92GTA

iTrader: (11)

My hatch putlldown motor works fine but when I push the button inside of the car it lifts the hatch but will not let go of it and it just closes as soon as it lifts up. Using the key it works just fine.

What do you think is wrong with it?

bnoon

I've got the same problem. I haven't had time to look at it, but there's got to be a tension adjustment on it somewhere. Perhaps as simple as rubber bump stops perhaps... I'll check back after fiddling with mine to make sure you have an answer.

BTW, nice Firehawk! DDDDDDDDDAaaaaaaaaaaayuuuuummmmm!!!

92GTA

iTrader: (11)

It's not the rubber stoppers, and it's not the alignment of the hatch, I already adjusted those things. it has to be either an internal adjustment or something if broken.

I was hoping that someone here would have already had this problem and fixed it so they can save us the trouble of trying to figure it out our selves and possibly breaking something...

HamSpiced

if it wont unlock by the button inside i think one of your relays inside went bad (i think) behind the panel there there should be one giant relay. im not sure what it does entirely cause my hatch works without it but it may be that. open your hatch some day and have someone press the button in the car, play with it.

HamSpiced

if it wont unlock by the button inside i think one of your relays inside went bad (i think) behind the panel there there should be one giant relay. im not sure what it does entirely cause my hatch works without it but it may be that. open your hatch some day and have someone press the button in the car, play with it.

bnoon

HamSpiced, I think you're confused on the question... The relay works, the hatch pops, but the latch won't let go (Mine does about 1 in 3 shots sometimes...but always makes the "pop" noise) It's got to be an adjustment issue somewhere...

85SportCoupeto89RS

I'm with hamspiced,
Check under the center console and check out the relay on the hatch release harness. Just by the way you said it wouldnt release the latch, I would suspect the relay, release switch, or the release its self. Also check your ground wires too.

92GTA

iTrader: (11)

Where is this relay? One of you guys sounded like it was behind the switch or in the center console, the other mentioned it was behind the fuse panel

85SportCoupeto89RS

I just realized you had a GTA. The relay is on the passenger side near the computer. Its on a harness, the relay it uses is exactly the same as a horn relay. There was a post about the difference inbetween the camaro's and bird's. I found the p/n for the relay but I cant remember it off the top of my head.

92GTA

iTrader: (11)

Thanks! I'll drop my passenger side lower access panel and look for it....

Alex

85SportCoupeto89RS

Ok I did some old fashioned searching for a previous post of mine and found the thread I was talking about. This will show you where its located and later down in the thread I give out the p/n.
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=153644

92GTA

iTrader: (11)

Awesome, thanks!

85SportCoupeto89RS

No problem,

92GTA

iTrader: (11)

The relay wasn't the problem

I replaced the relay and it still didn't solve the problem. Now what? I assume it's something phyiscal in the motor it's self...

biff85ta

are your hatch struts good if not the hatch will not lift up and when the motor start to move the latch up it will relock the hatch and run itself back down I had the same problem with my 86 ta and it was because of the hatch struts

Scania

I had some problems with mine too but a little oil lsolved allthe problems. I dont know if thats your problem but it worked for me.

HamSpiced

the struts arent necessarily the problem when the hatch will relatch itself it sthe actual position of the motor. i argued this with someone for like 3 days, they also argued that the two connectors to the left of the hatch is what initiated the relay to the hatch pull down motor... if the actual motor isnt engaugeing ant pushign the hactch up it may be the momentary switch near the relase mechanizm. if the hatch is litterally not letting go when you press the button there may be a problem in the cable running to the hatch release. if you can explain the problem in mroe detail ill try to help you as much as i can.

92GTA

iTrader: (11)

First of all, my hatch struts are good, my hatch is perfectly aligned, my motor does go up and down, I know my button is good, and my in dash relay is brand new.

Now, when I use the key, you can hear the loud pop of the hatch being let go and as soon as that happens the motor lifts the hatch up, no problem there.

When I push the botton, I can hear the button and the relay go click, but no pop from the rear and the motor will lift up the hatch al the way, will not let go of it, and immediatly proceed back down again.

Now what? I've removed the plastic from around the motor and everything appears to be fine. Nothing broken or cracked, It's nice and quiet and looks like it's been lubed a couple times...

HamSpiced

ok it sounds like there is a fault from the switch to the hatch release (obviously) id have to go look at mine to be absolutly sure but its way too damn cold. check the relay near the back of the car near the hach motor.

92GTA

iTrader: (11)

There's a relay there too

Where exactly is it? What color is it?

Damn it's like 70 degrees and sunny where I am

MdFormula350

i think its a solenoid near the hatch motor, its black i believe.

92GTA

iTrader: (11)

Alright, found it. GM P/N 12065118

GMPartsDirect.com doesn't even list it and being Sunday the dealerships parts counters are closed. I'll swing by tomorrow and grab one and hope that works.

Thanks!

MdFormula350

it might not be bad, did you try testing the one you have?

92GTA

iTrader: (11)

I don't have a multitester Anyway I figure if it's 11 years old, it should be replaced anyway

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

I realize I'm getting into this late, but there is much mis-information that needs to be clarified.

92GTA: The hatch pull-down unit you have was used from 1991 (2nd design) through 1992. This unit has a molded plastic frame and a stamped sheet-metal hatch hook. Rather than the metal frame and round hatch hook that was used on the earlier design. Now that the unit has been physcally described, lets get on to diagnosing and repairing the unit.

This new-style motorized unit is designed to have the hatch ride-up with the unit. The unit releases the hatch hook ONLY when it is near the top of the stroke. This is dfferent than the older-style units. With those, if you have good strong after-market hatch struts, (the only ones I recommend) the hatch will rise up fully right away when the solenoid release is tripped.

