2003 Jaguar VDP. Dash displays open trunk, trunk is latched, the remote, dash button and key will not open the trunk. Is there an easy way to open the trunk, or it goes to the dealer?

 

You can always try a hard reset w/ the battery to clear electronic modules.

Hard Battery Reset :
With a 10mm wrench loosen & remove the negative lead to the battery, touch it to the positive post. This drains all residual voltage in capacitors. Re-attach & tighten the negative cable.

 

It sounds like he's locked out though. If this is the case he'll probably have to drill.

 

Good point I read too swiftly.

 

My trunk lock on my 96 xj6 would not open with the key when I originally got it. It probably had only been opened electrically for a long time. The lock mechanism was all gummed up from not being used. I used some silicon spray into the lock opening and after a couple of minutes of working the key back and forth the mechanical lock worked great again. On mine the key would not even turn in the lock. I still use the key occasionally to keep it freed up.

 

If the lock mechanism on the trunk rotates a full 90 degrees when you turn it and the trunk doesn't pop up it is most likely jammed. The usual cause is the plastic housing that surrounds the lock opening. If you are sure you have moved the key 90 degrees hold the key there and pry up with a lever covered to cushion the pressure. If it pops open check the trunk section for bits and pieces around the mechanism

 

Please use the key in the lock several times a year to ensure that when you ACTUALLY NEED IT, the key will operate the lock assy.

The latch micro-switch is likely faulty and the boot latch will not operate ELECTRICALLY if the boot is already OPEN. The switch tells the BPM that the boot lid is ALREADY OPEN.

MANY posts on this issue and a forum search will display hundreds of solutions.

good luck

bob

 

As an emergency tape a piece of paper on the sheet metal as you remove the plate . Mark an X as you use the plate hardware holes as reference points . Drill with large enough size for a screwdriver to lever over the main locking mechanism . The mechanism is robust enough that you won't harm it . There is a picture of someone going overboard and cutting a square but you can see the bunny . The bellcrank goes to the cars right direction to unlock . In the 3 layers of sheet metal on the pivot mechanism there is a 90 degree finger that must engage the locking hook that drops down below the picture into the car body receptical bar . This requires a larger hole if the finger is not engaging (as you have to put your finger around a corner ) but still small enough to hide behind the licence plate .

Hope this helps , Been there , Done that , Parker

 

before you start cutting holes take off plate use a long screw driver poke it through one of the mounting plate holes, I forget witch one and work it against the mechanism and your trunk lid will pop open

 

It might work with something angled or bent, but based on where the catch is, I'm not sure a regular straight blade is going to be able to reach where it is towards the center of the trunk from one of the plate holes. That's why the DIY for the hole drill, is an inch or so left of center, to allow for direct access just off side of the catch (which works flawlessly btw, providing you have a thin enough screwdriver for the size hole you drill). I went through it a couple months ago after a cascade of stupid mistakes on my part left me with no choice.

 

Some good ideas I'll try out this weekend.

 

A better pic with the X pattern as you can see the reference to the area of interest as you pull it over . I put my drill hole right on the X as you have to lever over quiet a bit and used a round shafted phillips screwdriver .

 

I was the one that "went overboard" by cutting a chunk out of my boot, though in my defense, it turned out that I had no option! A small nut had dropped into the mechanism, and no amount of drilling holes and pushing in screwdrivers worked, and would not have removed it. Here's what I had to do in the end:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...rouble-168502/

I'm not suggesting you cut a hole the same as I had to, but like Lady Penelope's post, it shows the mechanism you're after. BTW, after welding a plate back in, and doing some grinding and filling, you can't tell there was ever a hole cut out!