Aaron Widmar
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My Key Fob’s Trunk Release Button Is Too Sensitive. Can I Disable It?

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Four solutions to prevent the trunk release button from accidentally triggering

car trunk open hatch latch release popped key fob button sensitive push bump
Do you accidentally pop your car’s trunk with your keys?
Photo: The News Wheel

Do you walk out to your car to typically find the trunk popped open? Chances are you put your keys in your pocket or purse, where the key fob’s trunk release button was accidentally pressed. A sensitive trunk release button is a common problem on many remote keys and can be disastrous if you have valuables stored in the trunk. Here are couple ways you might be able to prevent this from happening.


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Don’t carry the key fob

It’s an obvious solution, but it’s also the quickest and cheapest. Remove the key fob from your key ring and just use the old-fashioned physical key to unlock the car. If you need to access the trunk, pop it open via the trunk release lever by the driver’s seat. It’s a hassle to lose that convenience, but it’s the quickest way to solve your problem.

Get a key fob cover

You can put extra padding around the buttons to reduce the chance that they’ll receive enough pressure to accidentally compress. Purchase a specially fit, aftermarket silicone sleeve for your key fob (available for most models on Amazon). Look specifically for one that has holes for the buttons, leaving them exposed and inset from the rest of the rubber casing.

digital car key fob remote unlock lock buttons
Photo: The News Wheel

Look for a trunk release lock switch

Some cars have a switch that prohibits the trunk from being opened by the digital key or the trunk release switch. Look for this in the glove box, the center console, or the trunk itself. This is usually present in nicer models to lack out nosy valets, but simply flipping this switch will also stop the key fob button from triggering.

Inspect and disable the inner workings

It’s actually easy to open and inspect the inside of a key fob. In fact, that’s how you reach the battery inside when you need to change it (following these steps). Use a screwdriver to pop open the fob and examine the buttons, looking for how pressure on the trunk release button triggers it. If there’s a way to disable them by removing what point of contact triggers the circuit board, you might be able to deactivate the trunk release button from functioning entirely.

Hopefully, one of these solutions work for you and you won’t have to worry about finding the trunk open in the pouring rain the next time you leave a restaurant.


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