I bought my 1992 sc300 about 2 years ago, I love it, it's my favorite thing in the world but recently, about 3 weeks ago, my trunk will no longer open with the key. It's as if it's the wrong key, slips in just fine, but refuses to turn in any direction. When I bought it, the trunk release button below the steering wheel already did nothing, and it only came with one key and no fob (pictured below). The key has always worked on the doors, trunk, ignition, without fail. It doesn't however work on the glove box or the port below the steering wheel where the release buttons are. Also recently, although not occurring at the same time as the problem, the alarm system has turned on (beeping when I turn off the car), and it def wasn't before. So I was wondering what possible scenarios would cause the system to deny access to the trunk and or other solutions. Lastly, is there any way to access the trunk from the backseat?

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/6669/img0245a.jpg

I know this is probably the millionth time you've seen a thread with this name but so far I've been unable to find a solution.

-Gio

 

The key you have was probably cut using the grey "Valet" key.

The Valet key will not let you open the trunk, glove box, or use the trunk unlock down below. Might want to try going to a Lexus dealer.

 

yeah if the valet button was pressed your SOL
I dont know about the lexus dealers around you but when this happend to a buddy of mine lexus charged him some ridiculous number to get his stuff working again
I hope you luck out and find some cheaper way hahah

 

hey bro if you absolutely need to ge tinto your trunk. pop the left side of your dash off, and all the bottom stuff its like 4 or 5 screws. anyways unplug the plug for your trunk access, should be a blue wire and a black wire.( there are two plugs going to that connection make sure u grab the black an blue one) anways take a speaker wire, or a paperclip, stick one end in each side one black one in the blue trunk will pop open. i've done this before cause i locked my master key in the trunk. trust me i now keep a paperclip in my car lol...

 

Just to be sure, the valet button is the on and off switch in that same area right, and is there no way to reset the system or just turn it off?

 

I am having this same problem, I just got my car, I opened the trunk when I first got it, a friend got in there and I went to open the trunk and the button would not work, I thought this was strange and my key would not work either.

My key is a black Lexus key so I suppose it is original.

 

im sure this Isnt the problem. but it had me going for a while when i first got my car. years ago.
as the description says, you insert key and turn (counterclockwise in my case) to have the lock pop out. then the trunk release button will work and then the key will acually open trunk.

cuz even if the key hold is jammed, the trunk release should work aslong as that button isnt pressed in.

 

OK I got my trunk open so I thought I would pass along the info I came away with. When I bought my car apparently over time the ignition lock and door locks have been changed, because my key would not work on the trunk, glove box, or the key slot on the lower dash.
I pulled the wires out of the back of the trunk switch, jumped the blue and black and the trunk popped open.
Upon closer investigation I noticed that there was 2nd plug on the switch that ran over to the key, it had a red and green w/ white stripe. I unplugged this wire and nothing, So I then jumped across this wire and the trunk popped open using the switch. So I cut the red and green w/ white striped wire and connected them together, my trunk now opens like a new one from the switch.
I thought if anyone else was caught in the same predicament as me they my find this information useful.

 

This worked out well for me thanks for the info