HELP! Rear trunk won't open nightmare

This one hurts so bad I could scream. I have a 2000 base Boxster. While trying to repair a broken trunk release cable (the one activated by the key fob) I disconnected the other cable--the one operated by the pull handle under the driver's door. You guessed it--I proceeded to accidentally shut the rear trunk. Now what do I do? Neither cable is connected to the trunk release mechanism. I understand there might be an emergency cable pull under the left rear wheel well but is that linked to one of the disconnected cables? What are my options????



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/2012 03:38PM by Kinnick4Ever. (view changes)

... Tech Article that shows where the emergency release cable is located.

[pedrosgarage.com]

Look at the next to the last photo.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

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Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Hey, That's a photo of my car!...I was at Gundo's that day throwing on my new muffler and took that pic. Memories of a fun day.

Pedro, thank you so much. However, I'm still not sure I understand. Are you saying the emergency cable is not in any way linked to the manual release cable (located under the door sill) or the electric cable (activated from the key fob)? Is this emergency cable essentially a THIRD cable for releasing the rear trunk? If so, to what is this emergency cable connected or how does it work? I only saw two cable ends that hook to the latch release mechanism. If there is a third cable connected to the rear latch mechanism somehow, I didn't see it. I ask because I can imagine going to the trouble of finding the emergency cable only to discover it is "limp" like the other two. If that's the case, I'm going to need some other way to get into the trunk. If it's not the case, then wahoo.

One other thing while we're at it (assuming the emergency cable is really the answer to my particular dilemma). Your photo suggests that access to the emergency release cable requires removal of the rear bumper. I thought I had read somewhere that you could find the emergency cable by removing the left rear wheel and a section of plastic wheel well. That would seem easier, at least for me, than removing the rear bumper. Any thoughts? And again, thank you!

BUMP

The front was not that big a deal.

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

IIRC, the problem is that you have to be able to open the rear trunk lid to be able to access a couple of screws that secures the top of the rear bumper to the car. All other screws alongside the bumper are easily accessible. I'm not sure how you'll be able to fish out the cord, but since you know where it is located now, maybe you can undo all the other screws along the length of the bumper, take out the bumperettes (there's one Allen bolt under each one), and pull back at the bumper to get to the pull cord? Good luck.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/2012 08:07AM by boxtaboy. (view changes)

In the interest of helping anyone else who might experience my particular problem, I am going to clarify my original post about a broken rear trunk release cable on a 2000 Boxster. After taking my car to a local body shop, it turns out I do NOT have an emergency release cable, per se (one that emerges behind the rear bumper, as often described). Why? Because my Boxster has an optional feature that allows me to open the trunk with the key fob. In cars such as mine, of course, any illustration showing a single manual release cable and a second emergency release cable is wrong. To explain further: Of the two cables clearly visible within my trunk (near the latch), one emerges from a black plastic sleeve and ultimately links to the manual release mechanism under the driver's door. The second cable--activated by the key fob--emerges from a whitish plastic sleeve that is part of an electrical doohicky (I don't know the proper name but "doohicky" seems appropriate) located a foot or so to the left of the latch. To access the doohicky, you have to remove the whole carpet and disassemble a metal framework that surrounds the doohicky. Since the key fob offers a second way to open the trunk, the factory must have felt it obviated the need for the standard emergency release cable. What Porsche maybe didn't figure was some idiot like me closing the trunk lid with one cable broken and the other disconnected from the latch. Go figure. Anyway, trying to repair the broken key fob cable has proven difficult so I have ordered a new doohicky from Porsche at a cost of $100.

Can you please go into detail the area of the carpet and metal framework that needs to be dissembled? Did you do it or the body shop? I'm looking from the rear with the bumper off and I was only able to unscrew a bracket that holds the top of the bumper

I see this post was quite old but dealing with the rear trunk of my 2000 Boxster S not opening I figured I would comment maybe to help others. I believe some May not be aware that after 2000 the interior trunk and frunk controls went from levers and wire to apparently electric push button. My trunk is opened by a wire connected to latch trigger also connected to the trigger is the solenoid that is FOB activated. Whether that was a option I don’t know but it’s only the trunk that has a solenoid operated open I have read later Boxster’s also can open the front luggage compartment via the fob . Maybe only the later model boxers with the electrical controls were given the hidden safety latches or cables my front luggage compartment has the emergency open cable rear does not . My trunk opening issues I thought were a defective solenoid but after removal and testing the opening solenoid Works perfectly I have 12 V on the two wire connector and apparently you receive the ground to activate the trunk from the Control unit alarm system under left hand seat . Still pursuing a remedy for not receiving a ground to solenoid when fob is activated. Have read a post that another Boxster owner had a similar problem and the dealership reprogrammed I guess the control unit and it’s off his issue not really fond of the dealership I’ll keep looking.

My problem is the emergency cable has completely snapped from the inside! When I pulled on it, it simply came out. I'm not completely sure what you mean by "doohicky" but where is it exactly located? And where do I exactly start the dissembly??

First, you only have the "doohicky" if your key fob electronically activates the trunk latch. Do you have this optional feature? If you don't have this feature, then you must have the emergency cable release instead (the one hidden behind the rear bumper).

Having said that, the body shop did all the work. First they removed the bumper and used a special tool to release the latch and open the trunk. Whew! Then they disassembled the the black plastic shield that covers the trunk latch and continued from there to remove pretty much all the carpet in the trunk, then went to work on the metal brackets (also inside the trunk, at the back end). I don't recall being able to see the doohicky without the metal brackets removed (although I could see one end of it, the sleeve from which the cable emerges). You just have to start bracket disassemby and go from there. It should be pretty obvious. Since I didn't do the work I'm not sure how many bolts need to be removed but it was surely several. The best thing I can do is send a photo. I'm trying to do that but it might be later today before I can get it done. Good luck!