Frunk will not open - time to get medieval?

I'm the original owner of 1999 996 built in Nov. 1998; it has mechanical levers and cables to open the engine compartment and frunk and the frunk will not open . No electronics that I'm aware of in the 1999s. I think I've come to the end of the road trying to get it to open. I took apart, lubed and reassembled the side levers for the cable pulls and it made no difference (engine compartment works fine). Took off the front tire and inner wheel well and went in with a boroscope (thank God for that) and found the emergency release cable, then fished it out. Pulled and pulled and pulled with a pair of vise grips and nothing, then connected it to strap puller like you use to strap down loads in truck beds, nothing. Then I hooked it up to a 1 ton come-along with a steel cable on one end and cranked it until the bumper started getting a crease in it (and that's with a thick towel under the emergency release cable). I didn't want to go too crazy because the come-along has a lot of leverage and would probably either snap the cable or literally cut through the bumper but it was plenty tight when I released it. I found the emergency release cable in front of the passenger headlight and was pulling it perpendicular to the car through an opening between the bumper and headlight. Are there any other methods to open this thing that I'm missing? If not, is the only solution to cut the bumper to get access to the idiot latch? If that's the only way in, does someone have instructions somewhere showing how to do it most efficiently and how to get it to release once you get in there? The bumper is original and I hate to cut it but I have to get this stupid trunk opened. Thanks.

Is the battery dead? Also, try to lift the hood while using either the interior release or the emergency cable. It may be unlatched and you don't know it. Takes two people, one to try and lift the hood and the other to use the releases. Even on a 99 MY, there is a locking pin on the interior release. Thus my question about the battery. If it is dead, use the jump point in the engine bay and get 12V to the car. A plastic pry might also work to try and lift the hood. Don't start cutting things. Apply some logic first. When was the last time you had the hood open? Lastly, when you do get it open, lube the latch with white lithium grease and reroute the emergency release cable to just inside the tow hook plug. Simple to pop the tow hook plug and viola..there is the release cable.

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I'll check the battery in the a.m. from the engine compartment since I can't get to the battery itself; I'm assuming that's what you're calling the jump point. I didn't think the 99's had any electrical components to the frunk release but hey, I've tried everything else. I've tried the interior release handle with two people and that didn't work; also tried a plastic pry tool when I had someone pulling the interior handle. I didn't have anyone around today when trying the release cable so I'll give that a try tomorrow when my son comes over. Probably had the hood open a couple of weeks ago and have never had any issues with it sticking and certainly nothing like this. When I pull the interior handle, there's no resistance like there is with the engine bay right before it pops open. Definitely will reroute the cable and now I have bright pink synthetic line tied on it from a surveyor's spool. So it will be easier to see. No worries on cutting things. That will definitely be the last resort. Thanks for the response, I'll let you know on the battery in the a.m..

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Here is the jump point in the rear: Here is the cover and the negative is the bolt holding the airbox.

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Thanks for the pictures, I thought that's what was being referenced. The battery is testing at 12.08V. My son is coming over this afternoon so we'll have two people on it and can see if that makes a difference.

With the extra hands, try pressing down on the front edge as well as pulling up. Hard to say which way it might be stuck. Good luck! The folks who pulled my engine for the FSI rebuild sent the car back with the battery disconnected (996.2) and the frunk latched. None of the tricks to electrically open it worked. I was lucky though and got it open via the cable. I re-routed the cable into the RH radiator air intake; it's a straight pull from there, easy to reach, and it's completely out of sight unless one is standing on one's head.

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We just tried it again with my 31 year old son cranking a tie down strap while I alternated pulling up the trunk lid using a plastic pry tool and then pushing down and it's not budging. Since I have the cable out through a gap in the passenger side bumper and I have a bright long piece of pink synthetic string attached to the loop, I think I'll see if I can route it downward through a gap in the bottom of the bumper, then pull it from there. This thing is really stuck so I'm not too hopeful at this point. Pulling downward I'm not going to have much leverage at all but I'm pretty much out of ideas.

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Don't give up and definitely DO NOT go medieval on the car. It will only get worse. There ARE options. First watch this video to get an idea of what you're dealing with. I bought a lock mechanism just to help people understand how they work and how something so mechanically simple can cause a lot of grief, but the main idea is to help people get their frunks open again. You Tube Now, here is my car with the bumper removed. It is also a '98 build MY1999 Carrera. You'll see the bright minds at Stuttgart thought it was wise to route the cable around the light enclosure. (Ref RED arrows) The hard angle is part of the problem and why so many people reroute the cable either to the tow hook (Ref - GREEN arrow), on top of the air duct (YELLOW arrow), or out the side market light (BLUE arrow). Any of those three rerouted locations are better than the factory location. Here are some steps: 1. Get some silicon WD40. Using the straw, noodle it under the frunk and into the lock mechanism - below the RED latch. (You may need to bend the straw in a 90 degree angle) Now, lubricate it from left to right. Don't be shy. 2. Now try pulling on the emergency release cable while applying light pressure on the top of the frunk. 3. If that doesn't work, you could remove all perimeter fasteners holding the bumper and tilt it forward. Obviously, it won't come completely off before 4 fasteners are blocked, but you still should be able to get the bump to a point were it tilts forward. Once you get the bumper tilted forward, then you can get closer to the lock mechanism and apply more leverage to the emergency release cable. All the best... report back.

Im prerty sure @TheChunkNorris had this issue and a local shop was able to pop it from underneath. Hopefully he can step in.

