Trunk Latch Problem

[pedriscoll]

I had my car interior detailed today. When I picked up the car the trunk latch would not close. The guys at he shop tired everything they could think of but we could not get it to latch. No help from Tesla service except that the Service Center will call me on Monday. The trunk is heavy enough hat it stays closed so the car is driveable. Anyone else had this problem? I do not have the power lift gate. No prior problems with this. The retailers only opened the trunk to clean inside. If anyone knows of a simple solution please let me know.

 

[Buddy]

I had my car interior detailed today. When I picked up the car the trunk latch would not close. The guys at he shop tired everything they could think of but we could not get it to latch. No help from Tesla service except that the Service Center will call me on Monday. The trunk is heavy enough hat it stays closed so the car is driveable. Anyone else had this problem? I do not have the power lift gate. No prior problems with this. The retailers only opened the trunk to clean inside. If anyone knows of a simple solution please let me know.

Long shot but is it possible that the latch closed on itself? I've seen this before and could be possible if they cleaned the latch and it...well latched.

If it is closed on itself I'm not sure how to unlatch it, unless unlocking the hatch normally works.

Best of luck.

 

[scottm]

There's a frunk release cable under the glovebox area....so says my manual. Never used it tho.

Maybe not in the newer cars? But have a look.

 

[bmah]

No ideas offhand but I'd be interested to know if your problem has a similar cause to a nearly opposite problem that a couple of us had earlier this year where our trunk latches were jammed shut and wouldn't open. There was a discussion of it here on TMC. IIRC the resolution was to replace the liftgate actuator (matter of fact if you search for the words "liftgate actuator" you'll probably find the thread).

Good luck!

Bruce.

 

[Julesp313]

Uh oh... that's what happened to me when I got my windows tinted (two weeks into ownership). The vendor was massively apologetic and really concerned that his team had somehow damaged the latch, but the Service Center could find no evidence of damage. The mechanical latch simply failed. The service center got me in immediately and had it replaced within 1.5 hours, so I was very appreciative of that. Hopefully by now you've had a chat with the Service Center and got it resolved...

 

[Chatterbox]

My 2014 Model S trunk latch decided it would not latch anymore. The automatic closing (or manual pull down) gets the trunk to the right spot, but the latch no longer engages and locks the trunk in place. While getting home, on every large bump, the trunk would swing open a tiny bit and then slam back down. I have a service appointment in 2 days.

 

[BigD0g]

Funny, my 2017 trunk latch failed yesterday it’s in the service center today for a replacement.

 

[artsci]

I had my car interior detailed today. When I picked up the car the trunk latch would not close. The guys at he shop tired everything they could think of but we could not get it to latch. No help from Tesla service except that the Service Center will call me on Monday. The trunk is heavy enough hat it stays closed so the car is driveable. Anyone else had this problem? I do not have the power lift gate. No prior problems with this. The retailers only opened the trunk to clean inside. If anyone knows of a simple solution please let me know.

Likely the cinching actuator is not working. It’s a small electric motor at the base of the lift gate that cinches the latch. Water can damage it. I know this because when I was rear-ended in June the shop had to replace the cinching acutator. Without it working the lift gate was always showing open on the touchscreen and I could not lock the car.

 

[Chrisanne]

Before I even taken delivery of my MS, the trunk would not latch. Mine has the motorized trunk and using the fob it would open fine, but when it tired to latch, it would fail and just re-open all over again. The only way I was able to get it to latch is to manually close it and give it a firm press down to have the car lock it. The SC said they seen it before, and they said they can fix it if it continues to do it again.

I am taking it into service this week.

 

[Brass Guy]

My car has non-power liftgate. My trunk latch broke again last Friday, Feb 9.

This is my FOURTH trunk latch break. I have all the service invoices.
The first was March 2014 (about 6 months old), warranty fix same day.
Second May 2015 was while I was on a road trip. Warranty repaired (during the trip) while I waited.
Third was October 2015. I had over 50k miles then, but was replaced "goodwill" since it had been replaced less than a year prior.
(I asked to watch the tech change it out since I anticipated more breaks, and was allowed.)

I use the trunk quite often; several times a week putting instruments in for rehearsal which would mean at least four open/close cycles each of those days. I have not had another car break trunk latches, even with frequent use. I sure hope Tesla improves this part soon.

I'm replacing it myself this time. The part is about $40 from Tesla.

 

[Brass Guy]

Re-resurrecting this thread.

My fifth (manual lift-gate) latch failed after only 2 months, this past April. I took the trim pieces off and unplugged the connection so I could at least lock the doors, and get rid of the error message on the IC.
I was expecting parts warranty, but the service center replaced it for me good-will and installed the trim I'd removed.

My sixth failed this past weekend, on July 7. In dismay I stopped by the service center on my way home, and they replaced that one for me too while I waited. I think the service center has gone above what they need to, since I'm at 126,000 miles. This latch thing is way out of hand though.

THREE latch failures within a 6 month span. I also don't understand why the forums aren't littered with these. I would guess manual latches are in the minority of Model S, but am I the only one consistently going through these?

 

[Pedro.Tx]

My trunk latch failed this am. Model S manual lift gate 2016. I'll be calling them today. I have the extension on the warranty so hopefully it won't cost me anything but inconvenience. I taped the trunk shut for now. I agree this must be a common problem.

