Auto Trunk Pop Issues.... Options

[rayhodges]

You can add me to the crazy trunk opening/key fob mess. Happens to me about once a week for no apparent reason. The really funny part is, if I use my key fob to intentionally open the trunk, I have to hold down the button for a good two seconds or so. If this were an accidental short inside the fob, that would only last a millisecond, but who knows? Maybe the problem is on the receiver inside the car/trunk?

[schmitty]

Is this mainly a problem with the sedan or the touring.

[alanb]

It looks like all the posters to this thread have '07 to '09 GLS & SE's. There probably aren't enough members with Tourings to get a good sense of whether the problem exists there too. Considering the relatively small sample of Elantra owners that this forum represents and the number who have reported this problem, it seems to me that it must be a pretty chronic problem.

@rayhodges - You make a good point about how you must hold the fob button for a short period to get the trunk open. That seems like it would make it unlikely for accidental fob button presses to be the cause. Maybe some of the folks who have disabled their fob trunk button will follow up and tell us if it solved the problem.

This post has been edited by alanb: Oct 29 2009, 10:51 AM

[MarioT]

It looks like all the posters to this thread have '07 to '09 GLS & SE's. There probably aren't enough members with Tourings to get a good sense of whether the problem exists there too. Considering the relatively small sample of Elantra owners that this forum represents and the number who have reported this problem, it seems to me that it must be a pretty chronic problem.

@rayhodges - You make a good point about how you must hold the fob button for a short period to get the trunk open. That seems like it would make it unlikely for accidental fob button presses to be the cause. Maybe some of the folks who have disabled their fob trunk button will follow up and tell us if it solved the problem.

In my case, the problem has stopped since I disabled the function by putting a small cap over the surface mount switch inside. I currently thinking of an alternative that would just make it more difficult to make contact. Like putting a small rubber donut around the switch instead of covering it. I'll try to upload pics once I manage to test the new solution...

Seems were just dealing with a badly designed remote control.

[imarek3]

I have had the same problem with the trunk being popped and could not figure it out for some time. It was very frustrating to back out of the driveway and realize that the trunk was open. I figured out that it was all in the poor design of the key fob which makes it way too easily to press the trunk and the panic button. I have had the panic button set off while in my pocket. I realized that when my trunk was popped, I was carrying other stuff in my hand with my keys. Now that I am aware of this, my trunk is accidentally popped open maybe once every other month as opposed to several times a week.

Imarek3

'08 Elantra GLS
'03 Santa Fe GLS

[alanb]

In my case, the problem has stopped since I disabled the function by putting a small cap over the surface mount switch inside.

Thanks for the follow up. It is good to know that the problem is in the fob design and not something in the electronics. The owner's manual states that the delay for opening the trunk with the remote is .5 seconds. That is not very long and it seems like the problem could be eliminated if this delay was extended to 2 or 3 seconds. It seems like that should be possible with a software update.

Is this same fob design used on other Hyundai models or just on the Elantra? I wonder if there are reports of unintended trunk opening on the other models.