I have a problem with my power hatch. Whenever I try to open the hatch it opens but just before the mechanism gets all the way up it locks and pulls the hatch back down. I'm sick of looking like an idiot pushing the button and running to the back of the car before it locks again. Please help.

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1989 Pontiac Trans Am
305 TPI
Auto
2.73 Rear
Stock

Planned Mods:
Cam
Ported Plenum
3.42 disc rear
Headers and Exhaust

 

My 89 Formula did that too. Change your lift rods (hydraulic) with some newer ones, and see if that helps. It did for me.

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Chris G
91 TA WS6


See more of her here!
Wise man once say "Red ones go faster!"

[This message has been edited by cg91ta (edited August 21, 2001).]

 

I replaced them a month ago. I forgot to mention that. Also there is a spring loaded piece with little contacts on the the hatch that contacts a plate on the body. What is that for?

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1989 Pontiac Trans Am
305 TPI
Auto
2.73 Rear
Stock

Planned Mods:
Cam
Ported Plenum
3.42 disc rear
Headers and Exhaust

 

I'd check your lifts again, this is exactly what mine was doing to. Maybe they are defective, or the wrong ones, not strong enough. I got mine at Autozone and they work great.

 

The lifts are gas charged (pneumatic). The spring loaded piece with two spring loaded contacts is for the CHMSL (center high mount stop light). I had the same problem you described on the trunk of my RS the other day when I was parked on a slope. On the level no problem. Replacing the hatch lift struts should cure it for you.

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90 RS Convertible
Owner: Top-Down Solutions
http://www.sc3gfb.org/members/lonsal.html
http://www.taskerinc.com/gs3/profiles/Lon_profile.htm

 

I just spent $80 for the supports and I don't want to buy new ones. When the hatch is fully opened it takes a little muscle to pull it down so I don't think there is anything wrong with the supports. The supports I got are for the hatch with the spoiler. There is a diff part# for the supports for use with the hatch with spoiler and wiper. Is this a stronger support? If this is the case there is a lifetime warranty on the supports so maybe I can exchange them. I know the guys at AutoZone pretty well so I don't think an exchange will be a problem. My gf's car has a lot of problems, I don't think they want to lose my business. Let me know what you think.

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1989 Pontiac Trans Am
305 TPI
Auto
2.73 Rear
Stock

Planned Mods:
Cam
Ported Plenum
3.42 disc rear
Headers and Exhaust

 

First of all, I THINK the contacts are for the power hatch motor to know when it needs to close the hatch, not the brake light. The brake light has a wire connected to it inside the spoiler. I could be wrong though.
Second, My hatch has cone this ever since I replace the whole pulldown motor assembly. My struts are almost brand new as well. I have no clue as to a solution...I also would love some help here!

 

If your car is 87-90 it is for the CHMSL. Do this test. Push down the brake and jamb a broom against it and the seat to hold it down. Then see that the CHMSL is lit (assuming of course that your bulbs are indeed in good working order). Now pop the hatch and watch the light go out when you lift the hatch. There is indeed a limit switch for the power hatch, but it is attatched to the pull-down assy. BTW, if your 12v, 20w bi-pin halogen bulbs in the CHMSL are bad, get new ones at Radio Shack for about $1.99 each.

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90 RS Convertible
Owner: Top-Down Solutions

http://www.sc3gfb.org/members/lonsal.html
http://www.taskerinc.com/gs3/profiles/Lon_profile.htm

 

There were different struts for the hatches WITH the wiper stuff, as opposed to the ones without. Double check you got the right ones. If not, use some white lithium grease on your hinges and make sure its all working smoothly. Lastly make sure that your hatch doesn't drop too far below your body line, if necessary bump the rubber stops up a little and see if that helps.



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Chris G
91 TA WS6


See more of her here!
Wise man once say "Red ones go faster!"

 

Everyone it seems has problems with those damn hatchs. Get a slam hatch latch instead of the pull down power hatch.
un4givin89



1989 Camaro Ralley Sport, 305 TBI 5 Liter v8

Project List:
Crate 383 Engine
Flowmaster Exhaust
New Tires
Windows tinted
Interior swapped for two tone colors
Lowering Springs
Sound System

www.mikekey.net

[This message has been edited by un4givin89 (edited August 21, 2001).]

 

*** and I thought I was the only one with this problem!! Keeps you fit though running to the back every time, but you do look an **** Why do our cars have them anyway? Isn't it to stop us slamming the hatch and smashing the glass (don't even want to know how much a replacement is for that!)