I'll admit that I am no expert on diagnosing or repairing these 2nd design units. The two styles of motoized hatch units operate completely differently. Now, that being said, everyone that has diagnosed and repaired these 1991-92 units, please enter and help him out.

If I were to put forward a guess as to the solution, I would say the problem is with the release that is suppsed to trip to let go of the hatch hook at the top of the cycle. Diagnose it with a piece of metal that simulates the hatch hook. Watch the unit cycle down, then have someone pop the solenoid release (or use the key) and watch the unit cycle up and see if it retracts the piece that holds the hatch hook. If it doesn't release it may just need to have the unit removed from the car and soaked well with WD40 to clean out any gunk and dirt. If you find the is release functioning properly, but the hatch still fails to lift off the unit, then I would try replacing your hatch struts with the after-market ones that have a lifetime warranty. Do not use GM struts.

Good luck,

Lon Salgren
Top-Down Solutions

92GTA

iTrader: (11)

Thank you very much for all the info! I'll check it out further tomorrow.

BTW, why not the GM struts? I just bought new ones, I only use GM parts...

What aftermarket brand do you recommend?

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

GM units don't have a high of a gas charge and fail after roughly 2-years. I've used the ones sold by Pep Boys. They have recently changed brands. They previously sold Pro-Lift brand. They now sell SACHS brand. This sholdn't matter since both brands have a lifetime warranty. Most auto parts chains also sell ones with a lifetime warranty. GM units cost more, fail sooner and have no warranty.

Try the other things I recommended first before worrying about replacing the struts again.

Lon

HamSpiced

i used a regular pencil to simulate the hatch cycle....

joshp14

i have almost the exact problem. I will pop the hatch and the motor will release the hatch and will raise up, but if i dont run back there really quick and pull the hatch up, then the motor just pulls the hatch back down. I put brand new struts on it a few months ago...so i know its not those. So its something inside the motor that needs to be adjusted or replaced/fixed?

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

Josph14: You have a different problem than GT92. If you have someone at the hatch and gently lift it slightly, will the hach rise fully? If not, you STILL have weak hatch struts. Firebids are more probematic than Camaro's because of the HEAVY rear spoiler on the hatch. If you junk that thing for the lightweight fibergass version I guarantee your problem will be solved. Otherwise, get new aftermarket struts and specify that they are going on a Firebird with the heavy spoiler. Sell your old ones to a Camaro owner.

Before making any investment, pull out the hatch pull-down unit. Scribe a mark around it with an awl or mark it's location to the body with a permanent marker (makes re-installing and aligning it easier). Then flush out the unit, specifically the latch and the lever that the solenoid release pulls (inside the square window you'll see when you remove the 10mm bolt holding on the solenoid release). Actuate this by hand to make sure it is free. I've seen several that stick from old lube and dirt. Blow it off with high pressure air, then lube it with white lithium grease.

You may want to follow the instructions in the tech article I wrote covering your unit.

tech article:

Lon

bnoon

Good luck 92GTA, I just did this weekend what lonsal described to Josph14 for my '86. Not knowing that your '92 would be different, I came here this morning ready to write up my "how to" for you, LOL!

Something else I had to do though, was adjust the rubber stoppers near the outer edges of the hatch as well as adjust the weather stripping and untuck it from the plastic (work of a previous curious mind no doubt) before everything worked properly. Seems to work fine now though. No more pop the trunk and race to the back, only to be disappointed and have to pop it again...

Question though for lonsal... My hatch struts are aftermarket ones and once lifted about a foot by hand, the hatch goes up by itself to full extended position. Are they supposed to be more powerfull than that? To me, this is the easiest opening hatch I've ever owned, but if it's supposed to be even easier, then so be it!

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

I installed the Pro-Lift brand struts formerly sold by Pep Boys on my 88 IROC over 2 years ago. This is my test car. It just sits in my back yard and is used to test the re-built and remanufactured pull-down units I sell. The struts don't have many cycles on them. They still rise off the pull-down unit when I pop the key or solenoid. How far it rises sometimes depends on the temperature. It rises slower and not as far when it is colder. I just took the battery off the hatch that holds it down to test it (I don't keep a hatch pull-down unit in the car and use the weight of the test-battery to hold it closed). When I took the battery off just now it rose just a couple of inches (currently 48 degrees this morning). Wherever you get the struts, always ask for the ones with a lifetime warranty and save the receipt.

On a related note I can give you an example of GM struts vs. aftermarket ones. I bought new GM hood struts when my original ones died after 2 years. The new ones lasted another 2 years before they too needed to be replaced. I bought Pro-Lift hood struts for $22.99 each back in March of 1994. They are still holding up the hood, admittedly only marginally now. Nine years vs. two years. Is a big difference.

Lon

HamSpiced

like stated in the earlier posts there were two different types of hatch motors. mine for instanc ei know even if i do buy new struts the incline of the hatch will in no way be pushed all the way up.

joshp14

I do have the heavy spoiler. I actually bought the wrong ones to begin with. So i returned them in exchange for the ones that are suppose to lift it with the wiper/heavy spolier...but no go. And yes, if someone is back there after i pop it and they lift up on it, then it will go up. I really dont want to spend $500 on a new spolier and paint just cuz the hatch doesnt lift up...but i may end up doing that in the long run. i don't know what to do cuz the struts are brand new after market ones.

bnoon

Thanks for the information Lon. Great stuff! I may have questioned the hatch struts, but I KNOW I have good hood struts. When I went to look at the car a few weeks ago before I purchased it, I popped the hood to take a look at the general condition of the engine bay. The hood nearly jacked me in the jaw when I started lifting it up! LOL!