The end of the cable that goes into the lock mechanism has a ball on the end that fits into a slot on a lever that pulls the lock open. This ball can slip out of the slot and no amount of force will open it because the ball is now just stick in the lock housing. I had to remove my lock last week and this was the case with mine. I reattached the cable ball onto the slot on the lever and zip tied it so in can not slip out.

The video in post #8 shows the cable end that fits into the slot on the metal lever. That can easily slip out. Once that happens it pulls a few inches and the ball catches and can't not be pulled at all. Hope that makes sense

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Thanks, this is very helpful. I spent a few very aggravating hours out there today trying to get it to release and have the cable now hanging straight down. From this explanation an angle might be better although I tried it in various points in its journey to the middle (including the tow hook location) and it is still not moving. Next up I'll try snaking a straw into the mechanism and giving it a good soaking with Silicon WD 40. I cut two small channels in the bottom of the bumper with a hacksaw blade and was able to fold enough of the bumper plastic in to get my arm all the way up to the latch mechanism. Based on your understanding of how this works and is installed, it is possible to remove the two side mounting bolts of the latch mechanism and lift the entire thing out by just opening the frunk? Like I said, I can get my arm up there and there seems to be room for a ratchet wrench. Yes, I'm desperate..... so many hours wasted on this. Again, many thanks.

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I feel your pain and why I did a video for people. It's a very common problem. No, the two bolts feed through the tub and only accessible with the internal carpeted liner removed. (see image) As mentioned in the video, if the front hood doesn't pop up, then the hood's horseshoe shaped upper lock in stuck in stage 1 of the lock mechanism. Once you get it to pop to Stage 2, then the hood should pop up and you'll be able to use the RED lever to open the frunk. But as @rolex11 stated, it could be that the emergency release cable has become dislodged from the lock mechanism's rocker arm mount. Unfortunately, if that's the case, then no pulling the emergency cable will ever get it to come open. Now, let's think about this a minute... You have a CABLE driven system meaning it's not electrically actuated. I assume the battery is still charged? Open the driver side door, and try to pull the main level for the frunk. Why? Because as Rolex11 wisely stated, it could be the emergency cable is non-functional because it's dislodged. Try your best to pull the main lever on the door sill without breaking the lever. Don't pull too hard, and don't pull too less. If the lock mechanism is corroded, then it could be stuck in between stage 1 and stage 2. Remember, the connection for the main cable and the emergency cable are connected to a rocker and function like a Seesaw. One trick is YOU pull the main and your SON pulls the emergency cable back and forth.... think about like it like a tug-a-war game with a rope... one side pulls, then the other pulls... back and forth. hahaha Sounds silly, but it can work.

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You can officially add me to the list of successful Frunk openers, Herr Frunkmeister! The solution ultimately was targeting the latch with a boatload of WD40 Silicon spray. I had tried another spray lubricant earlier in this process (oh, if that had only worked) but either the spray formula or my aim (or both), was off. So this time I used a plastic pry bar to open a space large enough in front of the latch to get the Borescope inside and aimed right at the middle of the latch, then I guided the WD40 straw into the opening and let 'er rip. A couple of pulls on the inside lever and that glorious "Pop!" was heard. As @rolex11 had pointed out, my emergency cable had indeed become separated inside the latch and was useless (so many hours wasted on that approach, ugh). Pulled the latch and cleaned and lubricated it yet again; I need to get a smaller zip tie to ensure the emergency cable stays put this time and then I'll put it all back together today. Why they didn't replicate the design of the main cable pull with the emergency cable is a mystery. The main cable is locked in place with a rubber sheath and can't slip out. Many thanks for your help. The video you put together was incredibly helpful as I could finally visualize what was going on inside the latch. As an aside, a woman I work with used to be a service rep at a local Porsche dealership and when I told her how I spent my weekend she said: "We used to get calls from people all the time who couldn't get their trunks open. It would drive them crazy." Indeed.

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Super! So glad to hear it worked out and you didn't have to go medieval on it. So many could have avoided damage to their cars if they would have just be patient and listened to the advice that I've shared and/or found on this forum. I believe in later modules that did improve the design on the emergency cable mount by adding a plastic grommet that helps keep the cable end locked in place. You're welcome and glad it helped. The lack of lubrication is part of the problem. Overtime, water intrusion (and other elements) wash out the much needed lubrication and like other metals, the tend to weld together from corrosion making it almost impossible to operate. Be thankful you have the old cable driven model (Part# 11 in diagram) because the electrically actuator version (Part# 19 in diagram) is WORSE... I kidd you not. If the emergency release cable is dislodged and non-functional, the main cable actuator does NOT have enough strength to pull and unlock a corroded lock mechanism like in a case like yours. Without the capability to remove the bumper, top cover, and lights, it becomes impossible to access the actuator. Just remember, locks are ONLY good to keep the honest people out! And Porsche has done well doing based on the information shared by female service rep you mentioned. Can you images how many in the entire country? Wow!

Epic. Way to crowdsource a solution. Well done.

So what are the lessons learned to prevent in the future ? Is it as simple as keeping the latch mechanism lubricated ? And is spray lithium grease the lube to use ? I know I am not alone wanting to avoid this issue . I too have a 99 with mechanical latch . Glad the OP got it open . Well done 👏

Sounds like: One. Lube the latch and confirm function. Two. Deal with the emergency cable release. Somehow solidify the ball placement and run the cable routing to a better outlet.

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That's it, and do the engine lid as well. Might as well throw in doing the door latches and door hinges.