Trunk won't open. 88 w power release. Jumped the switch, won't open (Page 5/5)
Sage NOV 10, 10:36 PM
Haven't been able to get out to the shop yet, but looking around at different pics of Mera's on the net, it looks like there is a key insertion spot on the Mera's just like on a stock Fiero body....and in the same spot, though on the Mera it looks to be in the decklid itself, rather than under it like the Fiero body.

So I'm wondering if the flat rod that is there on a stock body is also there on the Mera body....seems like if there is key access, it has to be. So not sure you'd be able to insert the flat head screwdriver, as the slot you'd have to access, is where the flat rod goes into the mechanism. Pure speculation based on my observations, so not based on "fact", but assumption. Being able to use the flat head screwdriver, I think would require that slot in the latch to be open, although I seem to remember using the long flat head screwdriver to open the decklid on past Fiero's that had a botched up key access.....so there may be room to get the screwdriver in NEXT the flat connecting rod, but again, I'm guessing here, I just remember using this method on stock Fiero's in the past, and I'm sure the flat rod was still intact.

So going back to the area behind the license plate...it may still be possible to drill a hole behind the plate, inline with the latch, more centered and higher up than shown on the Stinger, of course, just below the bottom of the "dip" and still insert the screwdriver at an upward angle and fishing till you get it in the slot, and voila....open decklid. Pure speculation, as I mentioned above, sorry for not realizing that the latch, although the same on both versions of the replica's, (the Mera/Fejer and Stinger) are mounted exactly opposite each other.

Good luck, hope you get in there without damaging anything.

HAGO!
Green Magic Man NOV 11, 12:19 AM
Success!!!

SAGE - I owe you beers or virtual beers. Sage for the win.
It was you who enabled the success.

Guess what I discovered? I had to do a double take. Surely there was no hole in my trunk.
But I looked again at the bare license plate area, and saw... what I thought was a piece of electrical tape. Taped over the exact same spot you showed on your car.
I had an improvised 'tool' which was my Dad's grabber tool I drilled a joint rivet out on and had a thin metal shaft about 1" longer than a standard U.S. License plate (for a quick measurement on hand).

Hoped it would be enough. I poked it into the electrical tape and thru revealing a blackout dark pinkie sized hole.

I timed it - it took me twenty minutes to fish around, break the tool at the end with pliers turning it. I could not turn what I thought was the mechanism. The tool popped / exploded broken.
I removed the tool and saw the end snapped off. For the hell of it I tried to open the trunk - and it JUST OPENED UP. Like nothing weird had been going on for, oh months.

I can't believe it! I finally got into the trunk and the battery access. Pulled the battery. 1.5 year old tops battery reading only 4.2 V That makes me sad. So far before the rain I got it up to 8.6VDC after charging for 6 hours at 6A setting.
Will try to charge more tomorrow. My cheapo charger doesn't like the battery voltage and the needle Is pulsing all over the place on the charger.
But I should be able to try to start it by tomorrow or Wednesday!
Will post pics I took of the whole area next.

[This message has been edited by Green Magic Man (edited 11-11-2024).]

Mike in Sydney NOV 11, 04:51 PM
Woohoo! Excellent news. I'm seriously happy for you.

Now for the bad news: If all you see is 4.2v and 8.6v after charging for 6 hours with a 6-amp charger, the battery is, as we say here, cactus. (Glossaries / dictionaries of Australian slang list cactus as meaning "dead, useless, broken or f*cked.") Get a new battery and before you close the trunk, test the solenoid by closing the latch with a screwdriver whose shaft is about the same diameter as the loop on the strike plate.

Again, congrats on getting into the trunk.

[This message has been edited by Mike in Sydney (edited 11-11-2024).]