Power/Electric Trunk Release, Information and Installation.

[Crazy K]

Description:

The Power (or Electric) trunk release is a simple 12 volt selonoid attached to the trunk lid latch. When electrified, a lever protruding from the selonoid acts upon the trunk latch to release it. The selonoid is permanently grounded at the latch and recieved a +12v signal to activate. The switch is permantly affixed within the car, the location of which varies vehicle to vehicle. The power wire to the switch also has a shift interlock created at the Neutral Safty Switch, which allows the Power Release to be utilized only while the car is in park. (I have no info on MTX cars, PMs welcome!) In addition, models equipped with Remote Keyless Entry are able to remotely activate the selonoid, as the activation wire from the switch to the selenoid is routed through/spliced into the RKE module.

 

Wiring Info:

The selonoid is served by one single larger guage wire, usually black in color. it has a one pin female connector.

 

pre-wire check: open the trunk and find where the wires go into the trunk lid on the right hand side near the lid. a pre-wired car (excludes models with a 3rd brakelight on the lid) will have three wires, two black and one orange. look through the access holes in the vicinity of the trunk latch and you should find the wire tucked away.

 

The switch (all variants) have a two pin female connector, one wire is black, the other Green with a black stripe.

The connector is located near the position of the switch. You may have to remove a few dash components to locate the wire.

 

Cars which have the switch panel mounted will have a premarked indentaion visible on the the reverse of a panel which has not had a switch mounted. You can utilize the indentation and careful work with a sharpo knife to cut a hole for your switch.

 

unequipped vehicles: you're gonna hafta run a wire. good luck! run it to the fuse box and make sure you add an inline fuse, or attach it to a proper fused circuit. (may I recommend the radio circuit?)

 

 

 

Equipped info: (sorry, I do not have the gen 2 info, PMs with info welcome)

 

1988-1994 CS use a square yellow button located on the dashpad below the steering column.

1995-1997 CS use a round yellow button located at the top of the insert inside the glovecompartment

1990-1995 CS convertibles only! same as above, except they use an inline disable/enable toggle switch mounted to the selenoid to limit remote release functions.

 

1988-1994 REGAL use a square yellow button located ?in the glove compartment?

1995-1996 REGAL use a round yellow button located at the top of the insert inside the glovecompartment

 

1988-1993 GP These use a square button located in the glove compartment when equipped. Many of the GPs models seem to lack the wiring provisions... more than any other W model.

1994-1996 GP use a round yellow button located at the lower left of the insert inside the glove compartment

 

1990-1994 Lumina use a square yellow button located on the dashpad below the steering column.

1995-2001 Lumina and 1995-1999 Monte Carlo use a round yellow button located on the dashpad below the steering column.

 

Further info pending!

[ManicMechanic]

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[Addicted To Boost]

 

1988-1993 GP never equipped and only ones normally lacking provisions (to my knowledge)

 

Not true, both my 90 GP SE and my 90 TGP have the yellow square button in the glovebox for the trunk popper. Also, both cars have a trunk popper on the RKE's.

[jeremy]

 

1988-1993 GP never equipped and only ones normally lacking provisions (to my knowledge)

 

Not true, both my 90 GP SE and my 90 TGP have the yellow square button in the glovebox for the trunk popper. Also, both cars have a trunk popper on the RKE's.

 

yep....even my '89 LE had the popper in the glovebox and on the RKE

[mfewtrail]

Just about every GP I've seen has the powered trunk release. My TGP and 93 SE have it...

[GP1138]

 

1988-1993 GP never equipped and only ones normally lacking provisions (to my knowledge)

 

Not true, both my 90 GP SE and my 90 TGP have the yellow square button in the glovebox for the trunk popper. Also, both cars have a trunk popper on the RKE's.

 

yep....even my '89 LE had the popper in the glovebox and on the RKE

 

Add me to the list of '89 owners with a trunk popper.

[Psych0matt]

oh no, Ken is wrong! My whole perception of reality is skewed so far...

[GP1138]

oh no, Ken is wrong! My whole perception of reality is skewed so far...

 

I know, I had mad deja vu.

[rockfangd]

on my 94 cutty there wasnt one. so i put one in and installed the button in the glove compartment near the light, i will post pics asap as it does look factory. Great idea My 92 gp gave me the idea for the glove compartment