Auto Parts: 1992 Cadillac Deville 4.9 litre, trunk lock stuck in locked position, pep boys, cadillac deville

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

The trunk lock of my '92 Cadillac Deville broke, in the lock position, with the trunk closed. Now I cannot open the trunk. I was thinking of drilling the lock out, and installing a new lock. I was wondering where I could find a replacement lock. Or what years and models that the locks are interchangable in.

I was also thinking of installing a manual hand operated switch, that when unlocked will open the trunk, then when turned into lock position, will hold it closed. This would obviously be a last resort though, since anyone would have access to trunk without a key. Has anyone done this on a car before, or seen it done?

Thanks,
Brandon

ANSWER: Hi Brandon,

Crawl through the back seat into the trunk and release the lock then remove it the right way for replacement. Drilling the lock out to get into the trunk may damage other items.

Looking for a reputable service technician? My advice on finding a good technician is: Steer clear of the dealership and 'chain' stores like Firestone, Sears, Pep Boys, Monro Muffler/Brake, Midas, etc. as they usually only employ ONE ASE Certified Tech just so they can say they do and chances are, that guy is the asst. manager or manager and is not in the store to diagnose/repair vehicles anyway. Find a service location in the link below or get some names out of the yellow-pages and do a drive-by. Garages that employ ASE Certified Technicians will be marked with the 'Blue-Seal' insignia. If unsure about whether a place employs Certified Techs, just ask to see their credentials. ALL ASE Certified Technicians will be PROUD to show and display their certificate(s).

Thanks for the question, I hope this information was helpful to you.
Fred
Knucklebusters Used Auto & Truck Parts, Inc.
www.knucklebusters.us
570-453-0910
"Re-use is the best form of recycling" Help us recycle by purchasing used parts from us!
Looking for an ASE Certified shop near you? ASE Certified Technicians are the BEST of the BEST!
Click here: http://www.ase.com/bluesealsearch/locator.php

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I already thought about going through the rear seat. I pulled the rear bench seat out, only to find that the trunk and cabin are separated by sheetmetal, thiers no way to get through without cuting the metal. Any other ideas?

Thanks,
Brandon

Answer
Hi Brandon,

The sheet metal you speak of is bolted on to house modules and should be easily removed. ALL vehicles are federally required to have access through the rear seat, if so equipped, into the trunk or rear storage compartment so I'm quite sure you'll find a way in if you really want to. You need to actually remove the seat-back, not just pull it back out of the way.

Good luck.

Fred