Locked out of the trunk ....

[1987cp]

Question for folks with body experience: Does anyone know how to get the trunk of a sedan open without the key? I seem to have locked my set of extra car keys in the trunk. No remote trunk release, and it doesn't look to me like there's a way to get in through the seatback. So far my best idea is to take the matching lock cylinder out of one of the doors and see if a good locksmith I know of can make a key from it.

[mrltd]

they should be able to make the key from the vin number

[85crownHPP]

If the "extra" set is locked in the trunk, where is the original set???

You could remove the seat back and try to fish the keychain out with a coathanger and a flashlight.

Or, if its any cheaper, call a lockshith out and have them pick the trunk lock open.

[LTDMan83]

If you don't wanna damage the Decklid or Lock Cylinder in any way, then you will have no other choice but to Call a locksmith, try and have a key made, or try and fish out your keys through the holes behind the rear seat.

If you wanna get in no matter what, then there are many ways.....:evil:

[torquelover]

they should be able to make the key from the vin number

+1

[1987cp]

If the "extra" set is locked in the trunk, where is the original set???

Heh..... I currently only have one set ... -10,000 for Mikey. :p

And thanks a lot for the replies, everyone! Good news is that I did finally locate the keys (after worrying myself silly all stinking day) ... they were hiding in plain sight under a piece of Wetordry sandpaper. One possible reason to buy some of those little key-dinger fobs or at least put a key rack inside the house for us to all put keys on when we're at home.

Still worrisome (in once sense, anyway) to hear that maybe there really aren't a lot of options for getting the trunk open without keys. Although, the making-keys-from-the-VIN-number is rather encouraging, provided the locks on any given vehicle are indeed original (eventually not to be the case on the Colony Park).

I did give some thought to the notion of making a passthrough seatback that folds down from inside the vehicle .... not sure whether cutting the bracing behind the seatback would have a negative effect on the body's integrity ........ or maybe it'd be more secure (from unscrupulous parking valets, etc.) and also much less intrusive to install an electric remote trunk release and hide the button somewhere that someone who's not me wouldn't think to look.

For some reason, my Cavalier-loving mother in law seemed very confused at the notion that a vehicle wouldn't have any sort of alternate way to open the trunk from the inside of the vehicle, including those newfangled emergency releases inside the trunk itself. I did point out that this particular car is two years older than the earliest Cavaliers, but the fact remains that the remote trunk release was just an extra-cost option that a lot of cars were built without.

Oh, and yes, I think tomorrow I'll almost certainly be visiting the locksmith anyway, and having at least two extra door keys made for this car.

[LTDMan83]

Yes, always a good idea to have an extra set of keys, or even a couple extra sets. I had an extra set made right after I got the car, as well as replacing the old 20+ yr old original keys, with an NOS Ford Set I got off of eBay. It would have been a helluva PITA of a time if the original key had ever broken off inside the door's lock cylinder.

[torquelover]

Install the power trunk release. I have to open my trunk a lot for people. Doing it without having to get out of the car is nice. If you want, wire it in so that you have to hit the brake pedal or something while pressing said button if you would like some peace of mind.

[1987cp]

I like that idea! That'd be easy to do, too ... could even make the solenoid dependent on the brake lights right there in the trunk. Thanks!

[85MercPark]

I keep a spare door key in my wallet... used it twice...

[85crownHPP]

I did lock my keys in the trunk once... luckily I have the power popper so I just hot wired the botton with a jump pack. I was about to use one of the cig-lighter plug & pigtails I have (from hard wiring gay plug-in-the-lighter acessories) to jump it.

[gabegt90]

I keep a spare door key in my wallet... used it twice...

x1 to that big time.

[P72Ford]

In some older cars (I've done this on a '68 LeSabre), you can open the trunk by removing the rear seat. You need a really long screw driver (probably have to make something). The car that I did it on had the locking mechanism exposed, and I was able to turn the catch manually with my screw driver. However, I believe the panther's have an enclosed mechanism, which rules that out.

I don't have a key for my trunk; just the remote release. There is no damger of me losing the key. Hell I can't even lock my keys in the car, because of the fact that my front doors are sans lock rods...

[torquelover]

However, I believe the panther's have an enclosed mechanism, which rules that out.

Some people have been able to escape my trunk unless unconscious. There is a metal slot accessible on the back of the latch in my car.

[91waggin]

I put a key in a little hide-a-key box with a magnet on the back and tuck it up above the gas filler. Open the gas flap, reach up, and there it is. Alternately, you could hide it up on the inside of the fender.