One of our local members is locked out of his Fiero's trunk. I'm uploading the pictures and instructions here for all to benefit from. I know it has been covered before, but this time we'll have pictures and real specific instructions for those like myself that need to have things explained really "simple" like...

BTW - I DID just try this and it did work. It took about 5 minutes (A lot less time than it took to take pictures and create this post).

Tools Used:
Torx bit screwdriver (I had a T10 but it was a little loose. If your screws are really tight you might need a T15)
Small flat blade screwdriver
Wire snips
Needle nose pliers

Supplies:
12 volt battery (I used an old boat battery that only had 11V in it)
***If you don't have a spare, use another car with jumper cables or just hold the wire right to the battery posts after you get everything else setup.
Wire - I used about 20 feet of 14 AWG solid core wire. Bigger or smaller would have worked too.

My test subject was my wife's 88 GT. Please don't tell her.

Background and theory:
There is a single circuit that runs from the trunk release button to the hatch release solenoid. ****EDIT****Within this circuit there is a relay that disables the circuit if the car is running. In order for the circuit to work in a running car the trans has to be in "Park" or the handbrake has to be pulled on a manual transmisioned car. This relay could also be a point of failure. If anyone knows the exact location of this relay or has any more information about it, let us all know. ****/EDIT**** The solenoid on the trunk is grounded to the car's chassis. When the trunk release button is pushed, it sends 12V+ through the previously described circuit and into the solenoid, opening the lock. In some cases where the key is lost or the key cylinder is damaged this button becomes the only method of accessing the trunk. When a battery dies, wires short out, release button fails or any number of other scenarios play out, there is suddenly no obvious way to open the trunk. Don't get too upset though, this is really easy. By supplying a secondary electrical source to the solenoid it will open right up... unless your solenoid goes bad. In which case none of this is going to help you. We'll supply ground to the solenoid through the lock itself and we'll sent 12V+ through the wire (bypassing the release button). By doing it this way, the solenoid is not connected to the rest of the car's wiring. So no matter what else is wrong it won't affect our efforts here, except a bad solenoid, relay or solenoid-to-release-button wire/connector.


Process:
1 - Remove the dash plate that holds the trunk release button. It is held in place by 4 torx screws.



2 - Use the flat blade screw driver to remove the connector from the back of panel. Be careful not to break off the clips. Be patient and take your time. These types of connectors like to shed their retaining clips. You don't need to do this. The metal terminals are exposed on the backside.


3 - The orange wire is the 12V+ source and is hot even with the ignition key in the off position. The one below it in this next picture is the one you're after. The other two are probably just for the light bulb inside the switch. They don't matter right now anyway.


4 - Cut two lengths of wire. Mine were about 3 feet for the one going to the key hole and about 15 feet for the one going to the release button inside the car. I would connect the ground wire between the external 12V source and the key lock first. I just pushed it in (where the key would normally go) and left there. I connected the longer wire to my battery and tightened it down so that it would stay.

Then when I tapped the terminal of the wire I showed you a few pictures ago (Step # 3)...(labeled "12V+ to hatch release")...

CLICK.


If you don't have an easy way to secure the wires on your external power source, just push the end of the longer wire into the release button's connector plug and leave the wire there. Then when you tap the wires onto the battery posts of your external power source you should also here that friendly CLICK too. If you don't, wiggle the wires a little in the lock cylinder and the connector and try again. DON'T LEAVE THE BATTERY HOOKED UP TO THE SOLENOID AND WIRING FOR VERY LONG!!! It will only take an instant if you have everything connected correctly. Leaving it connected will increase the possibility of overheating your wires and causing a fire.

Please note - you are not supposed to connect the external power source to the orange wire in the connector. Use the one below it.

If we can find out where the relay is located, it may make more sense to use that instead of the releas button on the dash.

[This message has been edited by 2002z28ssconv (edited 08-26-2007).]

Nice writeup

I'm sure someone will find it very helpful.

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2002z28ssconv, you have a PM

Wow, way cool! Where did you get the wood grain finish on your dash panels?

[This message has been edited by ly41181 (edited 08-26-2007).]

They came with the car...

I have to do this this week actually, just got a new fiero in the shop!

i was going to clamp a battery charger to the starter, and ground it on the body, but this sounds somewhat easier.

...if you have one of those cigarette lighter power plugs, you can just connect that up to the battery and plug it in and push the trunk release...same result, but without having to remove any screws...

[This message has been edited by Mickey_Moose (edited 08-27-2007).]

Thanks for the tip.

