dead battery lockout solution

[Heavydee]

My battery died and the security system locked me out of the trunk, so I could not get to the battery. The "putting power to the C3 fuse" did not work for me, but I found this other technique that did:

Since it is an '00 or older, the release levers for the trunks are manual and there is a 'lock out' plate to prevent them from being release when the car is locked or the driver's door is closed. However, you can use a small flat headed screwdriver to slide between the two levers on the driver's door sill to manually unlock them. Here's how:

With a flashlight and skinny 3-4" long flat screwdriver (like one of those electrician promo ones handed out at trade shows...) slide it down between the front and rear levers. Under the front trunk lever, you'll see a U shaped cut out that will have a white plate under it. The white plate, when the vehicle is locked or doors are closed, slides over the U shaped cutout to prevent the levers from being raised. Using the screwdriver, slide the white plate from the outside of the car towards the center. Once it's clear, just pull up on the lever to release either trunk.

To that note, have you started the car yet to reinitialize your key w/ the car and the immobilizer? This may solve your problem as well (a dead battery will put the car into 'sleep mode' and since it was locked... the trunks remain as such). Otherwise, you'll likely have to remove the sill plate cover w/ the levers to see what's going on, or not, underneath for a permanent fix.