My ('91 Camaro) power trunk pulldown is stuck in the up position. The motor makes no noises. The latch release works fine using either the key or the console button.

I tried pushing the little switch. Nothing happens by pushing this switch except that the light goes off and one of the wires that plugs into the motor goes from 0V to 12V.

What does the relay do? It has nothing to do with the latch release mechanism because it works fine even with the relay removed.

How do I know if the relay is bad?

How can I bypass the relay with a jumper wire to see if the motor works?

On the plug that connects to the motor there are 4 wires (blue, brown, orange, white ... I think). Two are constant 12V. One is 0V except when the switch by the latch is pushed then it is 12V. I don't really know what the other wire it does (exept that I didn't measure a voltage change on it).

The fuse is good. The wires look to be in good condition. The grounds seem good. Nothing looks to be physically damaged or broken. Everything worked fine earlier today.

Can anybody help me out? Any insight on how I can get this fixed?

 

I tried a new relay and it didn't help anything.

 

There is a switch further down that a tab on the latch portion flips to change the direction of the motor. Maybe the guides have worn or the motor housing had broken to the point that the tab isn't contacting that switch. Otherwise it sounds as if the motor is toast. Sorry, I can't help on that. But I stock the 3 parts that commonly fail (gear nut, motor housing and guides). I reinforce new GM motor housings with 4 pieces of aluminum and epoxy where they commonly break (where the 3 screws attach it to the frame). GM doesn't stock the guides. I manufacture them from solid nylon. They are much stronger than the OEM injection molded parts. Good luck, Lon.

 

I took the whole assembly out of the car and competely tore it apart. I couldn't find anything that I could tell was broken. I put it all back together and was just going to leave it set at a point where the trunk closed OK but leave the pulldown motor unplugged. To my amazement the thing is now working. Yippee!

Ionsal, I found the switch you are talking about that tells the motor when to stop going up or when to stop going down. I had never seen it before. I flipped it a couple times when I had the whole assembly in 100 parts. This might have had something to do with the malfunction. I'm gonna guess that someday I'll need new guides. When I do, I'll try to find you.

 

I'm glad it all worked out. Did you notice any cracking at the screw mount location of the motor housing? Every one I've had apart was cracked or completly broken away. It is much easier to reinforce them BEFORE they break. Lon

 

Nothing was cracked.

Are you suggesting that I reinforce the clear plastic gear housing at all of the screw holes?

Do you have a photo of one that you've already reinforced?

 

I've sent you some pic's via e-mail. Lon