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Want Trunk (Hatch) Remote Release on my 2010

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by Lottamoxie, Jun 1, 2011.

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  1. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    The only thing I dislike about my 2010 Prius is the lack of a trunk (hatch) release button from inside the car, near the driver, and also from a remote fob. I used this feature all the time on my previous car (a '98 900 SE Turbo hatchback) and I miss it each and every time I need to put something into or take something out of the hatch. I can't stand having to walk up to the car, put my hand under the edge and search for that spot that unlocks the hatch and then manually press to get the hatch to pop. I hate it with the heat of a thousand suns.

    BTW, I have a pkg IV, so have the smartkey system.

    So, fellow Prii owners. Has anyone added something aftermarket to enable this "trunk/hatch pop" feature? Or do you know of someone who has done such a mod?
     
    #1 Lottamoxie, Jun 1, 2011
  2. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    It would probably be a real easy mod if the trigger wires could be found in the dash area. If someone with the wiring diagrams could locate the wires, it would just be a matter of connecting a push button.

    Worse case, you would have to run wires through the hatch to the button all the way forward. Did that already wiring in my reverse cam.

    It would be a handy mod.
     
    #2 spiderman, Jun 1, 2011
  3. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    I'm a girl and thus will not be the one doing any mod, but if it can be done I can have someone else do it. I need to know what would enable this function. If there is a kit that would work with the 3rd gen Prius. I know there are aftermarket kits, but what I don't know is if one of them (or any of them) would work on a Prius.

    It's a real 'miss' IMHO. Such a little feature that is important and should not have been excluded.
     
    #3 Lottamoxie, Jun 1, 2011
  4. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    I got to thinking, putting in a switch may not work as I don't think there is any spring in the hatch... meaning the hatch probably does not rise when the latch is released. If that is the case, then it won't fully release if you are not also lifting up on it. Will check on this later.
     
    #4 spiderman, Jun 1, 2011
  5. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    I don't need the hatch to actually lift up (my Saab didn't), I just want the latch to pop open (unlock) from inside the car and/or from the remote (preferably I would have both options).
     
    #5 Lottamoxie, Jun 1, 2011
  6. Judgeless

    Judgeless Senior Member

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    It will not open without an extra spring or someone pulling it up. When I had a Viper remote installed we tried to get it to pop the hatch. The servo would unlock the hatch for 1 second than lock it again. You have to pull up on the hatch to get it to open once the servo unlocks it.
     
    #6 Judgeless, Jun 1, 2011
  7. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    Had a feeling this was the case... bummer.
     
    #7 spiderman, Jun 1, 2011
  8. BrettS

    BrettS Active Member

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    I imagine this could be done by installing some sort of a spring in the frame of the hatch to push it out slightly when the latch has been released. However, that said, I'm having a hard time seeing the benefit here.

    After you've used it a few times you learn where the release button under the frame is and you can put your hand on it every time... so searching for the button soon won't be a problem. And if you don't need to search for the button I'm not sure that reaching down to pull open a hatch that's been popped out an inch, or reaching down to press a button as you pull open the hatch is really all that different.

    To be perfectly honest, when I'm approaching the car with my hands full of groceries or something I'd rather just use the SKS system and press the hatch release to unlock the car and open the hatch than try to dig through my pockets for the keyfob to release the hatch that way.
     
    #8 BrettS, Jun 1, 2011
  9. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    Darn! Now I'm going to have to find one of those teeny tiny liliputan humans to live in the hatch lock area to 'pop' up the hatch so a remote will work.

    It's a pain when you have to get out of your car to open the hatch lock. For instance, if I pick up a friend and they need to put something in the trunk, they don't know how to open the hatch, so I have to get out and do it. In the rain, etc, it's just a pain.
     
    #9 Lottamoxie, Jun 1, 2011
  10. mikewithaprius

    mikewithaprius New Member

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    #10 mikewithaprius, Jun 1, 2011
  11. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    Yes! Yes, like that! ;-D
     
    #11 Lottamoxie, Jun 1, 2011
  12. Judgeless

    Judgeless Senior Member

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    Or this.

     
    #12 Judgeless, Jun 1, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  13. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    That too would work. Maybe not as well... but desperate times call for desperate measures.
     
    #13 Lottamoxie, Jun 1, 2011
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Thinking about how you open the hatch manually, I'd say this is a doomed project: first you have to press open the hold-down latch, and then apply some effort to pull the hatch up. It doesn't pop-up on it's own when the latch is released.

    A previous responder or two covered this, but...
     
    #14 Mendel Leisk, Jun 1, 2011
  15. BrettS

    BrettS Active Member

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    This is the sort of thing I was thinking of that might work for this...

    shaved doors

    It's a popper that people use with shaved door handles... just a little spring that would apply pressure to the hatch so as soon as the latch released the hatch would pop open enough that the latch wouldn't catch again.

    Of course, even with the springs installed you'd still need to find some way to remotely activate the latch.
     
    #15 BrettS, Jun 1, 2011
  16. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    Clearly Toyota needs to fix this glaring error and include a way to pop the hatch open from inside the vehicle and through the remote. I've already given them feedback when I first got my car.
     
    #16 Lottamoxie, Jun 1, 2011
  17. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    Well they kinda do... there is an emergency pull inside. Not that this will help.
     
    #17 spiderman, Jun 1, 2011
  18. ucsmfu

    ucsmfu Senior Member

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    any luck with this one ?

    I like the lexus SUV's how they have the automatic trunk openers :p
     
    #18 ucsmfu, Jul 4, 2012
  19. rrg

    rrg Active Member

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    There is a small chance that replacing the hatch struts with heavy duty ones might give it a little budge to open. Just be warn it will take more force to close it now.

    I replaced the ones in my Sienna with heavy duty ones and the hatch now jumps up very easy.

    my2cents
     
    #19 rrg, Jul 4, 2012
  20. ucsmfu

    ucsmfu Senior Member

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    any luck with this ?
     
    #20 ucsmfu, Oct 9, 2012
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