I just got my 82 300CD back from the body shop. I had new rear quarter panels welded on. The car looks great but I can't pop the trunk. The key turns in the tumbler and depresses but the lid won't budge.

I did a search but I didn't find anything that could help. I noticed the problem after the shop was closed and they won't be open until Monday. If it's just that they didn't reconnect a vacuum line then I can do that, but I need to get the thing open first.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

have you tried turning the key the other way, and your are pushing in on the tumbler right?

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http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...titled-1-3.jpg
1981 300d

Make sure you turn then push. Other wise the lock may be broken. And you have to break in from inside the car. You have to remove the first aid box. If you look through the hole you'll find a hole just side of where the lock mechanism is bolted on. If you can get a hook in there and and pull the lever thats back there and have some one lift up on the trunk lid. If all goes right you'll open the trunk. I have done this so I will work. I use a stick with a piece of really stiff wire bend at 90 degrees taped onto the end of the stick.

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ON my car, you have to push down on the trunk lid while turning the key. Turn the key to the vertical (straight up) position, push cylinder towards the front of the car and the finish turning to the right, then lift the lid up.

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Dave
1983 300D Daily Driver

If I remember correctly, with the key slot at 12 o'clock (vertical) the trunk will not open unless the key is used. If the key slot is at the 3 o'clock position (horizontal) no key is required, just depress the lock button assuming the 2 doors are already unlocked. The 3 o'clock postion is used when you want the trunk to unlock with the central locking feature.
If you must use the key, you turn the key from vertical clockwise to the right and with the key still in the cylinder depress the lock cyl. to open. Report back. When I owned mine I turned the key from vertical to the 3 0'clock postion, removed the key and never used it again. As I unlocked the car from the driver door, my trunk was opened simply by depressing the lock cyl. button at the trunk lid because my central locking locked and unlocked the tumbler. Once the car was locked so was the trunk. This is all with the assumption your central locking is fully functional.

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81 300CD (sold) 1972 280 SEL 4.5 (sold) 1966 250 S 4 spd (sold) 1974 450 SL (sold) 86 BMW 325ES (sold), 1973 280C (sold) 1988 300 SE.

Coda (new 300SDL) has a trunk demon. The slot is in the 3 o'clock position; however, on ocassion, it will just lock. In order to unlock, I have to lock the driver door and then unlock the driver door. Passenger front door key lock does not move. Key is original and key fits trunk.

Sometimes it will be days before it happens; sometimes minutes. I can usually open the trunk about 3 times and then POOF; it is locked.

The vacuum on the lock system never leaks all the way down ---- I think if there were a leak in the trunk; then all the vacuum would leak out. I'm guessing it has to be in the trunk pod........... but I haven't been checking the fuel filler door. I should start checking it.

Anyone else experienced this?

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

When my lock plate needed adjustment, it was just at a place where when cold it would pop and when the sun hit it and it warmed up, it would not open. Might be worth a try...

Don't these cars have 'valet' keys that prevent trunk opening?

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Think Alternative Energy!
300CD '80 (now gone but not forgotten...)

I think it's the yellow line with the green tracer, that, when vacuum is applied to it, will unlock the trunk. You can find this line under the rear seat cushion. (Unless the diaphragm is shot)

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

Thanks for the reply. I inserted the key at 12 o'clock, depressed the tumbler and rotated to the three o'clock position and then back and forth a few times as nothing happened. I then left it at 3 o'clock, removed the key and, viola, it opened upon the tumbler being depressed. I feel silly but I did the same thing several times last night with my wife watching and it stayed locked tight. I guess it was operator error.

Thanks everyone for the advice!

I have kind of a funny trunk thing but totally different. More of a weird coincedence.
I changed the ignition cylinder assy. on the Squash a while back due the the dreaded "key won't turn" issue. The ignition assy I installed came from a '77 300D and was an older style. So, different key for the ignition, and different key for the doors and the trunk. But the other day I wasn't thinking and used the ignition key to unlock the trunk. Shouldn't work because it is from a totally different car but it unlocks the trunk. Does not unlock the doors, and the door key won't turn in the ignition. Weird..... Door key will unlock doors and trunk. Go figure....

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I bought an '82 300D rust bucket parts car a few years back, the ignition key from my '83 300CD actually worked to turn the ignition in the 82 but wouldn't work for the doors or trunk, luckily the doors were never locked, but I did have to get into the trunk with a crowbar to use the tail light assemblies.