Locked out ... trunk

How to get back in... through the fuel rubber boot
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Then take out the tail light assembly
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Reach in and man handle the lock and your in
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Try to not scrape your arms, good luck Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Except the striker needs to move horizontally towards the rear seat.
Very resourceful I see!
Old post but hoping. Looking at the lens is there just the one screw holding the corner lens in place along w a few clips
Did you try getting the lock free 'd up with lectra Clean? Stuff works and you don't have to take the car apart...

i only had wd 40. Tried a bunch of times. I had to hold off due to work issues. Tackling tomorrow I think I’ve got taking light out process figured out. Giving it plenty of time tomorrow. If not may try the screwdriver route and replace lock.
 
Small nuts are lower left and upper right, there are no clips anywhere. Large plastic nuts unless replaced with regular nuts are removed first to remove bulb holder. Try pushing in key a little bit when turning, I think it is hung up on the striker.
 
If one pushes in the lock button & locks the trunk, the lock tab is able to pass the strike lever. Will have to push in to unlock & get the lock tab on the correct side of the strike plate.

May have to do a dedicated FAQ about this issue.
 
So after hours of messing with attempting to remove gas fill ( no luck there’s a storage type bin blocking that looks factory) then extensive feeling around and sticking iPhone w video inside to try and figure out the nuts to remove bezel I discovered previous owner replaced knob type in far side with a nut. Tried determining size but so little room to maneuver I was certain it was a 9 or 10 metric but could not get it to set. I tried a few sizes. I retried inserting key and messing around. Even tried torquing the key some with heavy grip pliers but was certain I’d snap key. I think I’m going to sadly try punching it out w screw driver. Kills me to do this but I’m desperate for my work bag inside. Hoping a replacement lock is somewhere on this planet to be found. Bummer. Im usually tenacious as hell and very mechanically creative but must be getting old.
 
Meant to mention. I recall one response where it suggested filing key a bit. Thought I’d share pic of my only trunk key. Very odd looking
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Known as a Dimple key, no filing will help. The trunk caddy is held to the floor with two small chrome Phillips head screw, remove them and slide it out of the way. Nuts are 8mm head I think, 10 would be huge. Clamps on filler neck are slotted screw type if original, remove one and neck comes out.
 
Kills me to do this but I’m desperate for my work bag inside.
I placed my work bag into the trunk of my E38 one day and... when I got home, the mechanism would not release or open the trunk lid.
The trunk has a soft close feature and when activated - it would bounce up like it is going to release but just as it reached that high point, the lid was sucked down.
I pulled, pried, yelled, cajoled... everything I could think of to get it to open. NOTHING.

I took the car to a local BMW shop here to see if they could get it open. No promises - but they'd try.
I had to cool my heels (work wise) till I had my computer back (and all the other needed stuff in the bag.
Two days later - I got a call that my bag was freed. Parts were ordered to repair trunk latch/lock. Cost me a pretty penny - but I had no choice - plus I had to have a working trunk for the car...

Good luck with your activity - I know first-hand this is NO fun....
 
How is your trunk key "odd looking" compared to your ignition/door key?
My ignition key has no dimples. Zero. I’ve never seen a car with such odd dimples before. Maybe it’s common but not to me. I have a couple other older cars including a 61 Healy. Typically the older you get the simpler they look not the opposite. I owned an 83 Mercedes and had very common shaped keys. This is odd I’m my book.
 
Known as a Dimple key, no filing will help. The trunk caddy is held to the floor with two small chrome Phillips head screw, remove them and slide it out of the way. Nuts are 8mm head I think, 10 would be huge. Clamps on filler neck are slotted screw type if original, remove one and neck comes out.
Thank you. Good stuff. I cannot get at the trunk caddy and therefore cannot get at the screw head on the fuel fill. I didn’t try an 8 mm I’ll give that a try in the a m. Thanks again
 
My ignition key has no dimples. Zero. I’ve never seen a car with such odd dimples before. Maybe it’s common but not to me. I have a couple other older cars including a 61 Healy. Typically the older you get the simpler they look not the opposite. I owned an 83 Mercedes and had very common shaped keys. This is odd I’m my book.
I think it is your ignition key that is odd. Does it look just like your trunk key but with no dimples? Does it open the doors also? I wonder if you could start your car with a screwdriver? As far as I know all E9 BMWs used Pembra dimple keys.
 
I think it is your ignition key that is odd. Does it look just like your trunk key but with no dimples? Does it open the doors also? I wonder if you could start your car with a screwdriver? As far as I know all E9 BMWs used Pembra dimple keys.
My ignition key looks same shape but no dimples. Ignition key works fine it opens the doors well. The dimples key only operates the trunk normally.
 
Ongoing saga. Going to try and punch out the lock. Never done it before. Any tips. Man I don’t want to screw anything up.
 
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