Nissan Altima Trunk Won’t Open – How to Fix?

Trunk not opening can be a major inconvenience and can cost you a lot. In fact, it’s not typically easy to diagnose why the trunk isn’t opening. The reason is, numerous factors are directly associated with trunk opening.

Nissan altima trunk won’t open

Any defect on its button system or electric damage can cause the vehicle not to open its trunk. If the latch on the vehicle’s trunk hinge is broken or got stuck by the dirt to the trunk lid or there’s any issue with the lock mechanism that allows the trunk to open or close, the trunk won’t open.

The trunk of a Nissan car may not open for a number of reasons, including a broken latch or striker.

The latch may have been damaged or accumulated dust particles may have adhered to the rubber on the trunk lid, which might be the main cause of the trunk’s inability to open or open and close.

The latch on the Nissan car’s trunk hinge may be broken or the car’s striker may not be in the proper position, which prevents the latch from opening the trunk.

The actuator or damaged trunk cable system of a Nissan car may occasionally be responsible for the trunk’s failure to open.

The trunk won’t properly close or open if there is an issue with the car’s lock button system. Other causes include a malfunctioning trunk lock or a blocked trunk release mechanism, both of which prevent the Nissan car’s trunk from opening.

These are the potential causes of the trunk remaining closed; in order to resolve the issue, all of the aforementioned causes must be checked.

The Nissan car’s trunk won’t open if the key fob isn’t functioning properly, which could be caused by the battery or the key fob’s worn-out contacts.

Jammed trunk latch:

The trunk’s latch and striker work together to open the trunk. If either of these components is defective, the trunk may remain closed. Normally, the striker or latch closes the trunk.

If either of these becomes jammed by a foreign object or is damaged in any other way, the trunk will remain locked or won’t open.

Misplaced locking system:

The trunk opens using a lock mechanism, but occasionally this may not work because of a defect in the clasp or the lock system.

Damage can also cause the lock mechanism to be out of alignment, in which case the trunk won’t open. Repairing the trunk lock will open the trunk once the locking system has been adjusted properly and if there is any other issue.

Trunk lock actuator defect:

The trunk locking mechanism uses a lock actuator to open or close the trunk. The trunk opens when the trunk latch is released by the lock actuator.

If there is an issue with the lock mechanism, which may be brought on by a wire shortcoming or damage, the latch won’t release, and the trunk won’t open.

If the trunk does not open after pushing the fob button, there may be a problem with the cables inside the actuator that keeps the trunk opening and shutting.

If the manual locking system functions well, it is obvious that the actuator has been damaged or is malfunctioning in some way.

Is Nissan Altima trunk not opening a common problem? 

For some Nissan Altima trunks not opening is a common problem where for others it can indicate any major defect or electric damage. 

2005 Nissan Altima: 

It’s a common problem of trunk not opening in 2005 Nissan Altima that can be caused by electronics running to the actuator or in fact due to faulty battery. 

2007 Nissan Altima:

It can be a common problem in 2007 Nissan Altima but can be manually opened by the release lever. 

2008 Nissan Altima:

Due to broken locking mechanism or broken latch, trunk may not open in 2008 Nissan Altima.

2009 Nissan Altima:

If the electronic solenoid that releases the latch fails, the trunk may not open which is not common. 

2010 Nissan Altima:

It can be a common problem in 2010 Nissan Altima that can be solved by unplugging the plug lead to the trunk actuator. 

2011 Nissan Altima:

Electrical issues are common in 2011 Nissan Altima that initially causes inability to open the trunk. 

2013 Nissan Altima:

The trunk may not sometimes release  from the key fob or interior switch which isn’t common. Valet button in glove box or pressing the release button can solve it. 

2014 Nissan Altima:

It’s a common problem in 2014 Nissan Altima and can be solved manually by using the release button. 

2016 Nissan Altima:

It’s not a common problem  in 2016 Nissan Altima. Due to a jammed trunk latch or electric fuse it can happen. 

2017 Nissan Altima:

Due to the damage in release level or trunk lock actuator defect, trunk may not open which is not common. 

How much does it cost to fix a Nissan Altima trunk that won’t open? 

Whether the trunk won’t open due to a problem with the latch or lock mechanism, the cost will vary based on where the problem actually lies.

Some parts might need to be repaired, while others might not. The price, which includes labor, is often between $160 and $170. However, the cost can increase if any parts need to be changed. 

For instance, if the latch cable that unlocks the latch on the Nissan car’s trunk has a problem, the price might potentially go up to $400 or $416. If the trunk lock cylinder is the source of the issue.

If labor is included, the cost will be between $210 and $220 for replacing the trunk lock cylinder, the replacement of the lock cylinder might cost between $170 and $180.

There is no fixed price, however if the trunk can be opened without any severe problems, it normally costs $170.

How to fix Nissan Altima trunk that won’t open?

Nissan Altima trunk may not open for various reasons. Most of the time, misplacing the locking system is responsible for that. Any defect on the trunk lock actuator, broken or jammed latch are also the reasons. To fix and open the trunk again follow the given instructions: 

Try to open the trunk again:

As the trunk won’t open for various reasons, first try to find out the reason. Because, depending on that, you need to put force.

Due to the trunk lock actuator defect, misplacing the locking system, the trunk may not open and forcing it to open won’t work. However, sometimes the dirt can cause the latch to get stuck to the lid itself, which can be opened with a little more force. 

Access it from inside using the release lever:

If it doesn’t work from through the exterior lock, now you’ve to look for other options from inside.

Using the manual release lever can solve the problem. The location of the manual release lever is typically on the driver’s side of the car. 

Try to remove the back seat:

This process can work if the manual release lever doesn’t. Remove the back seats by pressing the side buttons of the vehicle. Removing the back seats you will reach to the three slots that will eventually allow you to open the trunk. 

Reinstall the trunk lock and fix problems:

If removing back seats don’t work as well, now all you can do is reinstall the trunk lock.

To reinstall it, remove the trunk lock by unscrewing it. While unscrewing it, if you find any broken parts or damage inside it, fix it and test the mechanism a few times and then close the trunk again. 

How do you manually open the trunk of a Nissan Altima?

When the key fob malfunctions, there are numerous ways to manually access the trunk. The Nissan car includes a trunk release mechanism that is placed on the side panel of the trunk and allows anyone to manually open the trunk.

You can try out a few easy actions of the following steps: 

Removing back seats:

Open the car door and proceed to the back seat. Pressing the side button will now allow you to remove any back seats from the car and enter the back.

From inside the car, you can see three slots in the back of the trunk after lowering the seat. 

Find the keyhole access and relocate it:

Two of the three lines in the trunk’s stock have keyhole access. The upper line of the stock trunk will open to disclose a trunk.

The instruction booklet will typically tell you to turn the key at a specific angle, but you can alternatively just push the key to the right if you want. Consider relocating the automobile key to the right and placing it in the first line.

The trunk may open if you turn the key all the way to the right and then hear some noise. Thus, the trunk is open.

Final Thoughts 

Trunk not opening is a common issue but sometimes can indicate any major defect of the vehicle. Damaged fuse, defect in button system or in trunk lock actuator or misplacing the lock system can be the reasons. However, manually it can be solved using the release lever or removing the back seats.