Trunk Ajar warning and release buttons not working

GTP · May 26, 2016

I continually get the "Trunk ajar" message in spite of my trunk being securely closed. Furthermore, the inside and outside electric release buttons do not work. I discovered that the latch can be heard to operate with the rear button whenever the trunk is open, until it is lowered close to the bumper. It is though the cable harness to the latch is intermittent.

So I bought a dog leash at the dollar store, clipped it on the inside cable release handle, and then ran it between the back seats. At least now I don't have to shimmy through the back seat to open my trunk. :ninja:

Taking it to the dealer in a couple days.

Peaches · May 27, 2016

I had the same

A few days ago - mine did the same thing. I tried gently pushing down on the trunk lid while pressing the external button and it opened. I figured I didn't quite get it closed good. Hopefully it was an isolated incident.

GTP · May 31, 2016

Update and resolution:
Took the car for service. Told the tech that it seemed dependent on trunk lid position. He found the wire harness cable tie was tight at the anchor point near the forward opening of the trunk. He unwrapped the harness, saw the kinked wires, and then crimped on butt splices for all 6 wires. Proper function restored.

speedfrk · Jun 2, 2016

Mine does it intermittently. One day it works, one day it doesn't. Going into the dealer on Monday for the driveline vibration issue again so they will look at it then, I guess. right now, I'm afraid to put anything in the trunk!

Cobra Jet · Jun 2, 2016

GTP said:
Update and resolution:
Took the car for service. Told the tech that it seemed dependent on trunk lid position. He found the wire harness cable tie was tight at the anchor point near the forward opening of the trunk. He unwrapped the harness, saw the kinked wires, and then crimped on butt splices for all 6 wires. Proper function restored.

Interesting...

That was a problematic issue for the BMW E36 M3 and 3-series models. Over time, the harness that ran to the trunk lid would get kinked. The actual wires were inside of the "loom" casing, so the owner never saw the actual damages to the wires. The wires in some instances would break in half and if not detected did in some instances cause short circuiting and would melt the wire casings...

Potential for fire...

Also due to what those wires were tied into, it also made the factory alarm system malfunction, as well as the power locks too.

The fix was similar to repair the broken wires, remove all wires from the harness loom, fix with proper splices, tape or re-wrap and make sure there was enough length to avoid the problem again.

My 1995 BMW M3, I did the fix myself and never had an issue afterwards.

FordService · Jun 2, 2016

Peaches said:
A few days ago - mine did the same thing. I tried gently pushing down on the trunk lid while pressing the external button and it opened. I figured I didn't quite get it closed good. Hopefully it was an isolated incident.

speedfrk said:
Mine does it intermittently. One day it works, one day it doesn't. Going into the dealer on Monday for the driveline vibration issue again so they will look at it then, I guess. right now, I'm afraid to put anything in the trunk!

Be sure to bring your vehicles in to your Ford Dealers for diagnosis, guys. Also, please PM me with your VINs, dealers, mileage, full names, and best daytime numbers. I’ll loop in the customer service managers for your areas.

GTP said:
Update and resolution:
Took the car for service. Told the tech that it seemed dependent on trunk lid position. He found the wire harness cable tie was tight at the anchor point near the forward opening of the trunk. He unwrapped the harness, saw the kinked wires, and then crimped on butt splices for all 6 wires. Proper function restored.

Glad to learn this was taken care of for you, GTP!

Deysha

mtoo22 · Sep 13, 2016

Having this exact issue.

VinnAY · Apr 14, 2017

Ive got it now, too, ran the leash thru the seats but seems very intermittent, trunk release works more often than not.

viperbri · Jun 6, 2017

I have had the same issue occur starting about a month ago. It has become significantly worse in the last week. I have an appointment with my Ford Dealer tomorrow to have them look at it.

VinnAY · Jun 6, 2017

Mine is completely F'ed, I undid that harness and pulled back the outer covering and found 6 of the 9 wires there broken or nearly broken. I tried to repair the wires to no avail and I haven't had time to monkey around with Ford about it, but I suspect wires are broken elsewhere in that harness on my car more than just that one spot. But my camera works, proximity marks are INOP, but the inside truck release works pretty reliably now. Fob won't release the trunk, trunk light is INOP, exterior trunk release is intermittent, too.

wildcatgoal · Jun 6, 2017

The trunk wiring on these cars is a joke. The wiring going to the door on my car I have to always press out of the way as I close the trunk door to keep it from being crunched in the boot lid seal. So stupid.

GTP · Jun 6, 2017

VinnAY said:
Mine is completely F'ed, I undid that harness and pulled back the outer covering and found 6 of the 9 wires there broken or nearly broken. I tried to repair the wires to no avail and I haven't had time to monkey around with Ford about it, but I suspect wires are broken elsewhere in that harness on my car more than just that one spot. But my camera works, proximity marks are INOP, but the inside truck release works pretty reliably now. Fob won't release the trunk, trunk light is INOP, exterior trunk release is intermittent, too.

IIRC, the tech removed a short section of each wire before splicing them back together.

It may be worthwhile to call a dealer first, and ask them if they know of a service bulletin, which may describe the best troubleshooting and repair procedure.

mtoo22 · Jun 6, 2017

Whoah! Same thing here. The dealer said mine looked like someone had been under there and didn't know what they were doing. They repaired it under warranty but said they should have denied it as customer damage.

VinnAY · Jun 6, 2017

Ive mokeyed with it and I'm not expecting a warranty at all and honetly its 12 more months on the lease and I just dont care that much. The only naggy thing about it right now is that trunk open illum on the dash.

mustangtaxman · Jun 7, 2017

My car was at the dealer for a week before they found the pinched wires, they said the wires were behind the decklid.

Their course of action was to first replace the back-up camera and the latch, then a new wiring harness, then when that didn't work they listened to me and searched for a pinched wire.

Trunk Ajar warning and release buttons not working

GTP

Deutsche Pony

Peaches

Member

GTP

Deutsche Pony

speedfrk

Well-Known Member

Cobra Jet

Well-Known Member

FordService

Ford Customer Care

mtoo22

Well-Known Member

VinnAY

Well-Known Member

viperbri

Member

VinnAY

Well-Known Member

wildcatgoal

@sirboom_photography

GTP

Deutsche Pony

mtoo22

Well-Known Member

VinnAY

Well-Known Member

mustangtaxman

Well-Known Member

Similar threads