As my car is a convertible, I find I have to slam the trunk lid closed. Harlan Charles showed me a 2015/16 Z06 convertible that he was driving and pointed out one of the features he really likes is the auto trunk closer. you close the trunk almost all the way and then it is electronically locked down. a la Cadillac. Anyone know if this can be retrofitted? Would save having to carry a microfiber towel all the time to wipe off the finger prints! Black car so they really show. LOL!

 

It's been discussed here and the conclusion seemed to be it was going to be very difficult to undoable because of the design and electronics involved.

 

<p>Just FYI, the power pull down is only on the 2016's.</p>

 

Check the adjustable bumpers on the corners of the trunk lid. Convertibles generally don't have issues with the lid being hard to shut.

 

True, but I find there is still a "trick" to it. For my 2014 vert, I lower the lid until it rests, then give it a quick and sharp push right over where the braces are located on the underside. Not hard to do, but should still be unnecessary on a $70.000.00 sports car. I for one wish the car had the C6 style pull downs..

 

That's the way I close it too, but like you I think it is one of the (small) pitas that we should have had on the car originally. Its not as hard to close as my Grand Sport C6 convertible was but just thought I'd ask....

 

If the trunk don't close when you first try to close it, just push it down firmly it will latch.

 

I ordered the necessary trunk latch parts to swap the latch to a 2016 model. From what I found I will have to remove the rear bumper but that looks like the worst of it. I'll let everyone know what I find and what to do for a successful swap.

 

Still wondering if all the electrical connectors are available to power the motor and release the latch..

 

With the Coupe has been issue from day 1 for many (not all) C7's! I have a 2014 that will be 2 years old in October. I still must have my door open to have the hatch latch! Thought the Vert was a non issue since the top can move like a speaker diaphragm etc and the air pressure preventing the Coupe hatch from latching was not a factor.
With the Coupe many reports of paint cracking because of folks pushing to latch! One report of the composite hatch frame actually cracking for the same reason! I watched my frame bend when I tried pushing to latch when I first got my car and stopped! With the Coupe, a GM recommendation is to push to latch with 2 hands at the sides of the Coupe window where there are peaks. That was no doubt at least one reason GM went back to the motorized pull down for the 2016's (and like my '08 C6,) IMO.
A person wanting to retrofit and one convinced "his dealer" could do it found the opposite. It's more than adding the motor and parts, the electronics (which one person investigated in depth) needs to change and there is no easy way to wire or get the computer software in a 2014/2015 to control what needs to happen at the right time! It's not simply limit switch activated.
Be interesting to see what you find for the Vert but GM has said for the Coupe, "No way to retrofit!" The person who was going to force them to do it on warranty, I think traded it for a 2016! Not really a big deal for me and most, just have to remember to close the hatch before the door! Mine then latches with one finger pushing the latch from full height with one finger while I stand behind the open door!
Curious if yours latches with a door open. If not could well be a mechanical issue. I've tried stop adjustments in my Coupe, loosening the latch screws and closing to align the parts per a GM bulletin and checking to see my vent operate, etc- no help!

 

It's not just the wires and connectors that are not present or easy to rewire for a 2014/2015 but the computer signals when the motor is activated, it's apparently not simple switches.
When looking at how the memory wire activated vent is operated from the 2014 Service Manual, found it was a voltage spike signal to the computer. Guess that is less expensive than sensing current. Today the computer monitors and controls many function that in years past limit switches etc were used. Perhaps the Vert is different than what one poster spent time with 2015/2016 wiring diagrams defining what was needed for the Coupe.

 

I looked at a 2016 that I took apart at the dealer. I took the inner cover off and unplugged the trunk latch. Its a different connector but same wires. Both are just PBT 4 pin connectors. Sounds like a tech looked at it, said "the connectors are different", and gave up. I'm an electrical engineer and I do this stuff for a living so the wiring/programming is a breeze. The part I don't like is removing the bumper. I can fabricate and wire anything, but I can't paint worth a dang lol!

