Buttress Stuck (already read the other threads)

[shanejohnson2002]

Hey everyone!

New poster here, and I decided to register upon finding all the information available at this site. That being said, my issue remains unresolved

I have what seems to be a pretty common issue: my passenger-side buttress won't unlatch from the trunk lid. Now my trunk is slightly open, and my top is up on a perfectly good top-down kind of day.

I tried using a thin metal tool (small allen wrench held in a set of vise-grips) to pop open the retaining wire inside the buttress latch. I can feel the wire moving (at least, I think I can), but nothing happens. I attempted to duplicate the process on the working side, and it works just fine. Am I just completely SOL on a simple fix here?

[saf0775]

Originally Posted by shanejohnson2002

Hey everyone!

New poster here, and I decided to register upon finding all the information available at this site. That being said, my issue remains unresolved

I have what seems to be a pretty common issue: my passenger-side buttress won't unlatch from the trunk lid. Now my trunk is slightly open, and my top is up on a perfectly good top-down kind of day.

I tried using a thin metal tool (small allen wrench held in a set of vise-grips) to pop open the retaining wire inside the buttress latch. I can feel the wire moving (at least, I think I can), but nothing happens. I attempted to duplicate the process on the working side, and it works just fine. Am I just completely SOL on a simple fix here?

Good day!

I had this happen to a customers car once.

Bad news: I all but destroyed the chrome "cap" to get the stupid thing to unlatch and pop the buttress up. I used a long 90 degree pick and a pry bar (wrapped in a shop rag) to pop it up once I knew the cable had moved far enough over. Once I got it up, I had to replace the cap and the cable assembly (which is pretty easy). The problem is that the little plastic ball that is on the end of the cable has probably come off and it's not activating the release actuator for the buttress.

I'm always afraid of this happening to me, since the cable (as far as I know) was never redesigned and still has the cheap plastic ball on it, instead of a metal one that should be welded to the cable.

[marlboromike]

I am now an expert on doing this...too bad u do not live closer...like anything else, once u know how to to this...it is an easy fix...u r just not hitting the cable correctly to pop the buttress. There is a special tool for this but one can be improvised...a angled allen wrench will do fine...but like I said, too bad u r not in Jersey. Here is a link to the tool


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/KENT-...motiveQ5fTools

[Bushwhacker]

Probably not the same issue but -

Mine did this and I just kept hitting the trunk button and jiggling the buttress and after a few tries it released.

I then sprayed WD40 into the hole and have not had the problem since.

-

[marlboromike]

he probably has that broken piece of plastic which permits the release of the buttress.

[TulsaSky]

Not sure if you saw my thread but I had the same situation and it takes the tool suggested or something very similar. The latch is very strong and it takes the right pressure from the inside, middle of the deck lid to release the latch. All this stress over a 50 cent orange plastic grommet, grrr

Help Stuck Buttress Drivers side only!

I still need to show the fix I did on the latch with plastic ties, my excuses is the plastic fastener and not wanting to take it all apart just to take a picture.
I carry that tool I made behind the driver seat, just in case the other orange grommet breaks.


TulsaSky

[ryanschram]

I ended up having the stuck plug problem today. Once I got it open, the orange plastic washer was nowhere in sight. I improvised an improved fix. I put in a small lock washer in place of the orange plastic one. Since it did actually work, I replaced the other side as well, even though the OEM piece was still there (I removed it).

[OldmansSky]

I have a spray can of "White Lithium Grease" which I used when I first bought my '99 Trans Am. I still use it a lot to prevent things like this from happening. Lube everything in sight so that cable and wire work without resistance. The plastic ball most likely breaks because of the resistance.

You can buy the spray can at any "H" dealer...

[lllfly]

What a great idea.
Lock washer.
LLLFLY