The motor went out a few years ago and I replaced it from GM. I dont use the hatch release button that often. After I installed the nylon guides from Top-Down Solutions I tried the release switch in the dash and it didn't work. I did some checking and found that I had an extra wire. Then I remember that the new wiring harness was different from the old, and the previous owner had done some hack jobs, so at the time I thought it was an extra wire for someting he installed. So I basically need to know where to hook the wire up that comes from the switch. I thought it might hook up to the white wire dangleing alone, but I read that that it for the cargo light, which I have a manual switch. There is nothing else there I can see visually. My car is a 88 Formula 350. Thanks for any help

 

does it do anything at all?? when you hit the switch? maybe its a ground? how many wires come out of the switch

 

Well I have a wire back there that was replaced by the previous owner for some reason. I traced all the way to the switch. When you push the button I get 12v at the wire. The problem is I dont know where to hook the wire to in the rear compartment, to operate the release. I have looked but for some reason I dont see anything.

 

well it should hook up to the motor somewhere! got any pics?

 

Give me a few minutes and ill get 1

 

Here's 1

 

another

 

so when you push the button absolutly nothing happens... does the switch for the light right by the hatch motor work?? the cargo light turn on? i have heard that the white wire is for the light

 

Yes the cargo light works by a manual switch. I read that the white wire is for a remote light switch. Now the orange wire hanging down was replaced by the previous owner, and it connects to nothing in the hatch area. When you push the cargo button I get 12v at the orange wire. I dont know where the orange wire connects.

 

There should be a black wire with ring terminals at each end. This wire goes from the common ground location below the hatch pull-down unit to the 10mm bolt that mounts the solenoid hatch release to the latch. If this wire is missing your solenoid hatch release will not work because the nylon guides are isolating the latch (where the solenoid is mounted) from a ground source.

What's up with the black zip-tie? By the picture I see you have the newer style motor. This style is recognizable by the motor case having two flat spots on it instead of being a round cylinder shape. You have to replace the motor and plastic motor housing as a unit (I stock it as TDS p/n 201170). Of course my version has the plastic motor housing is reinforced. Check for special pricing in effect through the end of the month.

Lon

 

Lon ,
I bought that unit a few years ago before I knew about you . Yes i have the ground wire going from the unit to the ground. You can see it going down and then the wire heads back up. The problem I have is the power wire from the switch. It is not hooked to anything. The zip tie is helping hold that black switch on the back side of the motor. I think a clip is missing of it? And by the way thanks for that keychain, it was an unexpected surprise.

 

That switch is called the reversing switch. There is a tab on the switch that fits into a slot on the plastic motor housing, then it is attached with just one phillips head screw. I'll e-mail you scans of the wiring schematic for the hatch release.

Lon