Due to an air leak in the suspension system, I have had the spare tire and all other items out of the trunk. Since we got the car several months ago, I always wondered why the little handle that one pulls to open the access door for the spare compartment was located in such a dumb place.

Well, tonight, this dumb owner figured out that the handle also works as a hook to hold the access cover open. Simply pull the handle out as far as it will go, open the spare tire compartment as far as it will go and hook the edge of the handle over the the front of the trunk compartment rubber weather seal. Really easy! I did not see this in the manual which I did read but as is so often the case, it is user error! 2 pics are at the links below: one is of the handle in the access door and the other is of the deployed handle as shot from near the rear window where it meets the body.

Image of closed handle on floor of trunk:

 

Pics?

 

That's a neat little trick there. I was using them all the time during PDI's and other trunk concerns. Problem is that it usually slips off too. Gives you a little thunk on your head if your working in the spare tire well. haha.

 

People can say what they want about quitting early to have a pint, but many a creative thought starts under the influence. Very little on these cars is done without good reason.

 

I assumed they were designed to be used in that way..

 

Hey paydase! I apologize for the images not appearing. I have re-added them and I see them on the forum site. Let me know if youo can now see them. But this is the same with the original post - that is, I clicked insert image, entered the url, the image(s) appeared but now they do not. If you have any tips on getting images into posts, let me know - sorry again for the trouble.

 

What I could really use is something to stop me from hitting the back of my head on the trunk latch. You would think I would learn after the first few painful reminders but it seems I do not learn particularly quickly!

 

Being "folically challenged" myself, I share your pain, literally.

A hat helps! Not helpful?

Chris

 

My trunk handle works to hold it up, I do not have the same separate hook. Some things are just different between years for some reason. Same function but different form.

 

Pics appear now, thanks.
As dsetter, I do not have this kind of handle on my car...
Serge

 

This little trick is actually covered in your owner's manual.

 

Very true:

 

I can't ever bring myself to use it, i'm always worried that it will damage the weatherstrip...

 

I figured that one out fairly early, but it's the sort of thing that can pass you by quite easily.

For years I wondered what the purple dot and thumb push were for on the bonnet (hood) strut on my old Mercedes - then I saw in a workshop that you can unclip the bottom of the strut and raise the bonnet and lock it vertical (the purple dot is the vertical catch release).

And all those bumped heads while changing the oil filter ...