If your 2004 Toyota Corolla trunk won’t open, the most likely culprit is that you’ve accidentally switched on the “valet mode” which disables the trunk. You can switch off valet mode and access your trunk like normal.

Of course, it’s possible that there’s another issue causing your trunk to stay shut. That’s why

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savings, put together this guide to help you figure out why your trunk won’t open and how to get it fixed.

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What to do if your 2004 Toyota Corolla trunk won’t open

If your trunk won’t open, you can do some troubleshooting to try and find the problem before you take your Corolla to a mechanic or dealership.

Most common cause: valet mode accidentally activated

Most Toyota models have a special safety feature called “valet mode” that keeps the trunk from being opened. It’s useful if you’re letting someone else drive your car (like a valet parking attendant) and you don’t want the trunk to be accessible. Unfortunately, it can be a hassle if you activate it accidentally.

Depending on the specific Corolla model you have, the valet mode button could be in a couple of different places. Check inside your glove box, under the driver’s side dash, or the driver’s kickboard. Your owner’s manual can also tell you your valet mode button’s exact location.

Push the valet button to turn the system off. Then try and open your trunk again. Hopefully, this will solve the problem!

Other possible causes

If the valet system wasn’t turned on and your trunk still won’t open, you may be dealing with a different problem. Some other likely issues are:

Broken key fob: If your trunk release switch still works, or you can open your trunk with a key, the problem might be your key fob.

Faulty door switch: On the other hand, if only your key fob will get the trunk open, your trunk switch could be broken.

Electrical malfunction: It’s possible that power isn’t getting to the solenoid that opens your trunk. If this is the case, a blown fuse or faulty wiring may be to blame.

Broken latch: If you can hear the solenoid clicking when you try to open the trunk, it may be getting power but the latch itself is broken.

If you suspect you might be dealing with one of the above issues, you can take your Corolla to a Toyota dealership or trusted mechanic to help narrow down the problem. They can inspect the trunk and the wiring connected to it to find out what’s causing the issues.

MORE:

Are Toyotas expensive to maintain?

How to manually open a 2004 Toyota Corolla trunk

Having a mechanic get your trunk open is just fine—unless you need into your trunk right now.

Fortunately, the 2004 Toyota Corolla has an emergency trunk release. It just takes a little squeezing to get to it.

In order to access the trunk release, you’ll need to get past the back seats and get into the trunk from the inside.

First, pull the rear seat forward and away from the trunk as much as you can. (It will only give you a small gap)

Reach your arm through this gap and feel for three holes near the top of the seat.

In the middle hole is a latch—push this and the seat will release and you can fold it down.

Once you can access the trunk, look for the emergency release lever and pull it to pop the trunk open.

While this method may be a pain, it does get your trunk open without having to wait for a mechanic to do it!

Cost of trunk repair for 2004 Toyota Corolla

The cost of getting your Corolla’s trunk fixed will depend on exactly what caused the issue in the first place.

For example, replacing your lock latch will cost $205 on average for parts and labor. Replacing the trunk lock actuator costs around $180 on average and $168 to replace the latch release cable.

For the most part, repairing a trunk that won’t open is fairly inexpensive. However, if your trunk was damaged in a collision and that’s why it won’t open, you’re looking at a much more expensive fix. Replacing your trunk lid can cost between $200 and $1,000 just for the part. Labor costs will largely depend on the extent of damage to your vehicle and how much time it takes to repair.

If you have collision or comprehensive coverage, it may be worth it to submit a claim and have your insurance policy help cover repairs, especially if the cost of repairing your trunk will be more than your deductible.

MORE:

How much does a Toyota tune-up cost?

How to save on Toyota Corolla insurance

Unexpected car repairs can be a hassle, especially if you need major repairs due to an accident. If you need to file a claim but don’t want your insurance to skyrocket, get a little help from

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