Good news, but why would anyone do that?
At least there wasn't a body in there.

 

Good question.

The vehicle was in a very minor accident prior to my purchase. There is a very light scuff on the front and rear bumpers, much of which can be buffed out, with no major damage. Maybe that light impact triggered the latch. I was told that, sometimes, dealers might mess with a trunk's ability to open to discourage folks from buying it at an auction. Afterward, fixing the issue known to them and making money. There is no structural damage to the bumpers or rest of the car. It's a good thing that I bought it at an affordable price! That certainly helps to make it easier to deal with getting past the cost of updating some of the vehicle's wear parts (all new suspension and coolant lines) and trunk issue!

A CarFax report revealed that the dealer that I bought it from had purchased it at an auction. They had listed it on eBay's auction site starting at only $500.

 

The mechanic removed the rear bumper cover to be able to study the situation better. At first, they removed access plugs on the bottom of the trunk, but could not get the cable behind the right taillight to release the trunk latch. The answer was to enlarge an existing trunk vent hole that is located about 8 inches below the latching mechanism and behind the bumper cover. This was done with a simple large flat blade screwdriver. With a rigid wire they were able to manipulate the red switch on the latch. This is all tucked in behind a plastic cover (removed in the photos). Once they opened the vent hole, actuation and opening of the trunk was fairly quick.

Thank you, Falconworks Jaguar repair of Tucson!

In this first photo of the enlarged vent-hole, you can see directly up to see the trunk latch:




In this photo you can see the vent hole below the latch:




In this photo you can see the red switch/latch in relation to the trunk latch:




The 2000 XKR's trunk latch is a Ford part. There is no need to permanently lock a Jag trunk like this... perhaps that Ford part was designed to be used on a Ford van wherein the user might want to disable the lock from inside. Hmmm...

 

How did the latch get in this position?

I assume that the Latch could be pre-set in this position prior to closing the Trunk Lid?

If so, then subsequently closing the Trunk Lid would lock it "Permanently"?

Like Sealing the Pharaoh's Tomb!

 

Exactly! We have no idea how this happened. It was such a pain to deal with this situation! I'd suggest that all with this type of red switch in their trunk wire it in such a way that it can NEVER be used. My mechanic is going to wire around the latch with stainless steel wire so that it can never change position.

 

Maybe it's the opposite of an Emergency Trunk Release. It allows you to get in the trunk, close it, and push the red switch so others can not get to you - not with keys, the fob, or the truck button.
Perhaps this is an export version for various volatile parts of the world. I can think of several possibilities in which this would be a useful function.

Thanks for the pictures, as that is very interesting. Next time I'm playing around with my car in that area I will have to take a look to see if I have that. Out of curiosity, does the Emergency Trunk Release inside the trunk override it, or did they not have Emergency Trunk Releases installed yet in MY2000.

 

Mine 2000 has no emergency release.

 

My 2001 also does not have an 'internal emergency release', I know.. Went looking for it and couldnt find one.

 

Hi,
I think by Federal law they all have emergency trunk release, inside the trunk.
Mine is in the right hand corner just behind the rear light fixture cover, but sometimes they get behind the carpet area. 2001 it is law , but most have started for years 2000, notably Ford which I would think encompass the Jaguar.
Trunk Release Mandatory | Mandatory Car Trunk-Release Rules Proposed - Los Angeles Times

Try taking off your rear light black cover ( 2 wing nut type caps) and look behind the carpet, you will see a wire with a light green handle, the handle is actually suppose to glow in the dark.
That is where I originally found my release.

Why Jaguar would ever have a button to push, so that the trunk once closed would never open again is beyond my comprehension, it simply does not make sense.

For the life of me I cannot think of any good reason it should be there!

If someone was to try hiding in the trunk (using it as a SAFE ROOM) and did not want anyone to get in, there would still be a major obstacle to accomplish that feat, since you would have to take a lot of time to remove many screws and the black cover to get to the latch and of course once you were in you could never get out. So this could not act as a safe room, since it would be a death room in reality!
Just defies common sense. I would think that if a kid got caught or anyone for that matter, there would be a major potential lawsuit against Jaguar.

Jeff, no matter, I'm glad you got into your trunk, how much did they charge you for that?

Happy Motoring...

 

Hiding / concealing the Emergency Trunk Release behind the Carpet or behind a Fixture seems a 'little self-defeating'. Imagine a child somehow getting locked in the truck, being dark, being confined ... there is no way that the child, or for a matter of fact anyone else, finding the release handle. Even if it does 'glow in the dark', one wouldn't be able to find it, if the Carpet or Fixture is blocking the Glow. Additionally, there is no 'safety placard' visible in the Trunk to indicate, let alone show one where and how to operate it.

But that all aside, I am going to look behind the Carpet and behind the Fixture. If it does exist, but just hidden, I will try my best to get it in some permanent posisition that it can be seen and used in an emergency. I have 3 Grandkids, that I love dearly and would hate to see get harmed because of a design fault.

 

Hi Bill,

FYI,
the design was not to put the emergency trunk release behind the carpet or hide it,
it's just what happens after people work in the trunk area over time.

The handle is small and some may not realize what it is so they do not take
the extra precautions to make sure it is placed properly in the passenger rear corner,
thus it gets hidden behind the carpeted area by the rear light assembly.


There are many reasons to get behind the carpet area in that corner.

I.e. Navigation, Stereo, Convertible top hydraulics and rear light assembly Etc.


Hope you find yours, let us know if you do and where is was!.


Funny thing is I went out to take a picture of mine to show and I found the mine was hidden again,
just had some work done on stereo!
So here are pictures one without the handle
and one with it pulled out.


Picture worth a thousand words.


Just click on picture for enlargement.


Happy Motoring...

 

I've had that carpet out before, but not the plastic, so unless it is behind the plastic, they started putting it in for 2001.

 

2001 XKR. Electric trunk release stopped working (dash, fob, trunk button). But there is 'solenoid noise' when pushing these buttons.. Shop said 'broken cable, not available.... so I was using the key for the last few months. Then, this AM, the key wouldn't open it. I had to try for 1/2 hour, finally got it open without tools / damage. And I decided to investigate the 'broken cable.' Took the inside covers off,, removed the lock mechanism (unplugged the trunk light to remove it) - saw cables attached, look normal.. Tried the button and voila - the latch moves. Put the lock mechanism back, tentatively closed the trunk w/ fingers crossed, pushed the button and !! trunk opens. All 3 buttons opened the trunk. Plugged the trunk light back in - nothing. So this has to be a short from the trunk light. The connector is only 2 wires so It's not a 'combo' connector, just the light. But the harness does go through the lock. I'm sure I could fix it, but I'm OK without the light - and a trunk that opens.

 

Re: "Good news, but why would anyone do that?
At least there wasn't a body in there."

Not anymore.

 

Vettegood...What is the LED on the wire by the disc player for ?