My 2003 ZO6 trunk won't open. I can hear the key fob and dash button click but the door remains solidly shut. (1) What is the step-by-step to manually open (2) What part is likely broken/not working?

 

Have someone press the dash button while you try to lift up or press down on the trunk lid, just a thought.

 

Thanks for the suggestion but I have already tried those things with both the key fob and the dash button. Also, I have tried to open the door and closed it forcefully which always works to get the trunk lid to raise enough to get a grip. I have a feeling that a sping or whatever levers the lid catch to release is stuck or broken.

 

I forget, is there one of those pull handle dealies back there too to try?

 

On the convertibles with a trunk this works. Perhaps you can try it on your Z06.

That you can put your key in the driver's door and turn it twice towards the front to unlock the passenger door and a third time to pop the trunk.

That you can pop the trunk and also pop the gas cap cover by pulling on metal lines hidden in the back.

 

Check fuses.

Check switch. Can jump the wires if they can be easily identified.

Crawl back there with a flashlight and remove the thin fabric cover on the rear of the trunk and gain access to the mechanism itself.

Emergency escape cable is back there somewhere too I believe which should release the lid.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. I found the single manual trunk release wire below the single latch located in the exact middle of the car. I gave it a tug and the trunk lid popped right up.

The latch spring is ok and the latch easily opens and closes using the manual wire.



Using either the key fob or the dash button I can hear the electrical clicking sound but the latch doesn’t open. The electrical wire to the latch also operates the interior trunk light which was on. I disconnect the wire clip and the light went off so I know there was voltage to the latch assembly and from the electrical clicking sound I conclude that there is not an open circuit but rather a bad solenoid that can’t deliver enough additional amperage to release the latch lever.



I had hoped that I could get to the solenoid and perhaps replace it for about $2, but the latch assembly seems to be totally enclosed so I am afraid I will need to remove and replace the whole assembly for probably $50-$100. This is where I had to quit the project with the trunk open and the trunk light off.



I am hoping someone might be able to confirm my theory about a bad solenoid being the problem and whether or not I will have to find and replace the whole assembly. It looks like two bolts hold the assembly in place so removing it should not be difficult.



Then there is finding the exact correct trunk latch assembly for a C5 2003 Z06 that lines up with the mounting holes, looks exactly the same, the 2 wire clips both connect properly and the assembly works exactly the way the existing one did.

 

Test and see if you have 12v at the connector.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. In summary:

After quite a bit of blind searching I found the single manual trunk release wire below the single latch located in the exact middle of the car. I gave it a tug and the trunk lid popped right up. The latch spring was ok and the latch easily opened and closed using the manual wire.

Using either the key fob or the dash button, I could hear the electrical clicking sound but the latch wouldn’t open. The electrical wire to the latch also operated the interior trunk light which was on. I disconnect the wire clip and the light went off so I was pretty sure there was voltage to the latch assembly that could not be taken apart. From the electrical clicking sound I conclude that there was not an open circuit outside the latch assembly but rather a bad solenoid, switch or broken part inside the latch assembly.

This is where I had to quit the project with the trunk open and the trunk light off.

When resuming the project, I checked the designated fuse/breaker and they seemed OK. So after confirming voltage was going into the latch assembly, I ordered and installed a Rear Hatch/Trunk Lid Lock Actuator (item # I-2697) par, which turned out to be an exact duplicate of the original, from Zip Products. It was an easy install with two anchor bolts and blue clips that matched and fit into the existing blue clips without any modifications for $70 plus handling/shipping. It solved the problem instantly and has worked great since replacement.

To make the manual activator wire easy to use in the future, I cut a very small hole in the carpet covering the inside back panel and threaded just enough of the latch wire through the hole so I can just grab the end of the wire and pull on it to open the trunk to avoid having to pull the carpeting loose again searching for the wire.

 

hi there,
I am experiencing the exact same problem but in Europe it’s hard to find the spare part. Could you please send me a link of the part from a site which also ships to Germany?

highly appreciated 😁

 

Sorry, but I don't know who might carry the "97-04 Rear Hatch/Trunk Lid Lock" that I obtained from Zip Products located at 8067 Fast Ln.,Mcchanicsville, VA 23111-1189 Phone: 800.962.9632 URL: www.zip-corvette.com. I don't know whether Zip Products ships to Germany. Although it has been three years since I purchased the part from Zip Products it is possible they don't stock the part. I suggest you access their web site, see if they have the part in stock and find out if they will ship it to you in Germany. If not ask them if they can suggest some other company that might ship the same part to Germany. Good Luck

PS: I am pleased with the part which has never given me any trouble in the three years I have been using it.
Old Shep

 

First of all thank you very much for the reply.
I can’t find the part you mention at zip parts even when I put in the exact same words…

what I also don’t get is that I find a lot of these parts at eBay but they always refer to left hand or right hand but on my Z06 this is really centered and only one installed. For example this link:

https://ebay.us/m/koRdpU

is it the correct part?
if not, could you please send me a link and I will take care of the discussion about it being sent to Germany

thank you and a
safe drive!

 

First of all thank you very much for the reply.
I can’t find the part you mention at zip parts even when I put in the exact same words…

what I also don’t get is that I find a lot of these parts at eBay but they always refer to left hand or right hand but on my Z06 this is really centered and only one installed. For example this link:

https://ebay.us/m/koRdpU

is it the correct part?
if not, could you please send me a link and I will take care of the discussion about it being sent to Germany

thank you and a
safe drive!

 

The part description I gave you came off the shipping order and is correct.

I tried to access the part on Zip via their “search” and came up with nothing. I also tried the “item # I2697” and the “bin #D03-05B” to no avail.

I ran into the left and right stuff and some other dissimilarities from other posts and chalked them off to models that differed from my 2003 ZO6 2 door coupe. C-5 years range from 1997-2004 and it makes sense to me that every single part for each model year would not necessarily be exactly the same. My single latch and activator is located at the top edge inside the exact middle of the rear panel.

Maybe you can somehow get help or advice from some US Chevrolet new car dealership parts department or possibly even the factory in Bowling Green, KY.

I am 90 with AMD and other physical impairments that prohibit me from helping you any further. Sorry and God Bless.

Old Shep

 

JazuzziJoe try sending an email to Zip Corvette and asking them about it- https://www.zip-corvette.com/contact-us
Vettenuts appears to have one- https://vettenuts.net/1997-2004-trun...06-convertible

 

Thank you old shep and all
I have ordered the part.

safe drive!