I'm not saying this is a good thing to do, or even something you should even consider at all. But for some of us, there may come a time in our lives when we need to stuff a living person in the trunk of a car. Sometimes things just escalate, okay? You've just gotta be cool and roll with it and then make sure your accomplice, er, friend keeps their mouth shut never talks about that night ever again!
Whew. Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh yeah, trunks. According to this report in Automotive News, Lexus' new ES and GS sedans have emergency release handles inside their trunks that break off too easily.
Consumer Reports originally reported the flaw after their director of vehicle testing put his 4-year-old in the trunk of the ES 350 to see if the latch worked or not, and the kid ended up snapping it off, the article said. Damn, Consumer Reports, putting your kid in the trunk to test the car? You guys are hardcore.
A trunk release inside the trunk may seem unusual, but it's mandated for every new car built after 2012 to help "mitigate a rare, but potentially tragic situation", according to the article. Toyota is reportedly investigating. It shouldn't be a problem; I don't think they've been busy with anything else lately.
So a trunk release latch that breaks off too easily is bad news if your kid gets trapped inside, but it's good news for anyone who needs to intentionally put someone back there. If they try to get out, they'll be stuck there like the hapless kid from Consumer Reports.
Not that I'm saying you should ever do that. Or that I've ever done it. I can totally account for my whereabouts that night, detective, but I think I'm going to call my lawyer first if it's all the same to you.
Tell us — is a trunk release latch a good idea, or a sign of over-engineering in the name of safety?
Photo credit Lexus