850 sedan trunk lock release

GemMeg · Post by **GemMeg** » 12 Apr 2010, 13:02

I could not seem to find in its manual, my 1995 Volvo has a locked trunk stuck. Something is stuck in the latch. I got the back seat down, and I could swear I saw a release inside the trunk before, but I cannot find it.
Anyone know if it has an emergency release inside the trunk?
I'm sure I will have many more questions in the future. My 06 Tacoma got repoed, and I had to downsize

I was lucky to find this little car.
TIA
Gem

Post by **1997volvo850** » 12 Apr 2010, 14:36

I wish I had paid more attention when I fixed this on my car. Mind you that I did have the
trunk latch replaced in the past just prior to this strange behaviour starting.

I have a 1997 Volvo 850 GLT.

Here is what happens to me. Any time someone grabs the trunk latch at the exact moment
I unlock the car the latch ceases to function from that point on. If they are clenching the latch
when I unlock the car it's all over for my latch.

That is, the car is unlocked and you grab the latch and nothing happens. It just stays squeezed
and does nothing.

In my case, the latch is stuck in a limbo state that it wasn't designed to be in.

I've 'fixed' this twice on my car. Basically I remove those little plugs that hold the
fabric in place to get to the latch itself. This is inside the trunk right below the latch.

I'm normally working blind here and hoping the kids don't flip the lock while my fingers
are in it.

If I recall correctly I pulled the thing that the latch wire attaches to down. I believe I could
feel it when it got back into place. Sometimes it takes me a couple of attempts.

There might be some folks out there that can explain this better than I am doing.
I'm embarrassed to say my garage charged me $35 to fix this the first time. I've
fixed it the last two times.

You will often hear me scream if my kids are in a rush to open the trunk when I'm
unlocking the car.

Of course your problem could be completely different than mine. Your latch or the
cable might be broken.

This is pretty easy to check as a first step.

Good luck.

Post by **1997volvo850** » 12 Apr 2010, 14:39

Oh...there is no emergency release lever for the 850 trunk that I know of.

GemMeg · Post by **GemMeg** » 12 Apr 2010, 15:23

If I recall correctly I pulled the thing that the latch wire attaches to down. I believe I could
feel it when it got back into place. Sometimes it takes me a couple of attempts.

There might be some folks out there that can explain this better than I am doing.
I'm embarrassed to say my garage charged me $35 to fix this the first time. I've
fixed it the last two times.

You will often hear me scream if my kids are in a rush to open the trunk when I'm
unlocking the car.

Of course your problem could be completely different than mine. Your latch or the
cable might be broken.

This is pretty easy to check as a first step.

Good luck.
1997volvo850
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Location: New York
Model, Year: 1997 Volvo 850
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Thanks both. That makes sense because there is a little wire that sometimes refuses to allow the gas hole (heh excuse lack of technical knowledge) door to open. I must have dreamed about seeing the emergency pod release

Post by **1997volvo850** » 12 Apr 2010, 15:35

I don't believe the gas door lock has anything to do with the trunk lock other than
being connected to the locking system.

When the car is locked the gas door is locked. If you are having trouble with both
of these not opening (trunk and gas door) then maybe something more is going on.