I had the same thing happen to my 2000 Camry LE. If you pulled up on the latch nothing would happen. If you pulled up on the latch and put pressure on the latch towards the passenger seat the trunk would then un-latch.

I decided that the cable had stretched, so I figured I'd tighten it up. Only problem is that there is no adjustment. I removed the cover of the latch by the driver seat but no adjustment. To get to the mechanism I started to remove the plastic trim thingie on door sill, and then saw I'd have to remove the carpet. Then it looked like I'd have to unbolt the seat and remove it to get to see more of the mechanism. Screw that. :headbang:

I'll go to the other end, I said to myself.

So I open the trunk, and the latch is under the ever so stylish custom molded el-cheapo deluxe cardboard cover held on by about 20 plastic push plugs. So I get the cover off, and I can see the latch mechanism but there is no adjustment for the cable.

The cable is terminated with a lead ball to keep it in place, and there isn't any place to put one of the screw on cable clamp shortner gizmos. Fooey.

I figured a beer might help so I opened one, and sure enough it came to me. Since I couldn't easily shorten the cable, I'd just shorten the length between the ends. I got a 10-32 nut, put it in the vise, and sawed through one side, so now it looks like a "C". I slipped the open end of the nut over the cable in the trunk, right next to the ball that was crimped to the end of the cable and squeezed the nut shut with a pair of pliers. That shortened the cable by 1/16". I hooked everything back up to the latch in the trunk, and it worked better. I sawed another nut and added it to the cable, and that shortened the cable a little over 1/8" and it works just as it should. Out of pocket costs, two 10-32 nuts, and a few minutes with a hack saw.

The easiest way would to have been to get some split shot, the kind they use in fishing, but I ain't a fisherman so I didn't have any, and I didn't want to drive to the bait shop to get some. I'm not too sure how long the split shot would last, or if it would come loose under pressure, but the crimped on steel nuts will last forever, no problem.

As it turns out, I mangled up a couple of the plastic push plugs that hold the ever so stylish custom molded el-cheapo deluxe cardboard cover in place, so I had to go the the hardware store to get some to replace the ones I screwed up. As I left I noticed the Fishing Department, and was temped to pick up some split shot in case I had to shorten up some cable some time in the future. But I passed on that idea.

I kinda like the "saw the nut in half" method.

So maybe this might be the answer to your problem.

 

I figured a beer might help so I opened one, and sure enough it came to me. Since I couldn't easily shorten the cable, I'd just shorten the length between the ends. I got a 10-32 nut, put it in the vise, and sawed through one side, so now it looks like a "C". I slipped the open end of the nut over the cable in the trunk, right next to the ball that was crimped to the end of the cable and squeezed the nut shut with a pair of pliers. That shortened the cable by 1/16". I hooked everything back up to the latch in the trunk, and it worked better. I sawed another nut and added it to the cable, and that shortened the cable a little over 1/8" and it works just as it should. Out of pocket costs, two 10-32 nuts, and a few minutes with a hack saw.

:lol: Figures, enough beer and time to reflect any problem can be solved.

If only the can tabs were smaller - five or six might have made the 1/8" needed.

 

IIRC, it's just a little cable snaking back from the handle by the driver's seat to the actual latch in the trunk door -- purely mechanical. Either disconnected at one end or the other, or something's mechanically wrong with the latch. I suppose something could be binding in the cable run, too, but seems unlikely -- that's a pretty protected run. Probably easiest to troubleshoot this with a helper -- one to work the latch handle, and one to watch what's happening back at the latch on the trunk lid.

 

my first question would be, how much resistance is on the latch when you lift it? this will help determine if the cable has snapped or disconnected or if there myy be aproblem with the latch itself.

 

What position is the keyhole on the trunk? you may have disabled the cabing release (Valet mode) just like locking glove box.

 

yeah, what hajoca said. i did this when i first got my camry. i believe if the keyhole is vertical, then the popper will work. if its horizontal, then only the key will open the trunk.

 

Have somebody pull up on the hood while you pull the release from inside the car.

Unlikely to work in your case, but worth a try?

 

^^the issue is the trunk release not the hood.

 

:facepalm: ...I just woke up. LEAVE ME ALONE! :lol:

 

1997 Toyota Paseo trunk-lock install question

So there I was, spending the day lounging around in the trunk of my new-to-me 1997 Toyota Paseo convertible. I first replaced the trunk lid struts so it would stop bonking me on the bean. While we are at it I thought, since my key does not work, let’s pull out that trunk lid lock and replace it so that I don’t have to depend only on the inside the passenger cabin release cable. I have the lock in my dirty little hands but alas, I closed the trunk and for the life of me, cannot figure out how to open it up again. Now the passenger seat trunk release lever just kinda flops around and does not work. I tried both pulling and pushing that other rod that connects the former lock to the trunk latch. Please keep in mind, there is no way into the trunk from behind the back seat due to a welded metal cage that looks a lot like rebar separating the trunk from the car interior. So, how do I open the trunk to reinstall the new lock?

 

So there I was, spending the day lounging around in the trunk of my new-to-me 1997 Toyota Paseo convertible. I first replaced the trunk lid struts so it would stop bonking me on the bean. While we are at it I thought, since my key does not work, let’s pull out that trunk lid lock and replace it so that I don’t have to depend only on the inside the passenger cabin release cable. I have the lock in my dirty little hands but alas, I closed the trunk and for the life of me, cannot figure out how to open it up again. Now the passenger seat trunk release lever just kinda flops around and does not work. I tried both pulling and pushing that other rod that connects the former lock to the trunk latch. Please keep in mind, there is no way into the trunk from behind the back seat due to a welded metal cage that looks a lot like rebar separating the trunk from the car interior. So, how do I open the trunk to reinstall the new lock?

You should have just gotten a new master key at the dealership ($10). Stick it in the lock, turn it, open.

 

Did that for $15 but master does not work the trunk lock, which must have been replaced sometime in the past, thats why i am replacing it.

 

this has happened a couple of times to me manually opening the trunk and closing it usually solves it tho btw has anyone ever actually been in there trunk an closed the lid on themselves? lmao try it there's like a panic button that unlocks the trunk from the inside and it glows in the dark its pretty freakin awesome:lol:

 

lol:lol: the reason was the cable end in the tunk wasn't hooked in a right place so when i pull the latch at the driver side the whole cable was moving back.

In detail the 'white plastic' covering at the end of the cable in the trunk wasn't placed in the right groove where it should be fitted.

thanks though for your opinions

 

trunk latch

I disabled my trunk latch on purpose by removing the cable end from its holder at the trunk latch

Y u ask..............so that I can leave all my valuables in the trunk and leave the windows down for the dog, and all my stuff is secure in the trunk :rockon: