When I push the hatch release button in my IROC to open the hatch, I have to literally leap to the back of the car to get it open before the motor brings it back down. :lala: Is this normal? Or is my hatch just sitting on the motor too hard? It's nice in one way though...like if i accidently hit the button while driving it will close again. Other than that its kind of a pain.

 

Yeah, the same thing happens to me. Its because the shocks that hold the hatch up are no good. New ones are $35/each though so I can deal with it. Once I push the hatch up, it stays.

 

I think there's supposed to be a limit switch that does not allow the hatch to open whilst moving. Haven't tried it out though!

I couldn't believe the difference with new struts though. Nearly took my chin off.

 

you shoodnt be able to open it while the car is running

 

Same thing happens with my car. I just dont think the shocks are powerfull enough to push it up (like MetalliCamaro said). Its not a problem for me though I got keyless entry.

 

Just get new struts, and on a hott day, watch it RISE!

BTW, the hatch won't open w/ the engine on unless the parking brake is set.

 

I can open mine while running. I've never tried it while in drive though..

 

It won't work in drive

 

I didn't think so, but I never really wanted to try it.

 

i tryed hitting mine when i pull into my parking spot going like 1 mph, it doesn't work
yea i had the same prob when i bought my car the back would not stay up
had to get two new shocks now the thing shoots up like a bat out of h*ll!!!
get new shocks
biker

 

Just put new ones on the front and back on mine, before I had to prop them up with a stick. LOL 95$ for all 4 at Autozone. $15 for each front and $30 for each back

 

actually after numerous tests i have found that the auto release switch on the inside of the car will not function with the car in gear. if you would like to pop the hatch for some reason that has escaped me while traveling down the interstate simply push the car into neutral and hit the switch... it will also work in park while the car is running....

this i have tested.... i dunno if this applies for manual cars or not... mine is an automatic.

 

With manual cars the e-brake has to be pulled in order to get into the trunk while the car is running..... Unless of course the car is like mine, the limit switch is broken so i can be cruising dwn the road & accidentally pop my hatch I got new hatch shocks a while back, they were really expensive but worth it, you'd be surprised at how amazed other 3rd gen drivers are when the hatch flies open when that button is pressed :-D

 

How hard would it be to wire up the trunk release so that it will only work when the key is in the run position?
I don't like the fact that it can be popped open by just pressing the button.

 

you'd be surprised on how many people forget about the little things like hatch shocks.
biker

 

Mine does the same thing, I have to race to the back of the car to pull it up. One of my struts is blown but that's not my only problem. My hatch sits a little too far back and the catch hits the plastic trim around the release mechanism. That plastic is actually broken now and it gives a nice loud crunch whenever I open it up. Nice eh?

I'll hopefully get that adjusted properly when I go in for body work in a couple of weeks. New struts combined with my new fibreglass aerowing (a lot lighter than stock) and the hatch should be able to knock my teeth out if I'm not careful.

 

Yep, on the auto cars it is wired to the NSS, it's two wires on it that complete a circuit alowing you to open the hatch when the car is in park. On the manual cars as stated above, it is wired to the parking brake. I figured this out after doing the 5 speed swap and wanted the switch to work.

 

Just wire it to inside the console or something. I plan on doing that someday

 

If you follow the "optional" wiring scheme for B&M shifters, you'll only be able to release the hatch with the key ON and the shifter in Park or Neutral.

Normally, you could release it whether or not the key was on, the shifter just had to be in Park or Neutral.

I like it going through the key better. Makes it a little tougher to break in.

 

nm

 

I'm glad I don't have a motorized hatch do have a rear windshield wiper though lol

 

What, you were too lazy to press the clutch to pop the hatch? LOL I wired my switch correctly when I did my T5 swap, but a local Member didn't bother. So now he has to press the clutch pedal (which evidently grounds the circuit) to pop the hatch. He is leaving it that way on purpose as an anti-theft feature.

Lon

 

The switch that senses the hatch has been closed may be bad or lose. My assembly stops moving when it hits my hatch, so it doesn't re grap it. Once you rase the hatch the assembly finishes moving up. Then at that point any pressure on the switch will make it go down. My struts lift my hatch w/o a problem, and it all works great, of course I have rebuilt the assembly a few times in the last 5 years.

 

For the release in a running car, My car is an auto and the release only works if my park brake is on. It doesn't matter that I am in park or not. The switch in a firebird is in a place you have to mean to hit it, so I may in the future bypass this feature.

 

It was funny when we replaced my decklid, (before the new spoiler went on). We put on the new deck lid w/o the spoiler and the thing about knocked me in the head the first time I opened it with the key. It came up so quick. Thats one way to tell the shocks are still good. Joe joked about a watermelon tossing contest using my deck lid to launch them.

 

I have the pull-down unit out of my 88 at the moment. I use that car to test the units as I rebuild them. I have about 20 lbs. of roofing tiles on the hatch decklid to hold it down.

 

lol i bet if i took that 70 lbs of dead weight off the hatch it would open(aero spoiler) now if i could get that other 120 pounds of extra weight out of my car (girl) i'd be fine. hehehehe