Surely the thing to do is get the rams for the hatch with wiper and spoiler anyway?

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'86 Iroc ZZ4
Best Run 13.8 @ 100mph
I told you to blow the bloody doors off!
The British Firebird/Camaro Site

 

On the brake light issue, thanks, I stand corrected! I agree with the slam latch thing also, the power unit is just one more thing to go wrong...OBVIOUSLY!!!

 

A few things:
Good luck installing a slam latch, the bolt pattern is different and I am sure it wouldn't fit. IF you decide to put the puller down to its closed position and unplug the relay so it no longer goes up and down is a potentially bad idea. I have seen too many of these latches break because they are cheeply made with cheep platic parts, one day you will slam, and whala, your hatch will be a flopping in the wind. I bought a car with that problem.

The Spoiler is the problem, that darned 50 Pound weight that glues your rear wheels to the ground I think is more effective as an anchor than a wind deflector. I have talked to guys that have changed their spoiler to the Fiberglass one by GTAuto Accessories, and the problem of pop the hatch, only to get back there and watch it get sucked back down went away. The 91 & 92's don't seem to have this problem. Neither do the base firebirds, only the Formula, T/A & GTA.

The sping loaded piece it for your brake light. The contacts for your hatch pull down is all self contained within the pulldown mechanism. if you look down inside of it there is a little lever, push on it with a screwdriver lightly, it does not take more than the weight of the screwdriver to get it to work.

SO as far as what you can do to fix the problem, nothing, short of replacing your spoiler OR, I have thought about making a special adapter to take my old weak Strong arms and bolt them side by side of my new stronger strong arms to give it a little boost.

John

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87 Formula Yellow/Black

5.1 TPI Automatic
Baer 12" brakes 4 wheels, KYB AGX Adjustable Shocks & struts, Custom Leather interior, WAAAY TOO MANY MODS TO LIST

87 Formula TPI (5 Speed) Yellow/Gray STOCK

1967 Buick Riviera 430hp Turns high 14's (Not bad for 4300 lbs)

83 Camaro (Parts)
83 T/A (parts)

http://www.3rdgenformula.com

 

I think our problem is the supports, but not because they are not strong enough, but because they are too strong. Last night I was looking at everything trying to figure out what the he!! was wrong. I notice that when hatch is fully closed the pivot point for the supports are a little higher than the point where the supports attach to the hatch. This means the while the point on the hatch is below the pivot point the support is trying to push the hatch down. I think this is what is giving us our problem. If I remember correctly I didn't have this problem when I first got the car because the supports were shot. I'm going to remove the supports tonight to see if this solves our problem. Maybe this will put an end to the; push button, run, "son of a *****, I'm too fat and slow!" routine.

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1989 Pontiac Trans Am
305 TPI
Auto
2.73 Rear
Stock

Planned Mods:
Cam
Ported Plenum
3.42 disc rear
Headers and Exhaust

 

Mine did that until I put on a '91 spoiler. It's about 40 lbs lighter, because it's made out of injection model plastic instead of polyeurathane. It shot up like a catapult after I did that. For those with a lot of imagination and too much time, relocating the bottom shock mount towards the rear of the car and lower will give more lifting force when the hatch is down. Now that's a backa$$wards way to engineer something.

 

Interesting discussion! I think that the alignment at the latch is probably the culprit. If the alignment of the latch mechanism is not right it will interfer with the release and cause the motor to pull it back down because the switch in the pull down mechanism senses that you want to close it. I don't have the release button inside like you guys do so it's no big deal cause I'm already back there. I did replace the struts with ones designed for a hatch with the wiper even though I don't have a hatch mounted wiper. I'm waiting for a gearnut to arrive so I can fix the pull down mechanism. It's been broke for years. For anyone considering the slam method, your out of your mind, the reason these pull down motors were installed was because the volume of air being compressed when the hatch was shut was so large that you had to slam the **** out of the hatch to get it to shut unless one of the doors was open. If you don't believe me try letting the motor pull the hatch shut and disconnect the motor so it won't go up, then release the latch, now try and get it to shut, give up cause it not going to work. Sorry about the rant as my first post but this problem has irritated me for years.

Don

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1987 Formula 305,1971 Corvette 454, 1966 Chevy C30 Flatbed Dump, 1989 Pontiac 6000 STE AWD.