2000 Boxster S - F/R Trunk Release Levers Stuck

[ELTGuy]

Hi All-

Like the title says I have a 2000 S and I go to open the Front Trunk and the release lever (on the driver side sill) is frozen solid. I try the Rear Trunk lever and the same deal, won't budge.

The car does have a low battery (won't turn over) as I was going to open the trunk to charge.

Has this happened to anyone else here and are there any steps I can take?

I have the Bently manual and I can't find much information about the trunk release cable other than a parts diagram and a reference to an emergency release cable on the right hand side. Right hand side could mean passenger or driver side, depending on the frame of reference.

I know that 2001+ the levers are electrically controlled, but this is a 2000 so I'm stuck with stuck levers.

Thank You-

[tommy583]

You may be able to stick a small flat head screw driver in between the levers. There is a little wheel with teeth on it. You have to turn the wheel to release the levers. If this doesn't work you can take the whole cover off. There are two allen head bolts holding it on. Look for the two holes on the side next to the seat. Once you have the cover off you can see the wheel thing I am talking about.

[steved0x]

It is kind of a locking mechanism that actuates when the car is locked. So even though there I a manual release, you may have to follow the procedure with the thing in the fuse box to get enough juice to unlock the car and get that locking lever moved. Is there enough juice to lock and unlock the car with the console button?

[ELTGuy]

Originally Posted by steved0x

It is kind of a locking mechanism that actuates when the car is locked. So even though there I a manual release, you may have to follow the procedure with the thing in the fuse box to get enough juice to unlock the car and get that locking lever moved. Is there enough juice to lock and unlock the car with the console button?

Yes, the doors will lock and unlock from the console.

[tommy583]

I had to do the screw driver trick when I locked my keys in the trunk. After I closed the trunk the alarm rearmed and I was screwed. I managed to get the door open, but with the alarm still armed the levers were locked. The screw driver took a while, but I got it after a while. I took the cover off after to see what I actually did with the screw driver. Now I always keep an allen wrench in the side pocket just in case. So I'm saying just take the cover off and you should be able to release the levers without much trouble.

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by ELTGuy

Yes, the doors will lock and unlock from the console.

Dang, I would have thought that would release it. Sorry

[steved0x]

Yeah taking that cover off isn't too bad, I had to do it to fix a snapped hood release cable. I had to take the passenger wheel off and I relocated the emergency release to the tow hook.

[tommy583]

BTW i'm talking about the cover over the levers, not the bumper cover.

[seanlikeconnery]

This thread saved me, so I just wanted to contribute back a little bit more detail to help someone else in the same spot I was in with a dead battery and unable to get into either trunk because the levers were locked. I tried to release the levers by sticking various small flat things between them as recommended by others, but it's hard to know what you're trying to do when you don't have an image. Once that failed and I took off the whole cover, I was surprised to see the mechanism was not as I envisioned at all based on descriptions here (probably my lack of mechanical competence). Hopefully to help someone else, I've included a picture of what's underneath the levers so you can envision what you are trying to do to get them to release.

If you have to take the cover off, I'll also add the key detail that it needs a 5mm Allen wrench. The screws are recessed back quite a way from the hole cover, and it took me a while to figure out which size key was needed.

KEY!: You only need to loosen the screws a few turns to remove the cover. If you over-loosen to the point they come out of their holes, they may fall into a gap out of reach when you remove the cover. I did this, and it took me 30 min to get a screw out of a deep gap. The cover won't feel like it's ready to remove as it's stuck down by several other connectors. I've included two other pictures of the whole assembly to show this.

(2000 Boxster)

[BYprodriver]

Thanks for the nice contribution.

[Starter986]

I second BYprodriver's comment and...

Outstanding post Seanlikeconnery! Clearly you read... researched... tried and tried again then arriving at your fix. Then... you nail it.. NO!... KILLED it by on your very first post not asking a millionth-time-asked question instead going for the throat of the problem... then sharing it with us.

Bam! Boom!

Welcome to the forum!

BYprodriver... is the BY in your name for Brigham Young?