jdhh74

iTrader: (2)

Hi all,

I have a strange issue I've been trying to figure out and I can't make heads or tails of why this is happening.

I have an '84 manual Trans Am with the remote hatch release.

The hatch should release when the parking brake is applied - but it doesn't.

The hatch *will* release if I engage the clutch. This will happen if the parking brake is on or off.

As far as I know no wiring work was done to the car and the wires under the dash and in the console all appear to be hooked up properly as far as I can tell.

Does anyone have any ideas what would be causing this? It's not the worst issue to have but I'd like to get it working normally.

Thanks!

John

JA411

Does the engine start without pushing in the clutch? If so check clutch switch wiring connector for being reversed.
Joe

jdhh74

iTrader: (2)

The wiring to the clutch switch is correct and the car will not start if the clutch isn't engaged.

That's what's so strange about this - besides this issue everything else seems to be working perfectly normally.

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

There is a black wire that is allowed to ground out when the parking brake lever is pulled up. Pull the parking brake lever up. Remove the hatch release switch and verify that there is 12V (-) at one of the wires. If there is no ground signal then you can try simply cleaning the contact on the parking brake lever and delicately bending the metal tab back down since over time they can relax like a spring. If the wire has a negative signal then try to just jumper the wires together to see if the hatch opens. If it opens the problem is the switch. If it still does not open and it really only opens with the clutch pedal pressed my guess is that somewhere along the line it was rewired. Maybe it was an automatic first or the electronic hatch release was added. At any route if it only opens with the clutch pedal pressed it must be because the hatch relay is powered by the purple wire of the clutch switch. I wouldn't think green because the green is the input wire and sees a constant 12V.

Has the hatch release ever worked correctly?

jdhh74

iTrader: (2)

Tibo - thank you for that info. I haven't been able to check yet as the car is in storage for the winter.

The car has definitely always been a manual - it's numbers matching and aligns with the RPO codes.

*BUT* it doesn't have the 'A90' RPO code, so the hatch release may have been added. There are some discrepancies between the RPOs listed on the SPID label, on the build sheet and the list of priced options from the dealer, so it may just be an oversight. I have all the receipts from the original owner, so I'll have to look through those too.

-John

jdhh74

iTrader: (2)

SUCCESS!

OK, so I was able to get the car out for a bit to work on this. Tibo, you were on to something.

The hatch release harness was wired improperly. As the hatch release isn't original to my car's options and was added it may have been taken from or wired to match an automatic instead of a manual.

It took a fair amount of digging - but the tan wire that connects at two-cavity connector C241 was wired so it was connecting to the yellow wire on the main harness - and thus connecting to the clutch instead of the parking brake (see image).

I just switched it from one cavity to the other so it mated to the matching tan e-brake wire and the hatch release is working perfectly now!

My cruise control isn't working either - so I'm hoping they may have been connected and having the relay connect to the clutch was screwing something up. I'll be able to check that when I get it back on the road once all the snow and salt is gone.