I'm having an issue with my hatch release button. I'm referring to the wiring diags here: http://www.austinthirdgen.org/mkport...wn_release.jpg

A) I know the hatch motor is fine - it operates normally, just not from my release switch.

B) I know the Hatch Extend Relay is fine - since the hatch motor works as it should, but just not with my release switch.

C) I know the Hatch Relay is fine - if I jump the orange wire to the black wire at the relay connector, the hatch opens.

My problem is the release switch, and the ground that it is SUPPOSED to have, but doesn't....

The diag shows that the hatch switch connects a ground from green to brown. The green confused me at first, since it connects to the purple starter signal wire (which has to be a positive to run the starter). But I figured out, that the only time the purple signal wire has 12v+ is when the key is turned, otherwise it should be getting a ground across it from the starter windings etc. (as the diagram shows).

But, I don't get a consistent ground here, either on the purple starter wire when key off, or on the green wire to the hatch switch. If I connect leads from ohm meter, meter is at 1 (no continuity), I probe green wire, and touch a known ground - the meter goes from 1 to flashing a few numbers for just a second, then back to 1 and stays there. Thus, there's only a split second of continuity (ie ground), then it's gone.

What makes this happen? I tried wigglng wires to recreate, nothing. I tried being very very still upon first contact (to make sure nothing moved), and still same results. I could understand a short that is occurring when something moves, but how a short when nothing moves, and only a one-time short like that?

Next - the NSS. Can anyone explain what the purpose of the ground is to the NSS? I understand most other functions of NSS ...

1) When in PARK or NEUTRAL, large green ignition wire gets connected to large purple starter wire.

2) When in REVERSE, dark blue wire (12v+) gets connected to green wire to light reverse lights

3) When in PARK, but key off, large purple wire gets a ground across it from starter (this is where I'm having issues stated above) - this ground is what activates the hatch release relay through the hatch switch.

But what does the ground wire, and the orange with white stripe wire do and in what shifter position?

I would just like to get the hatch release button to operate as it should. Last week it worked, but I was fooling with some starter wires, and afterwards it stopped working. I've since put my starter wires back EXACTLY as they were before when the hatch button worked. All fuses good.

I know I can just add a known ground to the hatch release button, and the hatch will work fine - but there is the potential for it to open if button pressed while driving if it's not wired as it should be, and I'm trying to avoid that.

I also know I can run a ground to the E-brake switch, and that way hatch would only open when E-brake is up, but I rarely use the E-brake and would rather just have it corrected to work as it's supposed to.

Any thoughts on where to look? I have no idea exactly where in the car that the green wire from hatch switch connects in with the purple starter wire, I'm trying to avoid tearing all the dash and carpet out to trace that wire down. If anyone knows exactly where they connect that would be helpful.

Any other thoughts greatly appreciated!

 

Ooops - no 2nd post, sorry - TTT

 

Wire work & I get along like gremlins & water!!

Fuseable link from starter or dirty contact on selector under console??
Sorry to pose Qs when you need As!! Man that's about $10 change I owe ya for 2cents.

However, I did learn from the post!!

 

You are correct with an auto it will only work when it is in park or neutral.

The orange/black is the park neutral switch to let the computer know when it is in park or neutral. They connect together, org./blk. blk/wht. (lean burn mode)

 

The hatch switch should be tied to the green wire coming from the VATS start enable relay (behind the drivers side kick panel IIRC). The green then runs to the park neutral switch at the shifter and then to the starter.

For the sake of testing, I'd run a jumper directly from the green wire at the p/n switch to the hatch release switch to see if it functions how it should. Granted, you'll have to pop the console top off.

 

Well, I gave up for the day, and slapped it all back together - car show tomorrow. I rewired the hatch switch to get a ground from the E-brake lever - at least I can't accidentally pop it while driving.

I think it's all related to my issues at the NSS. It seems that a PO has wired in a new connector for the NSS, and for years I've tried testing and retesting to make sure his connections were good, and I even reconnected them myself several times, thinking that the issue was with the wire connections. But while playing around today, I realized that the NSS connector is wiggling/wobbling in the NSS, so it's not the wires, but the connector itself - it just doesn't stay connected well enough to always have a constant good contact.

So not sure what to try now. NSS is new (I replaced recently), so I guess I'll order another connector and try it - maybe the PO snagged one from a JY rather than a new one, and it's just as bad (or worse) than the one HE replaced years ago.

So this kinda explains the issue with not always starting, as well as the hatch release switch.

 

Maybe unpin the connecting harness and tighten the terminals ? (mash them tighter with some pliers)