I need some help.

My trunk won't open. I have read all the threads on this topic, but nothing seemed to help me.

What I am guessing happened -

For what ever reason I think that I locked the trunk with my Key and not locked the car doors. -- many many months ago.

Now I cannot open or unlock the trunk with the key, although the doors all work properly - and I can hear the lock on the truck "going click" when I lock and unlock the doors.

Any thoughts on how to open the truck?

FYI right now I have the back deck off the car and can see into the trunk, but I still don't see any way to open it from the inside.

'81 300SD - 275k KM

There should be a cable under the rear seat bottom on the driver's side. PULL.

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1984 300SD 326,997 miles and counting . . . No wait, my odometer is still dead

I have checked, and there is no cable...

I have the entire rear interior out, and cannot find and cables of any kind (except for wiring).

any other ideas?

I had my car rear-ended a few years ago and the dealership fixed everything, but a few months later the trunk stopped opening. I think the latch was knocked slightly out of alignment.

To get the trunk open I used the special MB service tools -- a piece of 2x4 and very large hammer

Hold the end of a 12" or so piece of 2x4 on the trunk button. Whack the other end with a big hammer and it should pop the trunk open.

Once you're in, remove the back panel and adjust the linkage so it doesn't do it again.

Neal

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'83 300SD 335,000km (207k) mi SOLD
'87 560SL 163,000km (101k mi) SOLD
'86 300SDL 356,000km (220k mi) SOLD
'92 500SEL 250,000km (155k mi) SOLD
'90 300SL 140,000km (87k mi) SOLD
'01 S430 260,000km (161k mi) SOLD
'03 SL500 167,000km (104k mi) SOLD
'07 S550 4MATIC 235,000km (146k mi) SOLD
'07 GL320 CDI 4MATIC 348,000km (215k mi)
'13 GL350 BlueTec 4MATIC 170,000km (105k mi)
'14 SL550 72,000km (43k mi)

Think I dealt wiht this once by removing the license plate lamps and working in there with some hooks and rods. Been awhile. Daughter had closed the trunk with a backpack strap laying across part of the latch. Played heck getting the mechanism to work

Well... it worked.. I finally got it open..


Funny the 2x4 worked, sort of. Thanks bhatt.

I put the 2x4 against the bottom of the trunk lid, hit it twice with a hammer.... it didn't pop. However I then tried to open the trunk normally and sure enough, it opened!!!

Glad to hear it worked.. I drove around with a hammer and 2x4 for two weeks before I got a chance to finally fix it. Got some really funny looks in the grocery store parking lot

Now that you're in, remove the back panelling in the trunk. To do this you need to remove the large black plastic strip across the top edge (it is friction fit and comes off -- just pull hard starting at one end) Then you can remove the panelling between the rear tail lights (you may need to remove the tail light covers inside the trunk by twisting the plastic retainers 90 degrees)

Once you see the linkage, you'll notice that it is adjustable. By twisting the end of the linkage, you can effectively shorten or lengthen the rod. Play with this a bit until it works properly. I think mine needed to be tightened (shortened) one complete turn before the trunk started working. I shortened it another complete turn just to be safe.

Make sure it works before you shut the trunk!

Neal

__________________
'83 300SD 335,000km (207k) mi SOLD
'87 560SL 163,000km (101k mi) SOLD
'86 300SDL 356,000km (220k mi) SOLD
'92 500SEL 250,000km (155k mi) SOLD
'90 300SL 140,000km (87k mi) SOLD
'01 S430 260,000km (161k mi) SOLD
'03 SL500 167,000km (104k mi) SOLD
'07 S550 4MATIC 235,000km (146k mi) SOLD
'07 GL320 CDI 4MATIC 348,000km (215k mi)
'13 GL350 BlueTec 4MATIC 170,000km (105k mi)
'14 SL550 72,000km (43k mi)