[voxmagna]

I don't know if this will help or make matters worse (like having to reenter the radio code) but when I have disconnected/reconnected the battery a couple of times, all the locks clunk about generally to open. You could try this with somebody putting gentle downward hand pressure or press and lift on the trunk which might free the latch. But once open, you must get the problem sorted or find the way to manually release it.

If something has jammed in the mechanism, the electronic overload monitor will stop the motor from releasing.

 

[voxmagna]

Where is the emergency trunk release, just in case anybody else needs to know?

Is it accessible without removing the inside plastic trim cover?

 

[voxmagna]

Thanks. Is the passthrough easy to get out?

When we first got the EOS I put the key in and fiddled with it but never got it out.

 

[voxmagna]

Thanks. Is the passthrough easy to get out?

When we first got the EOS I put the key in and fiddled with it but never got it out.

Actually the solution is far simpler than that, if you want to pull the emergency boot/trunk release all you need to do is remove the pass-though panel in the back seat and pull the large red ring you will see at the bottom of the pass through!

Lifted out the pass through (key slot vertical) and sure enough the red release ring is there. But it's pretty thin wire and could break if the release is badly jammed and you pull too hard! Best to have somebody gently press the trunk lid down whilst pulling:

 

[voxmagna]

There is something important to understand about this problem, missing from the thread:

1. If the trunk lid cannot be released using the red ring emergency release which appears to be pulling with some tension, the fault is unlikely to be the lock. I have had my lock apart a few times and provided the pull wire is pulling, it connects directly to a release lever in the lock and there isn't much to go wrong.

2. If the trunk lid cannot be opened using the emergency release, then the most likely problem is the last roof closure didn't finish correctly and the 'C' claws are still holding down the trunk lid. There's a clue when you said the trunk light is on which suggests the lid is lifted off the lock which puts the light on, but is stopped from opening by the C claws. Look through the ski hole with a flashlight and check if the 2 claws at the rear are closed across the chrome lock hoops when both should be open. But one cannot ignore they screwed up something making their electrical connections?

There is plenty here from me and others if you search for C claws. When you take a special car like the EOS into a garage, they see very few and love playing yo-yos and YouTubing the roof op. to their mates. Next time you take it somewhere, pull the roof switch out and temporarily disconnect it!

The problem wasn't the car but failure of those you trusted to do the job in not understanding the complexity of the EOS design when they try to fit non-V.W approved accessories!
.

 

[voxmagna]

The problem with these quickfit accessory people is they assume all cars are the same and a procedure working for one car works for all. Some of the rear lights on the EOS are driven electronically from modules. It's not like the old practice when battery 12 volts just got wired through switches to lights. Now you have electronic modulation, leds and electronic bulb failure monitoring.

They want to use the reversing lights power as a simple trigger for the camera. If you research these cameras, some more expensive cameras are sold with a Canbus control module. These don't need a wired connection to the lights or reversing switch or connect to any wiring in the trunk and use the control 'words' sent over the bus to operate the camera. The easiest place to find a CanBus pair is on the back of the radio.

Yep, it's all pretty gray and black inside a closed trunk. I use a 500watt halogen work light on for a short time. You should see the chrome locking hoops on the lid first. I did wonder once whether to paint their black C claws white, but now I know where they are.

 

[voxmagna]

As David44 says others here have fitted reversing cams before, but I can understand how aftermarkets can be different, particularly if old designs were not intended for modern vehicles fitted with modulated led lights.

As I understand it, a reversing camera needs switched power only when ignition on, a signal or trigger wire from a standard bulb reversing light or reversing switch on the shifter and a composite video input to a head unit which also knows when reverse is selected to switch the display to camera. The power and trigger wire could be combined if connected to a standard filament lamp.

