
The reasons for the trunk showing as not properly closed are: 1. The trunk switch is damaged; 2. The trunk control circuit is faulty; 3. The trunk hydraulic support rod is faulty; 4. The trunk is not properly closed. The solutions for a trunk that won't close are: 1. Lubricate and adjust the trunk; 2. Clean the trunk's latch groove; 3. Replace the spring rod with one of moderate stiffness; 4. Check if there is a fault in the trunk's control circuit; 5. Replace the trunk hydraulic support rod. The maintenance methods for the trunk are: 1. When cleaning, use a brush to remove dirt, including the edges and grooves of the trunk, and perform odor treatment after cleaning; 2. Use separate bags for organized placement of items; 3. Lay a trunk mat to prevent dirt or liquids from entering the trunk and eroding its surface, while also preventing items inside the trunk from sliding and reducing the likelihood of contamination or damage.

Last time I went on a road trip, I also encountered the trunk warning not being fully closed. After struggling for a while, I found a mineral water bottle stuck in the trunk gap. Upon inspection, I discovered that such false alarms are most commonly caused by objects blocking the sealing strip, like backpack straps or tree branches, which can mislead the system. Worn trunk lock hooks are also a hidden culprit—I've seen cases where the latch was worn flat and couldn't secure properly. For older cars, you also need to watch out for sensor connectors with wires chewed by rodents or oxidized due to water ingress, which can be troublesome to fix. I remember once helping a friend by simply reconnecting the wiring harness as a solution. For a temporary fix, holding the close button for five seconds can force a reset, but for safety's sake, don't take chances—a trunk suddenly popping open on the highway is no joke.

From a circuit perspective, trunk false alarms are primarily caused by erroneous position sensor signals. Oxidation of the contact plates in the limit switch can create a 0.2mm gap leading to misjudgment, which can be resolved by disassembling and sanding it yourself. A more troublesome issue is wiring harness breakage, especially at the trunk hinge area where cables are repeatedly folded over time. I've measured resistance values as high as 50 ohms in some vehicles at this location. For vehicles with power latching function, you also need to check if the control module reports a C147 fault code. Recently, I helped fix a Tesla where a false alarm was triggered by sensor calibration offset after an OTA update - in such cases, rebooting the infotainment system by power cycling works much better than forcibly closing the trunk.

People who frequently carry large items often encounter this issue. Last time I moved, the trunk alarm kept going off—it turned out the foam box was stuffed too full and pressed against the seal. Heavy loads can slightly deform the trunk latch over time, causing the dashboard light to come on when it's 90% closed. If you've installed a roof cargo box, be aware that some rack tail reflectors can confuse the sensors. A quick test is to rub chalk on the seal, close the door, and check where the chalk isn't pressed to identify problem spots. A temporary fix is using waterproof tape to cover the alarm area, but proper repairs should follow.


