How to open a locked trunk with no key!

FWIW, a missing trunk lock on a Cougar trunk lid in the outdoors is like saying “Sure Mother Nature, I’d be pleased as punch to have you rot the rear lip of this here fine trunk lid for me!”…

The paint shop had to rework the lip on Isabel’s trunk lid during the job (and after paint!). As nearly as we could figure wet sanding water went down the lock hole and into the seam. Now granted there was rust that I did not adequately get out but moisture was all it took to make a mess of it all over again.

Just a thought.

I ended removing the rear seat back, crawling through the hole and removing the striker. Took about 5 min. Now I have a fully functional trunk latch.