And here are the possible traps to achieve an apparently simple thing:

1. If V.W are using led reversing lamps they could be driven with electronic modulation signals which are incompatible with what an aftermarket camera may expect. But with a simple addon circuit that could be got around. This circuit would get power from an ignition on switch source and use a 'trigger wire' taking no power connected to the led reversing light.

2. With a standard bulb reversing light, camera power and the reverse 'on' signal could be just a power wire atttached to the reversing lamp itself. Camera power is small and may not interfere with lamp failure monitoring. But if a lamp is led modulated, connecting anything that works like this would be a disaster for things going wrong.

3. Most head units even OE use Canbus signals to detect the reversing light on. This is used for the reversing sensors and to switch the display to camera video input. However, reversing sensors are disabled if a tow hitch is connected. If you are very lucky, some head units may already have a power line output to connect a reversing cam. This is the best option because only wiring from the camera to the head unit is required and nothing needs connecting inside the trunk.

Before launching into wire taps on wires without knowing what they really do, I would check the terminal block for the head unit first and see what options may be there, because 3. above is the smartest install. Then I would look at what the aftermarket camera needs. If it only comes with a pair of power wires it probably won't work connected to an led rear lamp. If it comes with a pair of power wires and a third 'trigger' wire, the designer may have thought about it working with leds.

PS: V.W seem to have changed their logic for accessory power sockets on later vehicles. Sockets on older vehicles were switched with ignition, but with the demand to charge portable devices, later vehicles can have their sockets permanently on with ignition off.

 

[voxmagna]

Emergency release 'Not Working' can be more than one thing. If the pull wire has been damaged and broken then it's definitely not working. The pull wire pulls on a mechanical latch inside the top lock which causes the spring loaded latch to roll over and release from the locking bar. Unfortunately this lock spring is very light and even if the latch is released by the wire, downwards tension on the latch hook and pull down motor stops it rolling over to open. The only chance is pushing down hard on the trunk lid whilst somebody else pulls the emergency release gently. NB The emergency release isn't pulling against a huge spring, it's a small lever catch inside the lock! There may be a way in through the emblem flap, but I've never been there and suspect something may have to be destroyed?

 

[voxmagna]

I couldn't test my mod. for your situation until today. It only deals with your type problem when the trunk lid corner C claws are open and the lid is held locked by its center lock. I'll qualify that, adding the lock solenoid motor and wiring to it must still be good.

With the lid is locked down, the only place you can access the lock motor wiring is the harness on a plug behind the glovebox which contains the 'convenience module'. This usually does the lid locking and unlocking, but not the pull up/down. Removing the glovebox isn't hard. If you read the mod. (there are 2) it may be something else to try:

EOS Trunk Lock Emergency Electronic Release

The purpose of this wiring modification is to allow the central trunk lock to be released when the emergency release wire is either broken or can't work when the roof system has stopped during a cycle when the pull down motor has left the lid in the raised position. In this situation, the 'C'...

www.vweosclub.com

Trunk Lock Jailbreak Mod.

There have been several posts discussing trunk lid locking issues, particularly when there is an electronic control or power problem. At least 1 member found the emergency unlock pull wire behind the ski panel didn't work. If a trunk lid stays locked, you only have the emergency release to rely...

www.vweosclub.com

With the trunk locked as normal, I operated my switch for a second and the lid opened with the pull down motor heard whirring.

 

[voxmagna]

Off topic question unrelated to trunk locking thread which will confuse others.

My battery is being drained by something.

Open the ski hatch at night and after locking the car make sure the trunk light isn't lit?
You should have asked the dealership what draw they measured when they tested your car. There's always a small draw. If they say they measured zero/nada, then they didn't do it correctly or they didn't measure at the battery terminals. I would take the car back and tell them the fault is still there. A good fully charged battery draining overnight is a very large current leak.

I've never hear of it happening and few techs would be smart enough to consider it: Whilst the hood is open during testing, the wipers system is disabled. If there's a fault in the wiper circuit they may not measure a current draw from it until the hood is closed.