Cool +4U

my lock is broke, so I just took it out, and a flathead screw driver works great. My dad got stranded once when he owned the car, and he stuck wire through the vent to give it enough juice for the release to work (kinda tough to get enough current though with a small wire)

EDIT: great write up though...plus for you.

[This message has been edited by 85fiero_fanat (edited 04-15-2008).]

hmm... ive jumped the fuse everytime i did it.. probably not the safest.. but works

Someone busted the lock out of my trunk lid looking for something to steal. We've though about bodying over it but I'm just to worried about needing to get in the engine bay in a hurry like in the case of a fire. All of the engine bay fires I've been through were wiring related and I don't think I can rely on the electrical system to get it open.

Removing the switch plate is one way fo doing this. Generally I just hook the jumper battery or charger to the power port in the center armrest. All you need to do is put in a power plug and push the button. No tools required.

quote Originally posted by Hank is Here: Removing the switch plate is one way fo doing this. Generally I just hook the jumper battery or charger to the power port in the center armrest. All you need to do is put in a power plug and push the button. No tools required.

This is true. But I think the point he was making is that if the Fiero has more issues then just a dead battery then this is a way of getting into the engine bay. I had a Fiero with no key and no motor under the hood. I would have been afraid to hook up a battery to the power port because I didnt know what the wiring was like under the hood without the motor being there. I would not have wanted a live wire to arc on something and cause a fire or damage. The way he did this isolates the trunk solenoid only, and does not send power to the rest of the car.

But you are right, your way is faster and simpler on a complete car.

[This message has been edited by DeLorean00 (edited 04-15-2008).]

Instead of pullin the switch out I just pull the trunk relay down and jump directly to the wire to the popper.
Takes about 10 sec. to get the relay out since it is held by a spring clip.

But where is the relay?

It is directly below the popper switch under the dash. Just look up next to the radio and it sets right there. Below the dash dimmer transistor.

OK I've done the steps above and hear the trunk release "click" but when I try to raise the trunk its still locked. I've tried it with parking brake on and off and the car in neutral. The trunk popper has always worked fine. I tried using a 9 volt battery first and that didn't do anything. Now I'm using a 12 volt lawn mower battery (thats kind of old).

Any ideas? Not enough juice?

Did you have someone lift on the lid with you did it? Wonder if the linkage from the solenoid came loose.

Nobody to help me. It makes kind of a double click but no pop. I have the battery on a charger to see if its a lack of voltage.

edit. I think its a lack of voltage. When I power it its clicking but when I actually press the release button the dash lights dim and it doesn't pop. If I use the red wire instead of the bottom one I can see the voltage drop on the meter.

Anybody know for sure how many volts it takes? I first tried a good 9 volt battery and it did nothing.

[This message has been edited by sostock (edited 11-08-2008).]

sweet, now i can get into junkyard fieros. no more obliterating the lock and surrounding area

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First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987

If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem

Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones

Ok it was a lack of voltage. Let a 12 volt mower battery sit on the charger for about 2 hours and it popped right away.

Bad news: the keys aren't in the trunk! Man getting old sucks.

sometime if I get a hood or decklid that wont open by activating the lock (because its stiff, out of line or rubbing) I just put a flat prybar under the edge and lay a sandbag or some steel weights on a wire over the free end and activate the lock again. You learn to improvise when you work a one man shop.

Sometimes I have to have my wife lift up on the trunk just a tad to get mine to pop loose, and just not go click. I need to lower the catch a bit I think. Or maybe raise the trunk stops up a half a turn.

bump

quote Originally posted by Mickey_Moose: ...if you have one of those cigarette lighter power plugs, you can just connect that up to the battery and plug it in and push the trunk release...same result, but without having to remove any screws...

Thats the same method here. We use a battery powerpack and plug it into the cigarette lighter socket, turn it on, press trunk release- done.

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Nice work.....

If switch is bad... (Either switch. Manual, E-brake switch. Auto, Neutral Safety Switch.) Pull relay under dash and bypass the system. See cave, trunk release.

dead battery has several option... And again, good write-up. (Keep writing.) Switch is not one most people will go for.

Note: This method can be a option if solenoid is not grounded... Strap, Plastic bag, etc, gets between latch and loop. Pull the relay or switch and touch the trunk lock is the only way to ground.

quote Originally posted by 2002z28ssconv: If we can find out where the relay is located, it may make more sense to use that instead of the releas button on the dash.

Under dash. Right side of steering column mount.

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[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 01-08-2010).]