways to keep your battery from being drained so you don't wake up to a car that won't start but it still happens and however infrequently it may do so now it is still a gigantic pain when it does happen and then you have this problem on top of it…and sure you could keep your cables in the front of the car and solve that…but my main issue with it and the concern I have is what if you get locked in your trunk, in that situation this mechanism is implemented as a safety feature, so that there is an escape route…in fact I think it's now even required in all newly manufactured cars for that reason. The company's selfish attempt to save a buck is why this thoughtlessly asinine design utterly failed in incorporating this safety mechanism- such a simple standard feature that at the very least could save someone a lot of hassle and at the most, in a worst-case scenario, could possibly save their life.
 
#17 ·

Decontenting. Gotta love it. NOT!!!

I'm so old that I remember when every door, as well as the trunk lid, was equipped with a lock cylinder, and every car, other than the cheapest econoboxes, had lights in its glove compartment and console. Oh, and every vehicle had a cigar lighter and ashtray as standard equipment too.

I could go on, but what's the point? It is what it is. The bean-counters rule in every automaker's ivory tower, and the shareholders are loving it. Of course, they're not driving the same cars we are.

:(


 
#30 ·
A thief can break a window, open back door, flip down the seat back and take everything.

IMO this is an exercise in futility because if a bad actor want access there's nothing you can do except have a very loud alarm (and that has downfalls too).

Hoping nothing ever happens. Be well. Don't sweat the unlikely stuff. Life is too short.
 
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