Multimeter Help
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,183
Likes: 5
Multimeter Help
The vert latch on my 98 isn't working... when I hit the vert latch button, it rolls down the windows but it does not pop the hatch.
So I bought a multimeter to see if I can find out if it's an electrical problem at the hatch latch connections.. but I have no idea how to use it. Any tips?
Anyonw know if there is a specific fuse that the hatch latch relies on?
So I bought a multimeter to see if I can find out if it's an electrical problem at the hatch latch connections.. but I have no idea how to use it. Any tips?
Anyonw know if there is a specific fuse that the hatch latch relies on?
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
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Get with Bill Curlee ....he can probably tell you more about the electrical stuff than anyone....he is usually around here
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,974
Likes: 0
From: Morton Illinois
Your going to need to findout which wires are ground and hot. Voltages are either +12v or +5 I think. When you hit the latch button there should be a voltage reading of either going to the latch motor to unlatch the hatch. You put one wire from the voltmeter with the "+" sign on the hot wire and the other wire from the voltmeter "ground" goes to the grond wire. You shouldn't get a volatge reading until you hit the latch switch which will allow current to go through the motor and the voltmeter and the voltmeter should be reading a voltage at this time. If not check your cluster of fuses and one should be marked for the hatch(I am assuming). Check for continuity with your mulimeter on the fuse. This is kinda easy, but if you have not done it then it can be confusing. 
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,974
Likes: 0
From: Morton Illinois
Originally Posted by vectorz
The vert latch on my 98 isn't working... when I hit the vert latch button, it rolls down the windows but it does not pop the hatch.
So I bought a multimeter to see if I can find out if it's an electrical problem at the hatch latch connections.. but I have no idea how to use it. Any tips?
Anyonw know if there is a specific fuse that the hatch latch relies on?
So I bought a multimeter to see if I can find out if it's an electrical problem at the hatch latch connections.. but I have no idea how to use it. Any tips?
Anyonw know if there is a specific fuse that the hatch latch relies on?
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,571
Likes: 1
From: Hollywood Md
Originally Posted by QuicksilverBrian
Are your windows supposed to go down when hitting the hatch button? If not then you have a conection hooked up backwards somewhere.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,266
Likes: 156
From: Galloway Twp. NJ
Cruise-In VII Veteran
if the windows go down it sounds like the latch solenoid is not working.
I would start there, if you can get to the latch solenoid without removing the latch then unplug it from the solenoid, set the voltmeter to the 20V DC scale (if it has an "autorange" feature then use that) plug the voltmeter leads into the harness plug, if you have a digital voltmeter then polarity doesn't matter, the voltmeter will read in negative numbers, with the voltmeter leads pluged into the harness hit the latch button, you should see a voltage spike everytime you hit the button. if you see the "spike" then the latch solenoid is the problem, if not, your problem is before the button, or possibly a bad button.
I would start there, if you can get to the latch solenoid without removing the latch then unplug it from the solenoid, set the voltmeter to the 20V DC scale (if it has an "autorange" feature then use that) plug the voltmeter leads into the harness plug, if you have a digital voltmeter then polarity doesn't matter, the voltmeter will read in negative numbers, with the voltmeter leads pluged into the harness hit the latch button, you should see a voltage spike everytime you hit the button. if you see the "spike" then the latch solenoid is the problem, if not, your problem is before the button, or possibly a bad button.
Last edited by RPOZ4Z; Jun 7, 2005 at 08:06 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 807
Likes: 21
From: Los Altos CA
The button connects to the Body Control Module which in turn unlocks the lid. The hatch circuit has a fuse, #17, in the fuse panel under the passenger seat. You should check that first. There is also a relay that operates the lid solenoid. It is #41, also under the passenger floor. If the windows go down, then the button circuit is ok.
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