Dingley

iTrader: (1)

the hatch always worked before. but one night, it didn't. it doesn't respond at all. there is no mechanically problem, because you can hear the ping for the hatch release, but no motor noise. it won't catch when you push the hatch down, either. its not a fuse, since all of them are fine. could it be a dead motor? if so, how much does a new one run for. thanks

acescarrsRS

Most likely not the motor. It's not latching cause it's probably all the way down(the motor). Try changing either the relay or the actuator switch. Relay is right back there with the latch assembly. The actuator switch(I think that's what it's called) requires you to take out the latch assembly & do some disassembly. It's not that hard. That's probably your prob. Anybody correct me if I'm wrong. Hope this helps

Dingley

iTrader: (1)

well, you can manually press down the latch that accepts the hatch. and when you press the "hatch release" button, that opens up. does that make a difference. i just need a relay? where is it located, and what does it look like?

Petes 84Z28

Double-check for a fuse - I'm using the wiring harness from an 86 'bird in my 89 Formula, and the fuse for the power pulldown was in it's own holder, seperate from the fuse block. It's only a few inches away from the fuse block, toward the steering column or the firewall and takes a 15A (blue) fuse.

Pete

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

First off, the hatch release solenoid is on a different circuit than the hatch pull-down unit itself. As Petes 84Z28 mentioned your Firebird hatch pull-down fuse is an in-line fuse adjacent to the main fuse block. Pull off the hatch trim panel and unplug and test the red with white stripe wire with a voltmeter or test light. This is the +12v power source for the unit and is hot at all times. If you have +12v at that wire then indeed the fuse is OK. The next thing to look at is the striker-sensing switch which is a small black switch just in front of the latch as you are looking at it from the rear of the car. Press this switch and the unit should power down. Keep pressing it until the unit cycles all the way down. You'll hear a click, which is the reversing switch being tripped. Now release the switch and the unit will power back up again. More than likely your fuse has blown or the striker-sensing switch was pressed and the unit cycled part way down (which is why you're having trouble getting it to re-latch). Bad news, if the striker-sensing switch is bad. GM discontinued that switch last year. If that switch is OK, then re-setting the unit as I've described and verifying that the fuse is OK should solve the problem. While you've got the hatch trim piece off take a look at the condition of the hatch pull-down unit. Problem areas to look at are cracks where the 3 screws mount the clear plastic motor housing to the frame. Also what is the condition of the nylon guides that the latch portion use to rise and lower in the channels. I stock most of the parts to rebuild these and also sell re-built and re-manufactured hatch pull-down units. I am low on cores to rebuild them which is why I've taken the re-built and re-manufactured units off of my site temporarily. Look over the tech article I wrote. If the switch is bad, here is a new striker-sensing switch listed on eBay. You'd just need to cut and splice the large white connector on the blue wire for the small black connector that is on the blue wire for the 1988-91 switch. That is the only difference.

Good luck,

Lon Salgren
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