My rear hatch opened fine with the switch yesterday, today i had a cat back welded on and now the switch wont pop up the rear hatch. it does nothing at all!!! This is a big issue for me as my license plate is bolted directly on and does not flip down!

Mine does that from time to time. Cleaning the contacts has always worked for me. The relay, IIRC, is in the console area.

JamesC

I have the same problem, It works when it wants to

Well if you guys figure it out let me know too, cause mine hasn't worked since I bought the car and I think it would be kinda nice to have lol

I dont think mine will work without the e-brake on. Also..when the car was an auto, it wouldnt work unless the car was in Park or Neutral...I think.

J.

What contacts are you cleaning? If you'referring to the contact pad that is just to the left of the pull-down unit I agree cleaning them is a good idea. It's always a good idea to have your high mount stop lights (aka third brake light) working properly for safety reasons. In a round-about way I'm saying that pad has absolutely NOTHING to do with the pull-down unit or the hatch release. Just trying to correct a very common misconception.

Now to address the problem at hand. Remove the hatch surround trim panel. In your case you'll either have to remove the license plate to get to the key-lock cylinder or climb into the hatcdh and remove the hatch light. There is a 10mm screw that needs to be removed to get the solenoid free. Once you've got it removed there is a large square hole that has the lever to release the hatch latch.

Once you've got the hatch opened, unplug the black wire with black connector on the end from the hatch release relay and chack that you get voltage there when you press the hatch release switch. If you do, then plug it back in and check that the ground wire is still present that connects from the 10mm screw that attaches the solenoid to the latch. The other end goes to the ground location on the body below the pull-down unit.

Also malke sure the hatch itself is properly aligned and that the that the hatch hook isn't severely worn. Replace it if it is worn. Realign the hatch (common to be shoved to the rear by the pressure of the hatch struts). Lubricate the lstch with silicone.

Lon Salgren

Correct. Those are safety measures GM put in to make sure you don't pop the hatch by accident when you are driving.

Lon

My 85 doesn't have a pull-down or the high-mount brake light, but only the rear wiper. There are, however, three contacts on the pad. Therein lies my confusion. Interesting is that after cleaning those contacts the hatch released properly--that or my memory is failing with age. At any rate, Lon is on the money.

(From the owner's manual) Electric Glass Hatchback Release

An electric release allows for opening the glass hatchback from inside the car by pressing the release button located on the console between the power window switches. The release is activated on automatic transmission cars with the ignition "ON" or "OFF" and with the transmission lever in the "P" (Park) or "N" (Neutral) position; on manual transmission cars with the ignition "ON" or "OFF" and with the parking brake applied.

(From my 85 Camaro Shop Manual) Hatch Release

Circuit Operation

Voltage is applied at all times through the ACC FUSE to the RELEASE SWITCH. With manual transmissions, when the RELEASE SWITCH and the PARKING BRAKE SWITCH are closed, current flows through the RELEASE RELAY coil. The relay operates and current flows through the RELEASE SOLENOID to ground.

With automatic transmissions, current flows through the relay coil with the RELEASE SWITCH closed and the GEAR SELECTOR SWITCH in "Park" or "Neutral." Current flows through the STARTER SOLENOID to ground. The relay operates and current flows through the RELEASE SOLENOID to ground.

Troubleshooting Hints

CHECK RELEASE RELAY (Under Forward Part of Console)

Apply parking brake (manual transmission) and place transmission in "P" or "N" (automatic transmission). Back-probe at the RELEASE RELAY for these voltages:

1. BRN wire....0 volts
2. BLK wire....0 volts
3. YEL wire.....0 volts

Press RELEASE SWITCH and check for these voltages:

1. BRN wire....12 volts
2. BLK wire....12 volts
3. YEL wire....0 volts

Sorry James I didn't remember your car was that old. Should have paid closer attention to your signature. Yes, that pad was used to power the optional rear wiper on earlier cars. Thanks for providing the troubleshooting info. I don't have that kind of time.

Lon

Ionsal, thank you!! now i know why that third brake light doesnt work!!!!!
YES!!!!!!

and the hatch started working today.... GREMLINS! just like my temp guage..

is there a fuse for my hatch pull down? cause i put a new one in today, and it was working when i put it in but now i get nothing, i was switching some wires around trying to get the hatch to pop when the pull down was all the way down. but i didnt know the whole e brake thing. with that being said. now my pull down assembly isn't working. the motor won't do anything.

well figured it out. it was the radio fuse. but here is my deal at the moment. the hatch popper will pop if the hatch is up and the hatch pull down is up. but when the pull down goes all the way down and clicks, my hatch popper won't work. i have an auto, im in park, and i pull up on the e-brake. when i dont pull up on the ebrake and push the pop button the ebrake light flashes. any suggestions?

