How To Open A Stuck E36 Trunk Without Drilling Any Holes

I, Like many am not perfect and do stupid things all the time. This is one of those times and in my infinite wisdom I discovered a way to open the e36 trunk without drilling any holes. When the e36 trunk latch is inoperable it was common practice to drill a 1/2 hole behind the license plate to get ahold of latch and open it. In this video I demonstrate how I open it through one of the license plate bolt holes and this video is going to save so many e36 trunks from being butchered.
If you have any questions about how to do this please drop a comment below and I will get back to you!
Happy wrenching.
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[@c4nttouchthis892]

This video needs to get plastered all over the e36 forums i love you

[@thebroomster55]

Amazing! E36 convertible here. Tried everything. Dead battery couldnt get in. Watched your video and was in in 5 minutes. Thank you!!

[@igorMODvfx]

Comment for this video's promotion. I locked my keys in the trunk when was replacing the battery. You save tons of my nerves, appreciate it! Thank you!

[@andywagner5612]

Just saved my day! Appreciate your help. I was seeing people cutting massive holes into their trunks and it was making me sick.

[@AuctionDawg]

This is exactly why I knew I had to put this out there thanks for the positive words!

[@JacksonODJ]

Great trick. I used an angled radiator hose pick instead of a screwdriver, and didn't need to push any material out of the way. In in minutes. Thanks!

[@shaquilleasia3369]

Thanks you just saved me a mint condition trunk,nice video

[@davecottman9216]

Dude - I watched the video twice, collected the recommended tools, and SUCCESS in less than 1 minute - you ROCK!!!!

[@AuctionDawg]

One more e36 trunk saved lol glad it helped you out man

[@wilbertdejesus674]

DUUUDEEE!! My trunk has been locked for the past 2weeks & I just got it open after watching your video👍🏼 only took me 5minutes & a screwdriver

[@TeamTheard]

Bro! Your a genius! I got locked out of e36 318i 1995! I did exactly how you demonstrated and I got in in less than 2 minutes!! 🎉❤❤

[@richmillsap3541]

I just opened my trunk using this technique but modified so I didn't have to tweak the opening. I used an angled object the size of the screwdriver. Bend a round piece of metal to 80-90 degrees and stick it through the hole to push up the latch. Works perfect and didn't scratch the paint.

[@AuctionDawg]

Solid upgrade to the process, thanks for sharing that with everyone.

[@karimickey]

My boy just helped me for some reason the tonneau cover wasn’t engaging the switch couldn’t open trunk hood looking fr🙌🏽🙌🏽

[@aaronfenner7337]

My dude you saved me I drilled the hole in my other E36 back in the day covered it up with the license plate this is by far the best method

[@AuctionDawg]

stoked you were able to make it work! One less e36 trunk with holes in it!

[@mikegardner55]

Thank you for this 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@team-kg2pn]

get video, very helpful!!!!!!!

[@kylefeaser3158]

You’re the man for this video

[@AuctionDawg]

Glad I was able to help you out

[@IDJMK]

I owe you a beer 🍺 this definitely got me out of a pinch

[@AuctionDawg]

Glad it worked out for you

[@michaelhamm6805]

worked awesome on my M3 Vert! Thanks so much!

[@JohnnySilverwrench]

Good shit you just saved my work project I thank you!!

[@AuctionDawg]

glad to hear this helped you!

[@Spottedbull03]

I have a 99 m3 e36 and the battery is dead and I can’t use the key to open it bc you just solved my issue thank you 🙏

[@user-fk8vv4je1j]

now i know how to steal tire irons, cd changers, baby strollers and anything else stored in the trunk of an e36 lol... Thanks!

[@rp70510]

Thank you. I'm going to do it now.

[@foreveryoungtv9235]

You’re a beast. Did this easily!

[@AuctionDawg]

Glad this helped you man, one more e36 trunk without holes in it!

[@Hauntedteepee]

tried and tried doing it your way, but couldnt get a grasp on that part to flip it over. So I applied what I learned in this video to the inside of the trunk after I crawled through the back seat with a flash light and long skinny po0ker and was able to stir that mysterious black beauty that way and watch as the latch slowly moved to open position. The whole neighborhood heard me roar in relief! PEOPLE DO NOT CUT INTO YOUR TRUNK, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS!!! Thanks Dawg!

[@AuctionDawg]

Got a good laugh from this lol glad you made it work for you!

[@belegendary613]

Thanks for saving the day

[@AuctionDawg]

Glad I could help man!

[@belegendary613]

@@AuctionDawg your method was far more effecient than the 2 by 1-1/2inch drill method. I did drill the 2 by 1-1/2 method one first, but could not locate the ring, after doing your way, i had actually rather then using a screwdriver to bend the metal, simply drilled a hole in the sucker and was able to locate the ring and pull down on it with a metal coat hanger hook and it popped open. Saved at least $250 from that process. God bless!

