Borre

I just bought a 1995 A8 4.2 and about the third time I drove it I managed to get the trunk lock stuck.

When I was about to lock the car the button kind of got stuck halfway pushed in, so I locked the car anyway and left, and after that I haven't been able to open the trunk. It's impossible to push the button all the way in, and the key won't turn in the lock. I can however hear the central locking work and I can also feel a small twitch in the lock when I try to open it from the driver's door.

Any ideas what have happened? Loving the car otherwise but is kinda sad to not be able to use the boot..

JoePGT5S

If it's been cold (below freezing) anytime recently in your area then it's worth ruling out any sort of icing issue first (warm garage?). You could try tugging up on trunk while someone else pushes the release at the drivers door (sounds like you may have tried this already).

Borre

Yes already tried and tested unfortunately, and ice shouldn't be the case since it was a couple of weeks ago it was below freezing.


My guess is though that it is the lock that is the problem, that it has just jammed from dirt or something, but is there any other way to open the trunk to replace it? I've heard that smashing the rear light around the lock would give you access to the lock?

BikerBoi

Fortunately it was while working inside the lid, so the inside cover was off. I got to the lock on the inside through the armrest/ski bag in the backseat using the handle of a long broom.

I assume your lid cover on the inside is still in place. You could try the broom trick, just poking on the inside of the lock. My guess is that the lock is jammed due to some plastic breaking off in the lock arrangement.

....or, if you have a tiny friend send him through the hole in the backseat with a flashlight

Borre

Hehe thanks for the tip but I don't have that small friends, or that long arms =)

And since everything is in place on the inside of the trunk I think it's going to be hard to do anything with a broomstick..

audinutt

If the lock cylinder is stuck halfway in, try and pull it back out.
Then use the remote to try an pop the trunk.

Borre

I can pull it all the way out, I just cant push it all the way in to open the lock..

silverd2

Check out this post and other posts in the same thread, it might help...esp if the linkage from lock to latch is still even partially intact >>

http://forums.quattroworld.com/a8/msgs/40593.phtml