This may not be the right forum for this, if not, please move it.

I have a 89 IROC with the pull down for the rear hatch. The car has sat for a long long time and I recently tried to open the trunk and it wont open. The key will turn about a quarter turn before binding up. When I press the button for the power trunk release, nothing. I cannot get the plastics off inside the trunk to access the motor either. Any suggestions short of drilling out the lock and forcefully getting this thing open? Thank in advance.

 

Also having the same problem.

 

Bump for an 87 Trans Am

 

You can try prying the trunk light out of the trim, and try to get at the latch through the hole, but with the early pulldown, you'd have to unbolt the release solenoid/cable to get at the latch. If you've got the remote release, I'd pop that button a few dozen times while someone alternates pushing down and lifting the deck lid. Pushing down you compress the weatherstrip to potentially take just enough for off the latch to get it out of a bind. Lifting compensates for the weight of the hatch.

 

Ps, you don't really want to destructively assault the lock on a Firebird. You'll most likely destroy the center of the tail lights in the process. On a Camaro you can just pull the lock with a slide hammer.

 

FWIW if it's the lock cylinder itself that it binding and not another part of the lock mechanism, you may possibly want to get a small tube of graphite powder from the parts store and get some into the lock tumbler, and work it in a bit.
Graphite powder is good for lubricating sticky lock cylinders without gumming them up.

Possibly more likely that the latch is what is jammed/gunked up though.
In that instance, personally I would grab a can of brake clean as well as a can of white lithium grease both with as long of a straw as you can get.
That way you could attempt to clean/lubricate the latch without attempting to remove/break parts and cross your fingers that it's as simple as that..

Hope one of those two suggestions work. Good luck

 

Also, if it releases please dont just pull it up because you may ruin the guts of the mechanism.

 

also having a similar issue with my 87 trans am.. key wont turn at all in trunk or passenger door. i sprayed a few lubicants and woked the key in them. but still not budging

 

The obvious answer is the key you have for the driver's door is not the key for the passenger's door and trunk. You see that a lot when people are lazy and don't bother changing the locks they don't use often.

 

yes same key for all doors. key worked in all locks. car sat for a couple of years. then this

 

I had 3 Verts 2 Z's and 1 RS But I do remember if they had power pull downs like with the rear hatch but if so check the fuse for it. Hope you get it to working.