Is the hatch unlock button only supposed to work when the car is turned off and in park?
I want to say that for a while, it worked when the car was running and in park, but I can't recall.

 

On an automatic, the only thing that matters should be the Park or Neutral position, yes.
But I've seen automatic cars that also go through the parking brake as an extra safety measure.

So a running engine shouldn't affect the hatch pop. But try pulling the parking brake too.

Hope this helps.
Lou

 

on most makes and models the electric hatch/trunk release solenoid circuit is energized at all times

transmission has nothing to do with this

lol


i have yet to come across any year make model that the release solenoid circuit was not energized at any given time, key in or not

good luck

 

After a lot of observing, the trunk release only works when:
1. car is off, key in off position, in park
2. Car is in park with key out
3. Car in park with E brake up, key in.

Interesting, considering I never thought it was so developed that with the engine running, it'd have to have the e brake on. Either way, decent safety feature.

 

mine only works when the ign. is off . i always thought this was correct so you could not open hatch by mistake while underway . i have a t-5 trans. and power windows . i for one would not want to open hatch while operating windows on the interstate at 70 m.p.h. . anyone else ???

UNCLE TOM

 

Mine ONLY works with the e-brake set, engine running or not. This pretty much assures that the car is not moving. This is with a T-5, automatics may be different. Not long ago I had a service center call to ask how to open the hatch (key doesn't work), they tend to leave the car in gear without setting the brake, and let the transmission hold it in place. The only way to open the hatch from the console is to set the park brake.

 

Correct, automatics are different from T-5s. Or vice versa. On the factory T-5, the E-brake must be up. That's the ONLY safety feature. On the automatics, it's usually just the P or N position on the gear selector or sometimes the E-brake needs to be up too, depends on model/year/weather/constellation ...

Lou

 

Okay, how about using the key at the back of the car? And on a related question, does the hatch and the passenger power window share any wiring? My car sat for a while, and the only two things that don't work now are the power hatch and the passenger power window.

 

The KEY is a mechanical release that releases the hatch hold down. There is no interface with the the electrical hatch release circuit.

The power windows and the hatch release are powered form differrent circuits, so no there should be no common point except power to the fuse block. Check and make sure the wiring connectors are firmly connected to the switches in the console.

Attached below is the wiring diagram for the hatch release for the 82 model Camaros. Manual transmissions only require that the parking brake be engaged. Automatic transmissions require that the shifter be in PARK or NEUTRAL. Note also that the circuit is always hot, not depending on what position the key is in the iginition switch. I have not seen any other wiring diagrams for the hatch release circuit in the Haynes Manual or at the AutoZone web site. It is also possible that GM changed the design in later model years to inclued the igntion switch and/or the e-brake in cars with auto transmissions.

Dave