Your pull-down unit may be adjustede too far down putting too much pressure on the latch making it more difficult to release the latch with the solenoid. You want the pull-down unit adjusted to is JUST compresses the hatch seal enough to prevent it from leaking. If it is adjusted down too far you also run the risk of breaking the clear plastic hatch motor housing. Mark the current location of the frame to the body with an awl or permanent marker. Then loosen the 3 13mm screws and adjust it up until the hatch just seals and the motor stops with a click. You should hear no straining or slowing of the motor before it clicks.

Lon Salgren

my 85 wont pop either. Yall gave me some good things to try. Ill post results.

I guess I'll do a little troubleshooting, mine hasn't worked since I got the car. Later.

heres my results. when i push my my pop switch i heard the relay clicking. i measured all the voltages on the relay and i got a max voltage on all of them at about 10v. Suggestions?

ps. i left the hatch up, and pushed the pull down switch so the pull down would go down. and i also put the latch in the latched position. well when the pull down gets all the way down. and clicks. the trunk popper wont pop it. But When the pull down is not in the clicked down position(if it is up at any point but not all the way down) it will pop, (the latch is also latched; Hatch is up). Suggestions? maybe a relay?

I finally got around to checking mine...Sometimes it works, sometimes it dont. I can hear it "click" but it wont release the lid... I have to use the key to open it.
Maybe use grease on the latch?

Where is the relay for the release on a 1987 Trans Am? I looked behind the switch and no luck. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

In the wiring at the hatch motor.

For the rest, try replacing the relay. It's cheap and available everywhere.

I cant find the hatch release relay. I found the hatch pull down relay that is in the back by the latch but cant find the hatch release relay.

In my '89 the hatch release relay is attached to the frame behind the driver kick panel.
I believe it is a black rectangular relay.

one manual I have indicates there is no relay for the pulldown, but it seems maybe the relay that is on the lower left of the assembly is required on my firebird? the napa part number is AR221 line ECH "A C blower cut-off RE" price 18.64$ I paid 13$, maybe a discount.
it does have the slide on part built into the relay cover to attach just like the original sliding on a little plastic plate.

this didn't fix my pulldown problems by itself. but today I went after cleaning the two switches and it works now.

i have to edit this, as the book says, its relay only for the solenoid, but i think it affects the pulldown also?
also, the manual has in it that auto trans must be in park? and manual trans must have handbrake pulled for solenoid to work. if you are having problems try to make sure emergency brake is pulled and it is in park. i know mine works without ebrake being pulled.

to be sure you get the right thing, just make them order a acdelco relay with the same part number, no crossing. about the same price and sometimes cheaper!

I just got a 92 RS as a driving resto project and today I as working on it's several GM typical electrical gremlins I re connected the cable to the hatch motor which the previous owner disconnected, the motor went up, I closed the hatch and it went down now it won't go up nor will the key work in the lock. It sounds like you know your stuff, please take this as a desperate cry for help

Same with me. The key wont even turn! How am I gonna get the plastics off with the hatch not even opening?

Scratch that. After all this (see pic) I found a wiring diagram and found a bad ACC fuse. Bonus feature! Now my dome light, rear view mirror lights, and power locks work again. And yes I just found out this is an old thread.

I found that by turning my key on then right back off would allow me to pop the hatch on my 87 GTA, i tried everything till i was messing around one day and realized this, hope it works for anyone else

I'm having this problem also. My hatch won't open with the release button, but does with the key. The pull down motor also works. I tested the circuit going by the factory service manual and the voltages are all wrong. Instead of having 0 volts on yellow when the button is pushed, and 12 volts on black, it's reversed. The yellow wire has 12 volts and the black has 0.

temp gauge assy .available at friesen chevrolet. 402-773-5538 $62.i would also change the sending unit too, and make sure the grn wire is good.after that ,you should be good to go

Mine does the exact same thing the key will open it and the pull down motor works but the switch wouldn't. what i meant by turning the key on is don't start the car just turn the key on wait a few seconds then turn key off and hit the switch this is the only way the switch works for mine. I don't know why but thats the only way mine will pop with the switch hope this helps