Do you have a Subaru Outback Trunk Won’t Open issue? This is quite a frustrating issue.
There is a bit more inconvenience when the trunk of your car won’t open. This phenomenon can occur across many brands and models of vehicles including Subaru.
Although not a usual occurrence, this article will examine why Subaru Outback trunk won’t open, its causes and steps to rectify the stuck trunk.
Let’s get started!
Subaru Outback Trunk Won’t Open
Manually open the trunk the whole way. Manually close the trunk about midway and hold down the liftgate close button. The power liftgate ought to gradually lower the door the remaining distance. The power liftgate should restart working after this reset.
There are many reasons why your Subaru Outback trunk will not open, and here are some of them;
The Trunk Lock of your Subaru is Bad
A broken trunk lock can also cause the Subaru Outbacks trunk not to open whenever you try opening it.
Experiencing a broken trunk lock is not a frequent occurrence in the Subaru Outback; however, if all the factors needed for the trunk lock to become faulty are satisfied, it will go bad.
When you have a faulty trunk lock and open it with your key fob, it still wouldn’t budge.
Usually, a lot of clicking sounds are associated with a broken lock. In an event where you continually hear a clicking sound while trying to open the trunk of your Subaru Outback, you know that you have a broken lock.
Also, the release button on your trunk will not work.
How to Fix
The only way to fix a broken trunk lock is to replace the Old trunk lock with a new one. You must be certain that the lock is faulty.
To confirm the status of the trunk lock, you must gain access to it by uninstalling a cover panel from within the vehicle that covers the trunk lock.
Inspect the trunk’s lock to verify its locking mechanism is the problem. If the lock only needs lubrication, apply some grease; however, if the lock’s mechanism is faulty, you will need to uninstall it and install a new one.
Also Read: Key Turns but Won’t Unlock Car Door (6 Causes & Solutions)
The Lock Actuator is Bad
An uncommon cause of why your trunk cannot open is a faulty lock actuator. You might not have heard of the lock actuator before, but it is the device responsible for locking and unlocking your trunk.
Without the lock actuator, you cannot automatically lock your trunk. The lock actuator consists of a small electric DC motor and gears.
If the electric motor or gear sets get faulty, the lock actuator will cease functioning.
Therefore a faulty lock actuator can cause your car’s trunk not to open.
How to Fix
The best way to fix the problem of a lock actuator going bad is to replace the old and faulty one with a new one.
Issues with Your Key FOB
Modern cars usually come with key fobs, and the Subaru Outback is one of the numerous new model vehicles.
It is no secret that with the help of the key, the car owner can open doors, start the car, and open the trunk of their vehicle.
You can use the key fob of the Subaru Outback to open the trunk; however, if the key fob malfunctions, the vehicle becomes non-responsive.
For this reason, if you have a non-responsive or faulty key fob, it will not open the trunk of a Subaru Outback. You might think it is because of her 40 trunk lock, but it is actually because of the non-responsive key fob.
A battery powers every key fob, and when this battery drains out, the key becomes unresponsive. However, there are many other reasons why a key fob will become non-responsive
How to Fix
The only way to solve this problem is to identify why the key fob is malfunctioning.
There are some reasons why a key fob will not function properly. A short circuit in the wiring of the key fob may cause the key fob’s non-responsiveness.
Also, a dead battery can cause the key fob to malfunction similarly.
If a short circuit is a problem, the connections in the key fob need to be rewired and reprogrammed; if a dead battery is a problem, a new one must replace the old one.
Your Battery Needs Recharging
Electrical power must surge through its circuits for your vehicle to function properly. For the newer models of the Subaru Outback, you cannot open a door or even your trunk if the battery is dead.
Normally older models before the 2013 model usually had a manual trunk lock, allowing you to open your trunk even if there was no power. All you had to do was insert the car key in a keyhole space on your trunk and pull it open.
How to Fix
There are many reasons why your battery drains out. Maybe it was a device that consumes power plugged in overnight, or a light in your vehicle did not turn off properly.
Whatever the case may be, you must recharge the battery as soon as possible, and if you cannot restore the battery, you will need to replace the battery entirely with a new one.
There are essentially two ways to recharge your battery, and the first and most common way is using an external battery charger. Here you can uninstall the dead battery from your vehicle and take it to the charger.
To charge your battery, you need to connect the positive and negative terminals of the battery to the charger before switching on the charger. If you’re in a hurry, you must leave the battery to charge for approximately an hour or at least 30 minutes.
However, if you are nowhere near your battery charger or stuck on the road, you can jump-start your vehicle to charge the battery.
You will need jumper cables and another fully charged battery to do this. You can ask a friend or family member to drive down to your location and connect your jumper cables from your battery to their battery. Ensure that the jumper cables are connected correctly before stepping into your car to switch it on. Start your car’s engine and let your alternator charge the battery.
If you find it difficult to do any of this, it is always advisable to seek the help of a professional mechanic.
Issues with the Trunk Cable
Trunk cables in most cars are used to replace trunk handles. These strong cables are connected to a lever around the vehicle’s driver seat.
If the strong cable becomes faulty or damaged, the car owner cannot open the trunk manually.
The trunk cable can be damaged in many ways, including being cut or becoming too loose so that it can no longer pull the trunk open.
How to Fix
To fix a damaged trunk cable, replace the old or damaged one with a new one. To do this, you must remove the damage to one from your vehicle and then reinstall a new one.
How to Open A Subaru Trunk From The Inside
It is possible to open a Subaru Outback trunk from the inside, and here are simple steps you can follow to do that;
- You have to first access your trunk through the back seat by folding them down.
- Next, find the internal trunk handle, which is located behind the trunk lock. Please remember that the interior handle is covered with a panel and might not be easy to access.
- Remove this panel and access the internal trunk handle
- Once you gain access to the handle, pull it up
- The trunk will immediately open from inside
Remember that the internal handle should not be used as it is meant for emergencies. Also, trying to open them to consult your own is more for better directions and descriptions.
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Frequently Asked Questions – Subaru Outback Trunk Won’t Open
How Do I Manually Open My Subaru Outback Trunk?
First, use your key to open the driver’s door, then go to your trunk and push the button beneath the Subaru emblem. Your trunk should be open now.
Why does my trunk release not work?
Your trunk release is not working because of a problem with your trunk lock actuator or an issue with your car’s battery.
Where is the emergency trunk release?
The emergency trunk release is usually on the car’s driver’s side, connected to a cable that runs to the trunk.
Conclusion – Subaru Outback Trunk Won’t Open
It is not usual for your Subaru Outback trunk not to open. However, this can happen for many reasons, including a faulty key fob, a faulty lock activator, or even a dead car battery.
Having read this article, you should understand better how to handle a situation where your Subaru Outback trunk refuses to open. Employing an expert’s services whenever your trunk has issues is also advisable.