If your 2018 Kia Forte trunk won’t open from the inside, you may be eligible for a recall due to a thermal crack in your trunk latch. If you’re having trouble opening your trunk from the outside, it could be anything from a broken lock mechanism to something stuck in the lock.

If you’re looking to troubleshoot why your 2018 Kia Forte’s trunk is stuck shut, look no further.

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What to do if your 2018 Kia Forte trunk won’t open

Before you head to your local Kia dealer, let’s take a look at some of the common reasons your 2018 Kia Forte trunk isn’t opening.

Most common cause: thermal crack in the trunk latch

If you’re having trouble opening your trunk from the inside, it could be due to a thermal crack in your trunk latch. This issue is a result of defective parts and has led to the recall of over 600,000 vehicles from Kia and their partner Hyundai. The 2018 Kia Forte is included in this recall.

The problem occurs when high temperatures cause a thermal crack to develop in the trunk latch. This can prevent your 2018 Forte trunk’s interior emergency release from working.

Now you may be wondering why you even need to open your trunk from the inside. Ultimately, it comes down to safety—if someone gets trapped inside the trunk, it’s important there is a way to open the latch from the inside. This is a standard safety feature in all cars and is particularly important for children who may be playing in the car unsupervised (which is dangerous regardless).

If you’re not sure whether or not your 2018 Kia Forte has an open recall, you can

check your car's recalls by VIN number

. Just visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website, input your 17-digit VIN number, and they will let you know of any recalls that need to be taken care of. You can even learn more about your 2018 Kia Forte’s

NHTSA safety rating

MORE:

Are Kias expensive to maintain?

Other possible causes

If you’re having difficulty opening your trunk from the outside, it’s probably not a thermal crack. Here are a few other causes to consider:

Cut connection wires: Connection wires can get cut by force or shock, causing issues with your outer handle and possibly even brake lights.

Damaged lock: If your lock mechanism breaks, you may find the activation noise still sounds, but the trunk doesn’t actually unlock.

Items stuck in the lock: Any foreign object (from a soccer jersey to a leaf) jammed in the lock mechanism can prevent you from reopening your Forte trunk.

If you’ve tried everything and just can’t get your trunk open, it’s probably time to visit your local Kia dealership. They will inspect the door locks, electrical systems, and fuse box, and help you get to the bottom of your trunk troubles.

MORE:

How to protect, clean, and organize your car trunk

How to manually open a 2018 Kia Forte trunk

If you need to open your trunk right away, you may be wondering what to do if your trunk does not lock or open. It really depends on what the issue is, but we’ve got a few tips for problem-solving your 2018 Kia Forte stuck trunk issues.

Provided the issue isn’t with opening your trunk from the inside (and it isn’t in need of a recall!), you can open the trunk using the internal trunk handle. In the center of your tailgate, you’ll find a hole where you can use a screwdriver to unlock your Forte trunk from the inside.

A few other options include using a degreaser to clean out any trapped dust or removing some of your Kia’s plastic panels to help dislodge any trapped items from the trunk.

Before you break out the screwdriver, make sure you’ve tried popping the trunk by pulling up on the lever under the driver’s seat!

Cost of trunk repair for 2018 Kia Forte

The cost to repair a 2018 Kia Forte trunk ultimately boils down to what the problem is. To assess the problem, you can expect to pay around $95 in labor plus the cost of whatever parts are needed for the repair. If you need to replace your Forte’s Trunk Latch Release Cable, it will cost about $45, whereas replacing the Trunk Lock Actuator will cost closer to $60.

MORE:

Kia tune-up cost

How to save on Kia Forte insurance

Now that we’ve got the ball rolling on getting your Forte back in working order, it’s time to talk car insurance! Many drivers end up overpaying on their

Kia insurance costs

just to avoid the headache of sifting through quotes.

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