Trunk (car)
[10]Sometimes during the design life of the vehicle, the lid may be restyled to increase the size or improve the practicality and usefulness of the trunk's shape.
Because of the potential for carbon-monoxide fumes, the tailgate window on station wagons should be closed whenever the engine is running.
[14] Two-way station wagon tailgates may be hinged at the side and the bottom so they can be opened sideways like a regular door, or drop downwards as load platform extenders.
[15] General Motors developed a clam shell style "disappearing" design where the rear window rolls up into the roof and the tailgate slides down and beneath the load floor.
In order to hide the compartment content of station wagons or hatchbacks from thieves or sunlight, a cover may be fitted.
On hatchbacks this often has the form of a rigid parcel shelf or a flexible sheet with hooks on the corners, while station wagons and many SUVs have a roller blind in a removable cassette.
To give the space more flexibility, many cars have foldable rear seats, which can increase the size of the trunk when needed.
In vehicles with open luggage compartments, some are fitted with metal grids or guards to retain loose items in case of collision, or to simply create a bulkhead between the load in the trunk – for example, animals – separated from the otherwise unprotected passenger space.
The net confines luggage to the loadspace in case of emergency braking and minor traffic collisions.
Children – and sometimes adults who climb inside to work on the vehicle – who become trapped in trunks can die of suffocation or heat stroke.
[28] Hatchbacks, wagons, vans, and SUVs are exempt from this requirement because it is assumed a trapped person can kick out any cargo cover or parcel shelf to gain access to the main interior and passenger doors.
Beyond carrying luggage, the trunk of most passenger vehicles commonly contains various other components often behind the trimmed surfaces of the interior.
These components may be accessed by the customer or the service personnel through (in some cases lockable) hatches in the trim, or by removing carpet and support boards etc.
