ok my trunk doesnt release when i push the button. It is a 1990 Trans Am with the dash mounted release button. the pulldown motor doesn't work either but i want to get the release issue fixed first. when the button is pushed nothing happens but after 5 or 6 times being pushed the fuel pump primes. i have no idea what is going on please help!!!!

 

Do you see the parking light light up when you push it?
It might not release if the pull down doesn't work.
does the key open it? Does everything else work? Check your fuses.

IF you get it open you can take apart the motor and manually wind it down so it will close at the right hight until you can get another motor.

 

Make sure the shifter is in park or the ebrake is pulled. Press the button, you should get a click under the passengers side of the dash and a clack in the trunk as the solenoid pops. If you don't get anything I'd pull the lower half of the passengers side of the dash and check the relay. It'll probably be a white GM horn relay. The solenoid is just an electro-magnet that grounds through the body. As long as the ground wire from the pulldown to the body is intact, the solenoid is bolted down tight, and you get a 12v+ signal on the wire, it'll pop if the solenoid is good.

 

when i push the button i don't hear anything under the dash click but the fuel pump will prime if i push it 5 or 6 times. also the brake light comes on when the car is started and goes off like it should but it doesn't come on when the e-brake is engaged. could a bad e-brake switch cause the whole thing not to work? i will pull the relay and see if i can hear it click

 

i have checked the fuses and all of them are good. i replace the motor i went to my parts car and pulled it out. i know it works cause i checked it and all of the wiring is factory nothing has been messed with. and yeah it opens fine with the key. i have checked for 12v and i have 12v going in the motor from the red and black wire. also the cargo light doesn't work so i'm thinking it may be a grounding issue.

 

hello
i have a 92 camaro and the the button for the trunk release doesn't work, it doesn't make a sound or anything... so what is it??

 

This is what I was going to mention. The hatch release solenoid is electrically isolated from ground by the guides. It must have the ground wire present or it won't work. The ground wire attaches at the 10mm screw that holds the hatch release soleoid to the latch assy. The other end of the wire is connected to the body ground location below the pull-down unit.

Lon

 

check the fuse for it. should be labeled as "lid" in the fuse box

 

Wrong fuse. The "LID" fuse powers the hatch poull-down unit. The optional hatch release solenoid is powered on a separate circuit than the pull-down motor. The hatch release is powered through the #11 fuse.

Lon

 

huh, i never knew that. ive never had an issue with my trunk release or hatch pull down though.

 

see thats weird, when i was working on my fuel pump stuff the latch got stopped in the top position and wouldnt go down or even latch the lid. i unplugged it and plugged it back in and it started working. but when i push the button for the trunk release it just goes up then down. it dosent release the lid and it has done that since i've had it, oh and mines 92 camaro

 

A late 91-92 style doesn't have the solenoid hatch release that the 86-early 91 had. They are two completely different styles of pull-down unit. The late 91-92 is powered b just one fused circuit.

Lon

 

How are your lift struts? When they're strong, the 91.5-92 setup raises the latch up and then unlatches, the spring pushes the hatch up and it usually opens all the way. Have someone lift up on the hatch while you press the button and see if it unlatches.

You should hear the motor run, it'll come up, and near the top you'll hear it pop. If you hear the pop and it doesn't open the latch may need to be cleaned and lubed.

 

91 camaro hatch motor wasn't working and it turned out to be the relay. I had power at the motor as mentioned earlier but it would not operate. I put in a new relay and it works perfectly. The relay on my car was in the back of the car, drivers side behind the interior panel. Next to the rear glove box.

 

My 92 RS trunk release switch was rigged to work as a starter switch. I'm planning to open the under dash to find where in the wiring was altered so I can correct the problem and restore the trunk function. Not even the trunk light works so that means the wire was completely severed from the harness. Any ideas where I could start looking?