88 convertible - console and door switches release the lid but it does not POP open. I need to push it up. It is happening on the drivers side only

Thanks for any suggestions

 

my '88 had the same issue. i could not find the cause. i lived with it because on a 20+ y/o car, that is a very small issue

 

That is the solenoid that is not working. There are 2 of them a left one and a right one. Someone awhile ago wrote an article on how to repair this as over time they get gummed up. It has to be taken apart real careful because you could loose a spring as its under tension. You then have to re lubricate it and assemble again. New ones are hard to find. You can try some used parts offered by some corvette stores on line such as corvettepartsworldwide.com 1-888-817-1444. It's called deck lid release actuator with cable

 

Thanks for the input. I probablly gummed it up more by spraying white lube on the latch assembly

 

The actuators are located in the back cargo area. The cables go from the actuator to the latching mechanism so lubricating the latch will not have too much effect. If I remember they may be covered with the rear carpet but not sure as I did replace at about 3 years ago. If you follow the cables from the latch ,that will lead you to the actuator. The parts place I gave you has them.

 

this is the article about the repair by a forum member

I'm happy to share the solution! Just a lot of writing! Most solenoid actuators simply seize because they aren't used often enough. On the decklid unit I fixed, I found it easy to work on since it was out of the car, but I guess you might try to fix one without removing it.
Looking at the unit where the cable enters the body there is a black plastic double eared clamp that locks into slots in the metal body. These 2 clamps must be gently pried out of the slots, both at the same time, and the assembly will practically fly apart in your hands. Don't break these plastic parts, I don't know where you can replace these things if you do. (This is one of the reasons it is easier to do this with the actuator removed from the car.) You will likely find that the internal sliding part of the unit is seized in the cylinder. You will need to loosen it with whatever means you can find, penetrating oil, WD-40, gentle pressure, etc. Use some care in loosening the slide. If you remove it and aren't too careful, there is a small spring on the other end that will want to hide itself somewhere on your garage floor. Once you have the unit freed up, simply clean up the pieces, apply some light lube, and reassemble everything. Now you should have a perfectly working actuator once more! Contact me if you need further assistance.
Last edited by cottagstan; 04-20-2013 at 08:21 PM.