Hi All

I have a 89 firebird, which doesn't have the button for the hatch release. From what I've read on this forum, an 89 car has the necessary wiring harness in place, it just needs connecting up and then the hatch release button fitting in the console above the radio. Is this true ?

Also I have been reading about the hatch pull down feature, how does this work ? Do the hatch struts have some additional mechanism ?

Thanks

Geoff
http://www.btinternet.com/~geoff.khan

 

Since nobody else has replyed I will tell you what I know, the rear lock moves up and down, when you open the hatch with the switch or the key, the lock moves up, then unlocks, and when you close the hatch after it catches the lock moves back down,pulling the hatch tight. I think the struts would be the same. Funny your 89 Firebird doesen't have that feature because my old 89 Camaro RS had it. I don't know if the wireing is in place already, but on camaro's the button is on the console just rearward of the shifter, not above the radio.

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92 Camaro RS 5.0 5-Speed

 

i have an 89 bird as well and mine has the button and the pull down. If you pull your dash off (takes about 20 min.) you will see the wires for the button, there are 2 sets of wires and the ones for the hatch release are the wires on the end. they should be sitting right where the empty pleace for the button is. Just get the button (junkyard or dealership) and install it with these wires. The button will have letters on it to indicate what color wire goes where (p for pink, etc). Hook it up and you're all set.

Next, the pull down. When you open your hatch you should see two things, the clasp and a set of metal strips that look like contacts for the hatch to hit. I'm guessing that your hatch has been closed too hard, to many times. It sounds like the mounting bracket for the pull down motor is broken and it just needs remounted. My bird had the same problem (had to slam the hatch to get it to close and i just pulled off the plastic liner for the trunk area, pulled the assembly out and made a custom bracket to mount the motor correctly, and now it works perfectly.) So try that and see if it helps, but if you don't have those contacts next to the clasp for the hatch then i don't know if your car has the pull down. I've never heard of one not having it.