StevenK

iTrader: (1)

Hello everyone. I have a 91 Camaro that sat for awhile, after pulling it back out the hatch release stopped working. A few notes, this car has a LS1 swap from Auto to Manual, and an alarm was installed in 2000.

I've disconnected the alarm trigger wire on the center console hatch release wire that leads towards the front left kick panel (green). In looking at their horrible t-taps they used, one of the wires broke, so both switch connector plugs have been rewired properly with no alarm connections.

Checked a lot of things before I found this brittle near broken wire that explained why the test light kept having problems


First thing I did was check the switch for the release was getting voltage, the brown wire is getting 12v as expected. Switch is brand new from Hawks.

I replaced both the front and rear relays with new parts from TDS as well.

Per the 1991 Service manual I tested each relay, all three tests pass. I took the connector off the new relay and checked the connector at the front and back relays





Next I started with a test light, I can verify that the power coming off the switch following the green wire, when I press the switch, the light turns on. The green wire runs under the drivers seat, to under the dash, where it loops back around and goes into the metal of the driver's kick panel wall. From there, I have no clue where it goes.


Now in the back I've found the black wire that controls the relay. I do not get any power here when the switch is pressed. I have verified the starter safety switch is engaged on the clutch pedal when doing testing.

I do have a parking brake sensor it looks like, and a wire that appears to go with it, but they are disconnected. This wire is not powered and holding it to ground while attempting to press the clutch and hit the button also results in the hatch not working.



Next up, suspecting I had a bad wire from the switch to the relay, I made a temporary wire and ran it from the switch to the relay directly. Still, nothing, the relay didnt do anything at all. I can almost hear the relay in the center console area when I connect this temp wire directly to the brown wire to bypass the switch.

The last thing I did was check the relay itself. I took a 11.1v lipo battery I had from a r/c car, made a little harness for it and connected the ground to the relay's metal housing, and then I tapped the pin in the connector with positive, and it popped open the hatch release loudly. So it appears the relay works on it's own 12v source.

Anyone have any ideas for testing I can do? Any clues on where this green wire is going?