Can't pop the rear hatch

[dmd]

The rear hatch/tonneau cover on my '96 convertible has stopped popping. I'm able to release it with the manual levers for now, but it's more of a pain than you'd think. It won't fire with either of the switches or the remote. I checked the fuse and it was good. I also replaced the relay behind the passenger seat and it still wouldn't fire. Where to look next? Where is the actual solenoid that fires the latch? Is there one or two?

 

[Rabbit]

The FSM for 95 shows 2 solenoids for your top. I know nothing about convertibles, but I can scan the location info from the 95 FSM if you like. My e-mail is lsylvestri@sbcglobal.net:confused

 

[dmd]

Okay, so if there's two and neither one works then I've got a problem somewhere else. What else could it be?

 

[Nick90vetteguy]

Have you tried pushing the button?

 

[boomdriver]

Have you tried pushing the button?

fuse?

 

[dmd]

Have you tried pushing the button?

Nick,

I have a problem I'm trying to solve and I don't appreciate your sarcasm.

 

[Rabbit]

Okay, so if there's two and neither one works then I've got a problem somewhere else. What else could it be?

I can cut you a trouble shooting scan from the 95 FSM. My e-mail is above..advise.

 

[dmd]

Solved it...

Found there are actually two relays on convertibles to fire the pair of hatch release solenoids. And apparently if one relay fails neither works.

Here's the culprit. It was buried deep in the back well behind the passenger seat. Had to yank out all the wiring and the radio receiver box to get at it. I had a bunch of junkyard spares and luckily had one that was a perfect match.



Special thanks to Rabbit for the FSM scans!

 

[dmd]

Post mortem

And if you thought the outside looked bad, wait until you see the guts on the inside...



This is the joy of convertibles and leaky seals... It's a damn good thing these cars use so many composite materials. I replaced the bow seal in '05 and the entire soft top in '08, but the damage had already been done. Honestly I don't know why it still worked at all up until a few months ago.

 

[So Bay Vetter]

I found it's common for that passenger well to fill with water, even on a coupe. It comes in around the rear seal and runs down behind the carpet into the well. When my radio reciever went bad, I took over a quart of water out of the well! I looks like your solenoids were submerged.

 

[dmd]

After the Seattle rainy-season of '06 I discovered about that much water in the well too, and it was clear something had to be done about it. I tried silicone in various places but nothing seemed to stop it. It wasn't until I got the hardtop in '07 that my water problems were solved with this car. The receiver box survived (barely), but it killed the first relay. I didn't even know about that second one until yesterday.