So we picked up our Toyota Camry Hybrid today and said goodbye to our Civic Hybrid and we are trying to play with all the new features. I wanted to open the trunk and knew there was a handle under the lip. I had the smart key in my pocket and reached for this button but nothing happens. I even tried going inside, emptying out all my pockets and going back out (in 20 degrees F with no jacket brr.) and it still didn't work. Other than this function it seems that the smart key is working. I walked by the car and the interior lights came on. My wife looked in the book and apparently this feature can be turned off with "special equipment" at the dealership. Is there something that I am perhaps doing wrong that I can try before calling back the dealership to get this fixed? I tried just holding the latch for a while and pressing quickly and releasing it. Nothing happens. Using the trunk button on the remote does open the trunk so I am pretty sure it isn't that the valet feature is activated.

 

Not sure if this is your problem. My '07 TCH owner's manual states:I suggest you try this:
Open trunk, get rid of ALL keys, close trunk. Then retrieve one key and see if it will allow you to open the trunk.


Again, this is just a suggestion. Not sure it it is really your problem.

BTW, welcome to the Camry Hybrid world.

 

My wife and I both have smart keys. Mine is in my pocket and hers in her purse. Many times I walk from the trunk to get in drivers seat while she is finishing up putting groceries in the trunk. I never remember any buzzers or alarm chimes during that time even after she closes the trunk.

 

I guess I should be clear. I went inside. Opened the manual and read it for a while. Then given that the manual also stated what I was trying was correct I decided to go back outside and try again. My wife had her key and was inside the house more then 30 feet from the back of the vehicle. I had my key in my front pocket. I had nothing else in my pockets and didn't have on a jacket or anything. I walked past the front door, the interior lights came on, kept walking, reached the back of the car and stood there for 5 minutes attempting to open the trunk with various techniques that were outlined here and in my manual. Nothing seemed to have an effect. Decided that being out when it was so cold with no jacket fighting with a brand new car wasn't worth it at that point, I went back inside. My wife said, oh here in the manual it says that this feature can be turned off but by default it is on. So her guess, and mine also, is that someone at Toyota turned this off on this car and I need to go back to the dealership to get them to activate my trunk release.

All other methods to release the trunk work. I can pull the lever inside the car, I can hold down the trunk button on the remote, and I can use the valet key thing (yes I know it is opposite of a normal valet key but I haven't read enough to know what it is really called).

Maybe they did this on purpose since I pushed so hard on price they wanted to punish me .

 

captmiddy — It may seem silly of me to ask this, but are you sure that you're pressing the correct "switch"? It's not actually a button, but rather it's a rubber membrane that runs behind and inside the trunk handle. Squeezing the rubber membrane operates a switch that opens the trunk. You have to push upwards with your fingers to compress the membrane and operate the switch. You should feel the membrane giving way slightly when you push. I realize that it's an outside chance that you're pressing in the wrong place, but I thought I'd mention this just in case. Other than this, it sounds like a failure in the membrane switch or its associated wiring.

Stan

 

Yea it is sort of a long rubber membrane under the lip of the lid, just above the license plate. I don't think there is any other thing that it could be. Is there any other rubber like substance under the lip of the lid above the plate? I am asking because if it is this simple then great, save myself a trip to the service department on a 1 day old car . I want to stay out of the service department for as long as humanly possible. Once they get their paws on it, it will never be the same.

 

captmiddy — Yes, it's the only rubber up there. Take a flashlight and have a look! It's held in place by two screws, but the two leads from it snake into the inside of the trunk. Getting at everything isn't trivial, but I could post the Repair Manual pages if you desire.

Stan

 

Given the thing is only 1 day old, I will let the qualified people fix it. I am more danger than my wife will allow to her car.

 

Does trunk open from lever next to driver? Reason I asked is that key in trunk can disable the operation of the membrane switch.

 

Yes all other methods are still working but the membrane switch.