When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
The button that opens the hatch, right above the rear license plate has never worked on my car. I understand that as long as the key is near that button, pressing on it will pop the hatch open. I took all the carpeting from inside the trunk area and noticed a small sensor-like thing right below the hatch lock assembly (back wall.) It was labeled "EZ Key."
So, could that be it or could it be something else?
The hatch button gets some serious dirt under the rubber. You can take it out easily and clean it and you'll be back in business. The button assembly is about ~$30 to replace anew.
You remove the inside center passenger tail light lens, disconnect the electrical connector off the top of the button, and then squeeze the "lip" "catches" that are holding the switch in place and the whole assembly will push through toward the license plate. Take off the rubber cap and clean you way in to the core of the switch. Reassemble in reverse order and push it back into the hole so the lip catches snap in place, hook the wire up and put the tail light back in place.
Elmer
Last edited by eboggs_jkvl; Mar 5, 2012 at 11:15 AM.
It's a fairly common occurrence, the switch gets corroded. You can try and clean it or replace it. Do a search for the procedures. I bought a switch from a forum vendor (Gene Culley) for <$20 last year but I haven't installed it yet.
The exterior button on our 2009 coupe became intermittant withing a couple of months, and stopped working completely soon after. I took it apart and cleaned it per talon90 instructions, but that didn't help.
After reading this earlier today, I went out to check my own Vette and sure enough the button wasn't working. I was already planning on putting in new taillights, so at the same time, I cleaned up this switch per the instructions in this thread and it works perfect now.
It's a fairly common occurrence, the switch gets corroded. You can try and clean it or replace it. Do a search for the procedures. I bought a switch from a forum vendor (Gene Culley) for <$20 last year but I haven't installed it yet.
What is the part number? I'm just going to get a new one.
Thanks Elmer. By the way...although there was some dust/dirt under the rubber cap, I believe the problem was deeper than that. I tried pulling the "rubber spring" that houses the contact (refer to the pics above) and broke the rubber right off. No biggie...I'll just get a new one. However, the contacts looked dirty with what I believe was dirt blocking the button and the contact. Either way, I believe I was going to need a new assembly. I guess one could take the "upper body" off the assembly and reach the contact points without breaking the rubber spring. Or you could just try Talon's method and get a new assembly if that doesn't do it. My point is; there are a few options to resolve this issue.