The parts and invoice from NASH Chevrolet
Forward:
The Lumina series of cars (GM's W-Body series, I'm told) has a trunk release option inside the passenger compartment on pretty much every car I've seen made in 1986 and newer. My Olds Cutlass Supreme had one pre-installed, however the dash moulding ar
ound the steering column was upholstered so I wouldn't recommend installing it there anyhow.
But I was messing around the other day with replacing a reverse lamp on my 99 Lumina, and I noticed a stray, unused-looking connector. Well I decided to pop off the dash trim and behold...there's another lonely connector.
So I backprobed a voltage meter to the connector in the trunk, used some trickery with mirrors, and then shorted the connector under the dash. What's this, the dial moves to the high mark? Yes, that is the trunk release system. Already wired in by GM, all I had to do was get the solenoid actuator and the switch for the parts.
Step 1: Removing The Trim Panel
Start by removing the two screws under the upper trim panel. One on the left, one on the right. Support the panel as you remove the lower expansion nuts at the bottom of the panel. One's directly beneath the left hand screw, the other is to the left o
f the OBD-II Diagnostic Port (under the ashtray and to the left).
Step 2: Locate The Connector
The connector for the release switch is electrical taped to a main bundle of wires. Do not use a blade here unless you are positive as to what you are doing! I unraveled about 4 turns of the tape and removed the connector wire rather than slicing the
sheath off the bundle. Pull the connector to the nearby hole and rest the clip on the edge of the hole for now.
Step 3: Making Room For The Switch
You'll want to find a good bit of room for this. Mark the center of the indentation, I got a 2" diameter for it, so I made a mark 1" from the start of the bevel. Drill a pilot hole where you marked center for, then switch bits to a 5/8". Drill your 5/
8 hole then wiggle the bit around a little to make the hole big enough for the securing flaps. Clear off the excess plastic shavings, careful not to marr the surface. Installing the switch is a bit of a task, as the flaps need to be flat against the switc
h body to make it through the hole you made.
Step 4: Installing The Trim Panel
Inspect your work, making sure everything is tight and secure. Take the trim panel back out to your car (I hope you aren't punching holes in plastic while it's still in your car unless you have a GOOD shop vac) and line up the bottom half. Its kinda t
ricky but it can be done with a bit of patience and a check to be sure the bottom half of the upholstered hush panel fits over the exposed bolt. Tilt the panel up a bit and pull the connector to the switch and snap it together. Raise the panel up and secu
re the two upper screws tight but not overtightened. Don't forget the bottom two expansion nuts!
Step 1: Installing The Solenoid
The solenoid can only fit on the trunk one way. The back has a little knob on the skinny part, along with a white dot. This half fits in a receiving hole on the latch assembly. When activated, the actuator kicks the knob over, which moves the release
latch to let the trunk open. Fit the assembly behind the latch, lining up the mounting holes. Anchor the assembly to the body with two self-tapping screws and washers.
Step 2: Connecting the Solenoid
Inside the trunk lid, between the reverse lights, sits a bundle of wrapped wires. Somewhere in this bundle lies your release connector. Reach on in and unstrap the bundle (mine was held together with a velcro wire bundle) and pull about 2 turns of wir
e out. Face the clip on the connector outwards, away from the solenoid, and hook it up.
That's it, you're done! Test it out, but remember: It will only operate with the transaxle in park! Not even Neutral on an automatic will do. I made a short movie from inside the trunk showing the operation , you can view it here.
Guide constructed in 2004. Lumina is a registered trademark of General Moters, NASH Chevrolet is a registered trademark of NASH Chevrolet. ACDelco and the ACDelco design are trademarks of ACDelco, Inc. DISCLAIMER: This guide is not intended to replace professional installation. This may void your vehicle's warrenty, and I do not reccommend or advise doing this by yourself. Working around the steering column is a very real danger, as the airbag system has many wires and circuits behi nd the trim panel. Do this at your own risk! I am not responsible for damage to you, your vehicle, any property or vehicle damage, or anything else basically. This is for entertainment purposes only.