 

The fellow who investigated looked at more than the connections, he was not a GM tech but sounded like yourself, that he also had experience. Perhaps he'll respond to this thread. My formal training is not as an EE but we’d always get an EE professor for those courses that tried to show us ME’s - but I liked Laplace transforms etc so did fine!
I’m just an old Hot Rodder but did wire my street rod from scratch, made many wire diagrams, etc with digital dash, electric doors and windows, alarms including one that functions if you forget to set the locking pins for the suicide doors, rev limiter for the ZZ502, full stereo, CD player, amps etc. Worked 1st time and still functioning after 14 years! However although I have been using PC’s since they first came out and did programming of those-(no choice in the ‘70s) it’s not like going into the GM software! Will be very interested in what you find. Wish you luck, many folks would like that retrofit option.
Still wonder why a Vert is having the issue as thought it was only a factor with Coupes.
PS: Many posters removing the bumper for various reasons, no painting will be required! After the bolts it's like many panel removals, clips hold it on. Should be able to search the Forum and get advice or believe I have seen some YouTubes showing what needs to be done.

 

I didn't state this before but mine is a coupe . GM's software is very interesting but not to difficult. My NPP valves were closing in 4th gear even though they were set to always open all the time. They programed it this way because the drone was horrible in 4th.(so I been told) You had to get to about 3/4 throttle before it would open back up. This bugged me and I don't mind drone so I set out to fix it. This is what sparked me to get in there to change the programing. Took me two weeks but I got it!
Did you say in your 2014 service manual the heated element wire for the air door is controlled by the Module? In mine it shows it being controlled on the same circuit as the trunk lights. Basically when the trunk lights come on so does the wire that controls the door flap. It heats up, expands, and opens the flap. Interesting that the two manuals are different. What manual number do you have?
I hope I didn't come off as having a "know it all" attitude and I sure don't want to belittle anyone because that's not me. I'm learning new things everyday and I love to share what I learn.

 

Actually, they programmed it this way to meet federal sound tests which are done at a steady speed of 35mph.

 

Hmmm I did not know that. That makes more sense than just the drone. Thanks for sharing!

 

Your comments were fine, applaud your efforts and what you've done and can do. I'll see if I can go thru the many manual pages and find that comment that said something like the power to the memory wire was enabled or disconnected with a voltage drop, which could have been from the interior light. As I said some of us have had this issue since the 1st production and see since you have a Coupe that doesn't easily latch and don't want to crack your hatch frame paint, appreciate knowing what you find!

 

Found the reference. Page 4-325, Body Pressure Relief valve: "The body pressure relief valve is used to ease the closing effort of the liftglass by providing a release of trapped air in the vehicle. The body control module (BCM) provides a 12 V signal to the rear compartment lid ajar switch signal circuit. When the rear compartment lid latch releases the liftglass, the rear ajar switch, which is internal to the rear compartment lid latch is supplied with ground which causes the trunk ajar switch signal circuit to pull low. The BCM will detect a voltage drop in the ajar signal circuit and will command the body pressure relief valve to open. When the liftglass is close, the BCM will detect the rise of voltage in the ajar signal circuit and will command the body relief valve to close."

Hope that helps. This "old timer" will stick with copper wires and switches and is why I preferred to install an "850 double pumper" on my ZZ502 and change pump volumes, pump cams and jet size to messing with fuel injection! Did use an air fuel ratio meter and oxygen sensor in the exhaust to fine tune!

 

I am not EE but from the schematics, that retrofit seems beyond my skill level. The info I found from the service manuals are posted here:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-retrofit.html

I'd be happy to email you the schematics for the 15 and 16 which I have. Read that thread and perhaps there is a way to make it work with some relays. But on the 14 & 15's GM changed the role of how the latch interfaces to the BCM. I am sure it can be done with the right EE know how, but it seemed beyond my skill level once I looked into it. So the main difference is that on the early years it was just a striaght signal that the trunk was ajar but on the 16 the BCM is involved. Thus there is a control module, which also controls the motor to pull the hatch down. I would have ordered the latch part but my fabrication skills are poor and it seemed from the pictures that the mount was different between the 15 and 16 too.

It can be done if you got the skill, so if you can figure it out, us armatures would sure like to follow in your foot steps.

 

Interesting