I found fobs, but apparently a chipped key wasn't used in '97. So, what would the dealer be charging $90 to "reprogram"? What year was your car Mike? Oh..2003. Hmmm. I'l do another search.

 

Locksmiths carry around books that tell them how to break into cars and trunks.

See if your local locksmith can open your trunk lid. Sometimes they have to take a slim jim, bend it in specified ways and slip it in at a certain angle to trip the lock.

I was fortunate to have a next door neighbor that was a locksmith. It was embarrassing how fast he could break into cars and houses. That's easy money for them.

 

Not a good idea...if they open the front, the alarm disables the trunk release. If they reach in and press the trunk button by going through the frameless windows (which is easy) it won't release as the button is disabled when the alrm is set. I had him try both on a different occasion Also the trunk is electric release. My locksmith told me the could not guarantee damaging the locking mech. and it would have cost me more than what a new unprogrammed key costs.

 

Do you suppose any other keys would duplicate for the trunk like the old GM keys?

 

For those of you who have not visited my website recently, I am planning an emergency trunk release 'module' for Jags with the outside electric trunk relelase button. It will open the trunk with a unique 'combination' consisting of short and long button presses and have a backup lithium battery to work even if the car battery is dead.

It is only in the planning stages now, but I am hoping to get it done and have it available by the end of the year.

 

After recent events I'm thinking of running a quick release cable in the back seat it already one in the truck jut gonna run it to the back seat since the gas tank is i the way. What do you guys think? Has any one did it yet I'm gonna post pics when its done.

 

Ok, I found this forum because I did it; well actually my wife locked both sets of keys with fobs in the trunk. Do not waste your time trying to find some magic tab or other mechanism under the license plate. There is nothing in the trunk lid that you can press poke, or finesse. Go ahead and take a good look at it and you'll see what I mean. If you have a black key, put it in the little keyhole hidden between the characters of the XK8 emblem. If you are stuck with only a valet key and your car is in valet mode, there is no hope of getting your trunk open without a key BUT, if you are good at fishing, you can get your keys out of the trunk as I did yesterday 8-26-12 after over a dozen locksmiths said they couldn't help.

Open the fuel filler door and take off the fuel cap (please don't smoke!). After that, there are three torx (45 size) screws that need to come out so you can pull the rubber facia off the neck. One piece just removes and the actual rubber around the neck can be folded down below the top to get it out of the way. You now have a gap between the filler neck and the sheet metal. If you look in there, you will see the felt-looking trunk liner. You can push that down with a stick or long screwdriver and open up a space to look right into the trunk. My keys were hidden by a full size beach towel and a other large items. I was able to pull the beach towel out of the trunk through this space and then could move things around with a long stick until I saw the keys. Then I taped a strong little magnet to the end of the stick and retrieved the keys. You could do that with a coat hanger or other hook, but the neodymium magnet grabbed them great. This whole operation, including moving bags of vegetables and wine in the way of the keys took about 30 minutes, including reassembly of the fuel neck area. It certainly beat paying a locksmith or a dealer for a new key.

Everything went back together just fine and we learned a lesson.

 

Yes, I just bought a key for my car a week ago, $45 at the dealer, but the valet key cost $70.
RJ___________________
97 XK8 86K mi

 

You must be a Gynecologist?

I can't think of any other profession that would think of that approach, let alone perform it.

Graham

 

Hmm, perhaps a gastrointestinal endoscopist??

 

Well, that's another approach altogether.

Shall we wait for the Proctologists input then we've got all bases covered?

Graham

 

Okay, go ahead and start with the lawyer jokes. I can remove you car keys and your wallet without even opening your trunk.

 

Neither a gyne nor proctologist I be...........but definitely a guy who can take a joke.
You're not a lawyer, are you?

Graham

 

If you look closely at the valet and standard keys, you'll see the only difference is at the very tip. Two minutes with a file will convert the valet key so that it will open the boot. Can't say I've converted mine as the need hasn't arisen, but this modification was published recently in Jaguar World Monthly.
Unusual Boot/trunk access is getting to be my specialty!

 

If you don't mind, it might be useful if you posted your UK site Emergency Boot/Trunk Access modification here too!

 

See the following thread:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-access-79432/

Graham

 

It's in the XK8/R how to's now.

 

I missed that one!!

 

help have locked keyd in boot

 

The only way I could get my keys out of the trunk (both sets, thanks wife) on my 2001 XK8 was to open the gas filler door and remove the rubber boot from around the filler neck. That allowed me to see inside the trunk and grab the keys with a magnet on a long stick. The fact that we had to pull a beach towel out through the 2" gap and move a purse and groceries around first made it a little more interesting, but with a good flashlight, a good magnet, and a long skinny stick, it worked out fine. It took me around 20 minutes.

Good luck.

Andy