How to open trunk without key....

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GRWeldon

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Trunk release inside doesn't work, key is not available. I tried destroying the lock on my Cougar parts car and STILL couldn't get it open. Don't want to attempt it again on the car I'm working on. Any special tricks?
 
IIRC on Tbirds there are rivets you can drill/punch out and take out the lock cylinder clip and lock cylinder.(cougars too but the reflector panel is in the way) Otherwise my method is exactly what @1997ThunderbirdLXV6 described; pull the back seat crawl through the trunk and unbolt. Thrashing the lock cylinder doesn’t work.
 
There is an easier way... Pull the trunk release button out where it plugs in run a wire from the positive on the battery to where the plug goes into the release button. Just run the wire around the outside of the car this is just to feed temp voltage to the button. While holding the button down touch the wire from the batt to the metal post and it'll feed power to the trunk release solinoid and as long as the selniod is good the trunk will pop as if you had the key in and on. Most of those buttons just pry gently and it'll come out.
 
97teebs said:
There is an easier way... Pull the trunk release button out where it plugs in run a wire from the positive on the battery to where the plug goes into the release button. Just run the wire around the outside of the car this is just to feed temp voltage to the button. While holding the button down touch the wire from the batt to the metal post and it'll feed power to the trunk release solinoid and as long as the selniod is good the trunk will pop as if you had the key in and on. Most of those buttons just pry gently and it'll come out.
Click to expand...
Worth a try, but before I did this I would verify continuity of the switch when pressed. I say this because I'm assuming the trunk solenoid is bad.
 
XR7-4.6 said:
IIRC on Tbirds there are rivets you can drill/punch out and take out the lock cylinder clip and lock cylinder.(cougars too but the reflector panel is in the way) Otherwise my method is exactly what @1997ThunderbirdLXV6 described; pull the back seat crawl through the trunk and unbolt. Thrashing the lock cylinder doesn’t work.
Click to expand...
No visible rivets. On the underside where the license plate lights are, there is a plastic cover between the lights held in place with one rivet. Might this be what you are speaking of? If so, I could probably get to the rivet with a right angle drill. Or better yet a dremel would do the job of rivet removal...
 
Here's a question and you may have said and I missed it but where is the key for the trunk?
 
A locksmith can open it. Also, try your friends trunk keys from that era fords. There are only so many keys.
 
The switch is far more likely to be the issue over the solenoid. That said, if bypassing the switch with a jumper doesn't work, removing the rear seat and crawling in to pop the latch is easy and unobtrusive.
 
Grweldon what state are you in?
 
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