[@Hauntedteepee]

btw thats such a sexy ride you got In the background, my e36 is estoril blue too! Love it

[@AuctionDawg]

I always dreamt of owning an estoril coupe and when it finally happened for me I knew it was never leaving lol named her Lola and we’re down for life!

[@mohammedassef264]

Very helpful worked for me

[@AuctionDawg]

Glad to hear that man, one more e36 trunk saved lol

[@DiablitoSpeedz]

Good stuff man !

[@AuctionDawg]

Hopefully it saves a few people from drilling massive holes in numbers matching trunks lol

[@TeamTheard]

Good shit🤘🏽

[@steezosaurusrex]

hell yeah. thank you, this worked 10/10

[@AuctionDawg]

Glad it worked! Too many people with holes in their trunks!

[@iansampson2515]

Thanks man. Even with the ski hole I wasn't able to reach it

[@user-vu6hi8uh1m]

Thank brov

[@user-ep5lj2gr5t]

is there not a cable someone that was locked in the trunk could pull to escape?

[@jrpena418]

Good job

[@AuctionDawg]

Thanks man hope it helped you

[@tharonblaisdell4730]

Fuck yeah bro you are the man I just got my trunk open in 5 mins after watching this!!! Hell yeah!!

[@AuctionDawg]

really happy to hear this worked!

[@ClaudioCelani-wi4fz]

Hi, could it work on a E38, or are they different?

[@romanalvarez7621]

thanks for helping me out ! i do have a question tho about how i fix it now because now that i opened my trunk this way it won’t open unless it’s this way

[@AuctionDawg]

Yooo! Apologies for the late reply. I would assume that the rod that connects the button and the latch is disconnected. Pull back the liner in the trunk and see if the rod is disconnected

[@dr3amer83]

Nice! Thank you! Mine opens with the key but no longer with key fob or button located at the bottom driver side. At times it gets stuck so I'm thinking about checking out the rod you're talking about. Do you happen to have a video on how to fix trunk from opening all the way up?

[@AuctionDawg]

No, but although I don't understand your issue fully I may be able to help you with it. What exactly is happening?

[@user-gq8xv9uw4y]

Will it work for e39!!!!! Any help pls

[@AuctionDawg]

not sure honestly, go to a junkyard and try it there with an open trunk

[@greysweatsh1rt]

Im struggling can't seem to reach the latch and im trying to cautious of it breaking anything. I dont feel the latch and would i be pushing the patch away or pulling it up

[@greysweatsh1rt]

Update this has not worked at all and the rod is out the black piece I can't move the latch at all

[@IDJMK]

You gotta aim above at a slight angle 📐 once I did that it worked first time 🤯 you’re probably pressing on the latch itself and not the hinge that unlocks it.

[@greysweatsh1rt]

@@IDJMK WILL TRY THIS AND GET BACK TO YOU

[@greysweatsh1rt]

@@IDJMK what direction am I trying to do the latch I can feel and hear it ringing and flicking but its still not opening

[@AuctionDawg]

Hope you sorted it out Once you bend the piece of metal out of the way it’s all feel The rod is independent of the latch Once you pop the latch you have to reattach the metal rod otherwise you’ll have to do this again.

[@njyuphoto1300]

Mhw blues damnnnnnnnnnn

[@rp70510]

My e36 97 318i no spark no gas from running with no issues for 3 years

[@AuctionDawg]

id check and see if the ecu is working or the ews system is functioning properly. They get out of sync sometimes.

[@ris_goo_222]

Works like a charm👍 the only issue i had is that my plate is rectangle and has only 2 holes, each ends… so i had to drill a small hole to do that…. Thanks for showing the location where the latch was😂

[@AuctionDawg]

glad you made it work for you lol

[@bignuts2734]

😊😊

[@afaguatae]

The plate holes on my car are on the middle :(

[@AuctionDawg]

Is the car euro spec or foreign? may only work for us spec cars.

[@afaguatae]

@@AuctionDawg euro sedan

[@carleystevens5077]

Thank you so much, but after opened it then close it when done it would not open again is there a permant solution to make the trunk workthe right way without doing this every time want to open trunk

[@AuctionDawg]

yes when you get it open you have to inspect the latch and selector rod in the trunk. this hack just gets it open but there's an underlying issue preventing it from opening.

[@JoseDuarte-vz8vt]

I´m from real Estoril and let me tell you is more like grey this winter. I think you should mention that this trick wont work on european BMW´s. Peace.

[@AuctionDawg]

Are you 100% sure? Obviously as I’m from the US I have never personally worked on a European spec E36 but it’s hard to believe they would change something like a trunk latch per market but who knows. We’re you able to even look at a friends and see if it is close to our latch design?

[@cfb9174]

@@AuctionDawgthe latch design is the same but the euro version is missing the lower two holes in the trunk, I only have two behind the license plate and they’re at the top I’m not sure if it’ll work from the upper holes