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Sun Jul 10, 2005 9:31 pm

I just painted my car, and was adjusting the trunk lid. Closed it and it latched, then it clicked again. Now I can't get it to open.

Anybody run into this before and have any tricks on how to get it to open without screwing anything up?

Sun Jul 10, 2005 9:33 pm

Do you have the cable hooked up that runs to the glove box so you can unlock it?

Mon Jul 11, 2005 1:12 am

:cry:
Seems like the Bentley VW manual tell where to hacksaw the chrome handle to remove it. Kind of tricky, just follow directions. Then go get another one. New or used. But at least you dont mess up your decklid. Then you can pay more attention to all the parts, cables, adjustments, etc., so that it doesn't happen again. In the long run you may be happy for all the new experience you will get.

Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:54 am

OMG I feel like such a idiot. :lol: This is the first VW I have had in 35 years, and right after buying this one I tore it down to paint and do other things. Completely forgot about the lever to release the hood.

I did wake up in the middle of the night and get the idea to cut the handle, but I am now betting that all it is going to take is pulling the lever LOL.

Thanks... how embarrassing. :oops:

Mon Jul 11, 2005 5:23 pm

sometimes the mounting for the lever breaks and it won't work anymore. It's in the glovebox and the glovebox is NOT the made of the strongest material ever. Or the cable can break. One of the two (still don't know which, for sure) happened to my parts car, and I couldn't open it for weeks. One day my brother just goes out and opens it, just like nothing. Don't know how he got it open, but I didn't stop to ask - I just took the bottom of the latch off so it can't get stuck again!

Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:28 pm

dennisf486 wrote: sometimes the mounting for the lever breaks and it won't work anymore. It's in the glovebox and the glovebox is NOT the made of the strongest material ever. Or the cable can break. One of the two (still don't know which, for sure) happened to my parts car, and I couldn't open it for weeks. One day my brother just goes out and opens it, just like nothing. Don't know how he got it open, but I didn't stop to ask - I just took the bottom of the latch off so it can't get stuck again!
Good reason to get a plastic glovebox. My cardboard was falling apart so I spent the 10 bucks or so for it and it is awesome.

Tue Jul 12, 2005 5:54 am

Sometimes it takes 2 people to do it.

One working the glovebox and one working the hood latch.

I was thinking that is is possible to do from below with a screwdriver, but have never done that. Somebody told me that, but it might have just been a line to impress the girls. Us guys do that sometimes. :shock:

Tue Jul 12, 2005 11:21 am

I kept haveing trouble getting the hood latch to release. The glove box side where the cable is mounted is pretty weak. So, after greasing the line, I went into the inside of the dash, ( firewall) and wedged a piece of wood beneath the cable latch release. You can't see it when the hood is open....it is way, way back there!!! Now when I push down on the lever I am pushing on a very solid surface. Since then.....no problems.

Tue Jul 12, 2005 1:30 pm

You can also send a trained monkey through the glovebox to open the trunk from inside. Make sure it's a mild day so you don't roast it, sometimes it takes them a while. I sell monkeys trained to do this but you can't afford them.

Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:22 pm

UFVW wrote: You can also send a trained monkey through the glovebox to open the trunk from inside. Make sure it's a mild day so you don't roast it, sometimes it takes them a while. I sell monkeys trained to do this but you can't afford them.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:32 pm

If it's a Super Beetle, particularly a '71, with a little effort you can get access to the latch from the inside by working under the car. In the bottom of the spare tire well there is a big round sheet metal plug. Free it by cutting loose the sealant. Then push up on the tire and manuever it out of the way so you can reach up to the latch. Then you can trip the lever and it's open. Forget it if your toolbox or other stuff is in the way.