Did you keep your old latches @BrassGuy? Could you take a photo of them? I wonder if we are having the same problem and could try to compare when mine gets replaced. I also wonder if they would wear more often on your car based on something specific about your car...such as trunk adjustment/gap or mounting play.

 

[Brass Guy]

I do have one, from when I replaced it myself. All the parts warranty/goodwill latches they kept; which is understandable.
I don't have a picture of it, but there's not much to see. It simply does not latch.
I don't think it's any adjustment issue, since the techs adjust it when they do an install. The adjustment is the stationary "striker" the lid latches onto, above the rear bumper.
The one time I purchased it, Feb 2018, it was $39 + tax. If you're past 50k miles and are now under your "extended service agreement," there's a $200 fee unless they changed the terms.

Here's a picture I stole from an on-line search. It looks like this, but only has one mechanical cable release.

 

[KJennerator]

The trunk latch failed for the first time in my 2013 Model S with power lift gate this morning when I was trying to leave for work I tied it down with rope inside. It just doesn't latch when I shut it! Hopefully there is a new part that lasts longer...

 

[Brass Guy]

The trunk latch failed for the first time in my 2013 Model S with power lift gate this morning when I was trying to leave for work I tied it down with rope inside. It just doesn't latch when I shut it! Hopefully there is a new part that lasts longer...

I doubt there's an upgraded part, from my experience. Wait, longer than 5 years? I wish!

 

[talhas3]

Had my front and back trunk latch mechanism changed. At two separate times they failed and wouldn’t open (front) or wouldn’t latch (rear)

 

[Pedro.Tx]

@Brass Guy thanks for the information. Update: it's been almost a week and Mobile has not contacted me. I called day+1, went to Tesla Service in Austin day+2, called day+4. They keep saying 'it looks like we ordered the part, I will tap Mobile on the shoulder to make sure you are contacted.' Later, 'It does take about a week to get a part typically.' I voiced concern that with my trunk simply tapped shut, and the latch not latched, there are several problems.

1. Anyone could just open the trunk and get in my car
2. I can not use autopilot (and I drive a lot of highway, about 30K per year)
3. I can not remote cool or heat the car (and we just had our first freeze)
4. There is an annoying pulse tone warning
5. There is TAPE on my 2016 TESLA

These concerns lead to stress and worry and constant questions and I have to explain how Telsa has not been transparent about the process, in fact they have been a black box. If I am charged $200, I so wish I would have just fix myself.

Do they synch my appointment time with the arrival of the part by tracking the part through shipping? or do they wait for the part and then put me at the end of the appointments for Mobile? I have no idea, bc Mobile has not called and Tesla Service could not live ask anyone from Mobile.

@Brass Guy since you have much experience on this matter, did you ever hear of any rattling or parts falling from the latch? The morning that mine was found to not work, I opened it from latched and as I did, something fell on the floor of the garage (I heard but could not see in the darkness)...I never found what it was but now I am thinking it was sprung loaded, the way it sounded.

 

[Brass Guy]

No, nothing fell from it.
In the mean time though, if you're up for it, you could remedy a few of your annoyances.
If you remove the body panels on the trunk lid to gain access to the latch, unplug it. When I did that, the car stopped showing the open trunk error. (I actually removed my latch expecting to be doing the labor when the part came in.)

With it unplugged, the car "thinks" the trunk is closed.
You stop getting the annoying audio alarms and you regain use of that side of the Information Cluster.
Remote heat/cool and autopilot should all work again.
This will also allow the car to lock.
If you have automatic walk-away-locking you may not be aware, but your car will not lock the doors if either trunk is open.

This worked on my 2013. I found out by accident when I removed the latch. They may have changed the wiring and part. If you try this, let us know if it works on a newer vehicle.

I never bothered taping my trunk shut; it stays shut when driving - except it bounces over significant bumps. I'd be afraid tape would attract unwanted attention.

I have often had to call the service center to find out when parts arrived. Supposedly some communications issue, but I never receive notification when a part comes in.

 

[alpax]

If you remove the body panels on the trunk lid to gain access to the latch, unplug it. When I did that, the car stopped showing the open trunk error. (I actually removed my latch expecting to be doing the labor when the part came in.)

With it unplugged, the car "thinks" the trunk is closed.
You stop getting the annoying audio alarms and you regain use of that side of the Information Cluster.
Remote heat/cool and autopilot should all work again.
This will also allow the car to lock.

Thanks for the info, @Brass Guy. I've got this issue with the trunk latch, and the most annoying thing in this situation is that I cannot even lock the doors. If the service center will not call back tomorrow, I'll probably try to get to that thing and disconnect it, so that at least I'd be able to use the car - otherwise I cannot leave it anywhere.
Do you have any pictures of the process and what's behind those body panels?

 

[Brass Guy]

I don't have photos, but you'll find a link to some instructions here Rear hatch trim panel diagram / installation instructions

The large trim piece is last because the two side pieces each cover a torx screw on the large piece. I remember struggling to replace that large piece. I was working alone.

You might be able to get at it by just removing the handle inserts, but I kind of doubt it. Those handles just pop out of you want to try that route.
Good luck.