Taking care of your car is very important, including taking good care of your doors and lock mechanisms. The trunk is not a door you should not neglect, and taking good care of it will free you of the trouble of paying for costly repairs.
But you’ve arrived at this article because you desperately searched for a way how to open Toyota Corolla trunk without keys, right? If that’s the case, then you’re in luck!
In the sections below, we will give you some reasons why your trunk is stuck and won’t open, as well as some fast and practical solutions to open your Corolla’s trunk by yourself easily. Whatever the case, if you feel you are struggling and cannot solve the problem, then make sure to call for help from a trained professional.
Reasons Why The Trunk Door Of Your Toyota Corolla Won’t Open
Depending on the problem, there might be several reasons your Toyota Corolla’s trunk is stuck and refuses to open.
Counting how old the car is, if it is an older model, then the problem might just be a rusted and worn-out lock. This is evident if the trunk handle refuses to budge or the keys don’t move left or right when you insert them to unlock it. Sometimes it might even be that you forgot the keys inside unintentionally.
Whatever the case, these are the most common reasons why the trunk of your Corolla will not open.
A defective trunk handle and lock system
The most common problem in Toyota Corolla cars is a broken or defective lock system on the trunk. You can easily check if that is the case if the trunk handle is stiff and won’t move. It can also be loose, so it offers no resistance when pressing or pulling it. In that case, it is most likely broken inside.
The best way to solve this problem is to drive your car to a local locksmith and have them fix it. We would not suggest you try fixing it on your own because there is a risk of greater damage to your trunk door.
Your keyfob is not working
This only applies to newer Toyota Corolla models, which feature a keyless fob system. A keyfob is a little remote control, usually designed by the manufacturer, and goes together with the car. Its purpose is to make life easier and give you total control over your car with a simple press of a button.
However, like any technology, keyfobs tend to fail and give out, which might leave you unable to access your entire car, let alone the trunk. The most frequent reason keyfobs fail is their inside battery is drained or worn out. This is an easy fix; all you need to do is replace the old battery with a new one.
But if the keyfob is the problem, then the best course of action would be to get your car to a licensed Toyota service and have them give you a new set of programmable keyfobs.
Your car battery is dead
Besides the keyfob, a dead car battery can also present a problem, especially in newer Toyota Corolla models. Newer models may have no physical lock on the trunk where you can enter a key to open it, and it is only opened electronically. But what happens if the battery dies and you’re locked out of your trunk.
In this scenario, you can access your trunk through the front of the car, but below, we will discuss that more.
You simply forgot your keys inside the trunk
Forgetting the keys inside the trunk can happen to anyone, especially if you are in a rush. Whatever the case, it is important not to panic and call someone close to you to deliver the spare keys if they can.
If that is not an option, then you best hope that the rest of the Corolla is not locked because you can still gain access to the trunk from the front. But if the whole car’s locked, there are still some tricks we can teach you on how to open Toyota Corolla trunk without keys.
How To Open Toyota Corolla Trunk Without Keys
Whenever you encounter yourself in a situation with one of the problems mentioned above, there are several things that you can try to open your Corolla’s trunk successfully and without damage.
First of all, check and recheck your trunk several times
If one attempt fails, why not try a second or a third time? If you are sure the trunk is unlocked, you can try it again.
If you succeed the second or the third time, the trunk locking mechanism was stuck or full of dirt and debris accumulating over time. It would normally require a bit more force to be applied in the process, but as long as it gets the job done without any harm, then no big deal.
After it opens, try and clean the locking mechanism thoroughly and give it a drop or two of oil to make it open easier from that point on.
Try to open your trunk from inside the car
If several attempts to open the trunk from the outside have failed, then it is time to try to open it from within.
If the rest of the Toyota’s doors are open, you can try to access your trunk from behind the rear seats. The rear seats should have handles on each end at the top that, when pulled, can successfully unlock them from their fixed position. This will allow you to fold the rear seats forward and practically open up the entire trunk area from the inside.
There may also be a dedicated handle in the front of the vehicle, allowing you to open the trunk from inside the car manually, but this may not be available on all Toyota Corolla models.
You can use a slim jim to open it
A slim jim is a special tool that car thieves regularly use. But it has its uses in situations such as these. It’s a thin piece of metal that bends very easily, being able to slide its way into areas inaccessible by other means.
A slim jim will not help you on the trunk door directly, but you can use it to unlock either the driver’s or passenger’s side door.
Simply slide the end with the hook between the car door body and the glass and try to pull the unlocking mechanism up from inside the door. This is a process done by feeling it, so take your time, don’t rush, and be very patient. Once you unlock the door, you can access the trunk from the inside.
Call for help, preferably a locksmith
If all the DIY stuff fails, it’s time to call for help, and no one can help you better in a situation like this than a trained professional.
If you have tried all the safe options to unlock your Toyota Corolla’s trunk and nothing has worked, then leave it to a professional because you might worsen things.
Even though a professional locksmith’s services do not come cheap, ranging from $50-$250, they are certainly needed in this situation. In the end, you would not want to cause damage to your vehicle that costs twice that, would you?
Can I use a screwdriver to force the trunk open?
We would highly recommend that you do not attempt such a feat! Using a screwdriver can cause serious damage to your car’s exterior and your trunk door. You may even end up hurting yourself, so never attempt to use such a tool for this purpose.
Can I use my mobile phone to unlock my Toyota Corolla’s trunk?
This depends on the model of your Corolla since many newer models offer cell phone connectivity while older ones do not.
If you have already connected your smartphone to your car to use maps or play music, you can also search for an option that lets you lock or unlock it.
How does the locking mechanism work on my Corolla?
Newer Corolla models have locking mechanisms that work using direct current electricity. Inside the mechanism, an electric motor releases the lock when the keyfob button is pressed, unlocking the trunk.
A drained car battery will disable this electronic locking mechanism, making it more difficult for the trunk door to be opened.
Closing Remarks
We hope this article greatly benefited you and helped you solve your Toyota Corolla’s trunk problem without stress and anxiety. Remember, keeping calm in a situation like this is key to solving it quicker and faster. After all, panicking only makes things worse.
And if you had to call a professional for help in the end, then at least we were able to guide you into trying every way possible to try and open your trunk without the keys.
