There are also hydraulic cylinders that assist opening and, I assume, hold the trunk up when open. They're known to deteriorate and IIRC a beyotch to replace (though I've never done it myself). The spring shown above simply pops the trunk out of the latch, alleviating a problem where you'd press the button to open the trunk only to find that it isn't released--a major PITA when your hands are full.
