Toyota RAV4 Trunk Won’t Open – 3 Common Reasons

A problem with your RAV4 trunk will not happen more often, thankfully. However, it is still a significant pain to notice that you cannot open your trunk, and we tend to use it daily.

In this article, find out the most common problems that cause your RAV4 trunk doors not to open and what you can do about it.

Why Is My RAV4 Trunk Not Opening Or Locking?

There are several causes to why you cannot open or lock your RAV4 trunk. 

Here we will talk about four specific reasons, and one of them might be the answer to your problems. 

Keep reading to get more info on the causes for faulty trunk doors. 

#1: A Faulty Latch

Thanks to the latch, your trunk can close— your seatbelt and door latch function similarly to the latch in your trunk.

When you close the trunk, a connecting unit on the frame of the car and the trunk latch together, securely locking the trunk.

The door can unhinge when you open the trunk because the latch is released.

This latch may lose its ability to release if it sustains damage when the trunk is closed. If the car absorbs a hit near the trunk, this will frequently occur. To conclude, you will only be able to open the trunk if your latch breaks.

#2: Malfunctioning Lock Actuator

A lock actuator manages your trunk’s lock.

It is a tiny motor with gears that change when the trunk is locked, preventing the latch from unlocking the door.

The trunk latch won’t be able to lock or unlock if this motor fails.

#3: Defective Trunk Cable

Some cars lack a handle on the trunk and must only be opened with a lever inside the car (or a button on the keys).

In this instance, you release the latch by pulling on a trigger instead of the trunk handle, which accesses the latch through a cable and is often found near the driver’s seat.

You won’t be able to open the trunk if this cable is damaged since there will be no connection between the trunk latch and the trunk opening lever.

So, now that you have some possible causes for your problem with a RAV4 trunk door, what can you do to fix it?

What Can I Do If My RAV4 Trunk Won’t Open?

Now that we inspected what it could be, let’s talk about the possible fixes. 

However, if you lack experience in fixing the locks in your car, it is best to take it to a professional for a diagnosis and a fix. 

RAV4 Trunk #1 Fix: A Faulty Latch

If you have a faulty latch in your RAV4 trunk, it will need replacing. 

We suggest taking your RAV4 to the mechanic because they will do that with the proper tools and knowledge. First of all, the faulty latch needs to be diagnosed. 

Here is a quick video of how other people do it if you want to try and do it yourself.

However, replacing a trunk latch is relatively inexpensive, so why not give it to a professional to have a look? 

Making this kind of modification will often take an hour and forty minutes. Depending on the make and model of your car, the total cost should range from $80 to $200. We expect the price to be around $120-$150 for your RAV4. 

RAV4 Trunk #2 Fix: Malfunctioning Lock Actuator

This is also a problem for a mechanic. 

Your mechanic will do the following: 

1. He will first diagnose the problem. 
2. Then, the broken lock actuator & the trim panel is removed
3. Now they will install the replacement trunk lock actuator.
4. The interior trim panels are restored after the trunk lock actuator is checked for appropriate operation.
5. Now they will open and close the trunk lid to inspect the latch and lock actuator operation.

To diagnose the problem for yourself, here is what you can do: 

If the key still spins in the lock, but the trunk won’t open when you press the trunk releasing button on the key fob or inside the car, you have a malfunctioned lock actuator. 

Also, here is a tip. 

Check if your locks are frozen. If you live in an area that drops below 30 Degrees, you might have a problem with frozen locks. 

RAV4 Trunk #3 Fix: Defective Trunk Cable

Bad news alert – it will cost you more to do it yourself. By cost, we mean time – because replacing the whole cable by yourself is something that will take you ages to learn first how to do it. 

Also, it is a ton of work to replace the cable assembly. 

Another problem with the cable in your trunk is that the trunk latch release cable is concealed, making it challenging to inspect its condition visually.

Hopefully, you found the solution to your problem. Now, you can either try to fix it with numerous Youtube videos you can find online, or take it to a mechanic which will fix it for a reasonable price.