996 luggage compartment opening lever

lifes a beach · 12-06-2009, 10:53 AM

Just bought a 996 and cannot open luggage compartment. It is as if the lever is locked. Engine compartment opens fine. The manual says, "When the battery is discharged, the levers can't be unlocked." How can you get to a dead battery if the luggage compartment is locked???!?!?!? And, how is it locked? HELP! Thanks a lot.

Rrrockhound · Rrrockhound's Garage

Your manual also tells you what to do if your battery is dead and you can't open the trunk. You have to connect another battery to your electrical system to open the trunk, then you can charge your battery. Connect the positive of the spare car battery to the emergency terminal in your fuse box and connect the negative to the door latch. This is only for opening the trunk, not jumping the car.

lifes a beach · 12-06-2009, 11:17 AM

The battery seems fine because it starts/runs ok but may not keep a full charge as ownership is less than 24 hours. But, I will connect another battery to the fuse box. Thanks!

racer · 12-07-2009, 02:09 PM

What year 996? I thought the early ones had a cable and the later ones were electric.

2Utes · 12-07-2009, 06:03 PM

There is an emergency release cable somewhere near the front of the passenger front wheel well. I do not remember how to access it. Perhaps the owners manual has an index reference to emergency release cable for the front cover. I remember reading about it on Rennlist.org. I am sorry that I cannot be more specific on the access method.

racer · 12-08-2009, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2Utes

There is an emergency release cable somewhere near the front of the passenger front wheel well. I do not remember how to access it. Perhaps the owners manual has an index reference to emergency release cable for the front cover. I remember reading about it on Rennlist.org. I am sorry that I cannot be more specific on the access method.

In the Boxster, it only had an emergency cable release if it was a cable operated latch. Later Boxsters had electric latches.. which require putting a "jumper" in the footwell fues panel to trip the circuit and open the trunk, iirc. I imagine the 996 set up is similar.

chinamanTD · 05-31-2021, 08:57 AM

I have tried all methods to open trunk/engine lids. IMO, the easiest method is to retrieve the pull cable from the left rear light assembly by lifting the bottom with silicon spatula or equivalent. Shine flashlight and you should be able to see the wire cable. Use hook to retrieve cable and pull to release latch for engine lid. Connect jumper cable as shown in User manual and you should be able to activate release levers on the driver's side sill plate.

The other methods (removal of wheel well plastic/or jumping at the fuse box is cumbersome and inconvenient. I have used this technique on many 996s and have always been successful. FYI, I own a 1999 996 Red Guards cabriolet with 37,000 original miles. Will keep it for my son.

markp92692 · markp92692's Garage

Hi Folks

Confirmed this is a PITA job. not hard, just 1hr of hassle to open the trunk once, ... You'll likely break a plastic wheel well fender rivitt or more, i was able to remove all the rivits and peel back the liner without completely removing it .. and if your break a rivit , you'll have to order and wait for a delivery - hassle. order a few first

Easiest way was to remove the passagenr wheel , then pop the rivits , peel back

after diddling with the wheel method 2x , note wear leather gloves to pull the wire ( thin silver w loop ) its thin and sharp. and requires a good tug. its up their pretty far buy the headlight get your head and a light in their to see it. it might tale a few mins to locate

...and Hoping it will not stick again. Mine tended to stick more often when the truck lid was hot from the sun.

after diddling with the wheel method 2x , note wear gloves to pull the wire its thin and sharp. and requires a good tug. its up their pretty far get your head and a light in their to see it. it might tale a few mins to locate

my tech tip Wire clothes hanger cut to create a hook about 6" one end a loop for your finger to grab, other side hook to grab the wire loop.

so by the 3rd time i was feed up drilled a small hole in the wheel well liner and extend the cable with wire past the wheel well liner, so now i could just grab it. however you arm gets full of dirt . hassle

SOLUTION Best was to take it to the shop and have them replace the hood latch mechanism $90 part and $100 labor. Problem solved , time spend dorking as outlined above vs a real professional fixing the issue . I would value my time as better spent paying the pro !

all the best, never had a problem since the shop fixed

part # 996 511 127 00

flmont · 06-09-2021, 06:54 PM

On my 02' Boxster I used the trickle charger thru my lighter socket and it popped in about 2 seconds

FPB111 · 06-10-2021, 03:11 PM

What year? Early cars had a lever operated cable. That has a locking bar between the levers. You can get in there and manually move the lever. Google is your friend.
Later cars have a switch operated latch. If later get someone to press gently down on the frunk between the badge and the front edge while you activate the switch.
Later cars also have a cable that runs to the right and hangs in front of the inner fender. If you are lucky a PO may have run this cable to the tow bar access cover.