the switch to release the compartment where the top tucks away wont work. the power pull down for my trunk doesnt work either what could this be? i believe there is a sensor that wont let the top compartment open due to the fact that it believes the trunk is open?

 

yes there is a sensor. furthermore, the same relay that powers both of those may be bad, and it may be the same relay that acts as the safety. If it worked fine before, and just suddenly stopped, there's a good chance your wiring is fine and the relay took a poop. it should be located in the back, under the trim panel by the pulldown unit. pull it out and get a new one. if there's more than one back there, play it safe and replace both, they aren't very pricey, less than $10 each.

just for grins, did you check all your fuzes? never know...

 

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The switch won't operate unless the parking brake is set - how & if that is related to the trunk, I don't know.

 

I don't think it's necessarily related to the pulldown function of the trunk, but it is related to the tonneau cover release. It's like that because when ASC converted these cars, they simply took the existing wiring for the power hatch release, and re-routed it and modified it a tad to release the tonneau cover instead. I'm not 100% on this, but I believe the factory wiring for the rear hatch release is the same between a coupe and a vert until it gets to the back. After the wiring enters the relay out back, the power output wire runs to the solenoids located behind the rear interior trim panels by the back seat. There should be a red wire that is spliced into the factory power wire for the hatch release, that red wire has a T in it and one goes to each solenoid, the solenoids are metal and bolted to the body so they ground there.

Edit to add - I have an idea that worked for me when my setup didn't work that you could try. Find the relay or whatever in the back and pull it. Find out what wire brings power to it, and which wire is the power output. Jump the two with a wire and hit the switch.

 

The relay in the back near the pull-down unit is not the same relay as the one for the tonneau or hatch release. The relay back there is for the pull-down unit only. The tonneau or hatch release relay is located under the center console next to the parking brake on Camaro and behind the dash on the passenger side on Firebird. Yes it has a safety tied into the hatch/trunk pull-down unit. If the pull-down unit has been butchered and converted to a manual slam latch that could be your problem. The striker-sensing switch must be pressed by the hatch hook for the tonneau/hatch to pop. It is because the tonneau and trunk occupy the same real estate when opened.

Lon