Help! Trunk lid wont lift, 2 dealerships gave up

[jacobsbob]

Hello everyone, my name is Bob, hopefully someone out there can help me. I have a 2005 XLR that the top stopped working, I have a tech 2 and a service manual. I replaced the top motor and all was great for a month. Then the trunk stopped lifting on its own any way you tried to open it, the motor spins and times out in apx 6 seconds. No trouble codes. I just replaced the trunk latch and had the trunk lid hydraulic struts rebuilt, no change.

If I put the top down, I have to manually lift the trunk then the top will finish and close the trunk. If I put the top up, I will need to do the same at the point the trunk should lift it unlatches and the motor spins, I lift the trunk and the top will finish the process.

I sent the top motor back to top hydraulics to check it out, they put it on there test top and all was good.

2 dealers have looked at it, since I am stumped, one dealer said it is the motor? yet it works everything else except lifting the trunk, the other said he dont know what is wrong, both were supposed to be XLR tech ( I should have requested a certificate, I dont believe them)

All the sensors are reading good within the parameters and the position of switches are showing correct? I'm lost

It sounds like the fluid is not building up pressure?, there is no leaks found and I do not lose fluid and the fluid is on the max line.

Any ideas or direction to try,

 

[beaver_jd]

jacobsbob, Where are you in California ? I have taken my car to Jessup's in Palm Springs for a number of years and I find them very good. They have a couple of techs that know these cars. Over the years they have sold a lot of these cars.
John F.

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

I’m almost wondering if you have a clogged or pinched hydraulic hose, it seems to be working but not pushing the fluid, causing the pump to time out in about 6 seconds! I’m no mechanic, but just seems like something along that line of trouble!


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[Fireduck69]

Have you replaced the trunk support struts. They are cylinders like the hood struts that off set the weight of the truck lid. Found on each side below the hing assembly.

 

[jacobsbob]

Beaver JD / Thanks for the responses, I appreciate the referral in Palm Springs, I am apx an hour away..

Fireduck69 / Yes I have replace the gas struts as well as advised from the dealer, the previous ones did hold the trunk lid up with no issue, it made no difference.

05 Grand Daddy / I checked the hydraulic lines from both sides of the trunk, no kinks, plugged? not sure, maybe I can remove the bottom lines and aim into a bottle and see what happens.

Has anyone had to replace the relay in the control top module, it was recommended to me from Top Hydraulics that maybe the motor is not spinning fast enough only on the trunk lift?? I did find the relay, waiting for delivery..

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

Beaver JD / Thanks for the responses, I appreciate the referral in Palm Springs, I am apx an hour away..

Fireduck69 / Yes I have replace the gas struts as well as advised from the dealer, the previous ones did hold the trunk lid up with no issue, it made no difference.

05 Grand Daddy / I checked the hydraulic lines from both sides of the trunk, no kinks, plugged? not sure, maybe I can remove the bottom lines and aim into a bottle and see what happens.

Has anyone had to replace the relay in the control top module, it was recommended to me from Top Hydraulics that maybe the motor is not spinning fast enough only on the trunk lift?? I did find the relay, waiting for delivery..

Just another thought could It be possible to have air in the lines , like a brake line, maybe they need bled?


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[jacobsbob]

05 Grand Daddy / I was told to open the top motor fluid and lift the trunk up and down several times to move fluid in and out, do you know another way? or what I mentioned above to remove the bottom lift hydraulic lines and activate valve 4 rotation X to push fluid to that line into a bottle or something to catch it.

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

05 Grand Daddy / I was told to open the top motor fluid and lift the trunk up and down several times to move fluid in and out, do you know another way? or what I mentioned above to remove the bottom lift hydraulic lines and activate valve 4 rotation X to push fluid to that line into a bottle or something to catch it.

Sorry sir, I don’t no as much as you do about them. I wish I did so I could help you more with your issue. These car have a lot of technical things that one would almost have to be a genius to fix. Good Luck


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[pure zen]

These car have a lot of technical things that one would almost have to be a genius to fix.

You can say that again....


.
.

 

[Hudson River Steve]

Silly question but is the manual release valve on the pump FULLY seated? I was having a similar issue as you and was ready to tear out the pump and send it for a rebuild. I tightened up the manual valve by hand and then gave it a little extra with a pair of pliers. All fine ever since[emoji106].

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[jacobsbob]

Hello Hudson River Steve / I do believe it is good and tight, I will make sure. The thing is all the other struts for the top work fine, its just the trunk that wont lift. It seems like the valve for the trunk isnt working but it tests ok with the tech 2 and I removed the motor and sent it back to top hydraulics, they put it on there test top and called me, I had them specifically turn on valve 4 and x direction and the trunk went up for them.

The scary thing is I hope the control top module which works for the rest of the top, hopefully it is not messing up for the trunk only, they are not available anywhere that I have found, dealer search accross US.

Any more ideas, I will take them : )

 

[Hudson River Steve]

If it's not the pump, not the valve and not the lift struts then the only things left are friction in the hinges or the hydraulic cylinders are letting fluid bypass.

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[jacobsbob]

Hudson River Steve / While the motor is spinning after hitting the key fob trunk open button, I lift the trunk and I dont feel like it is trying at all to lift. I just installed rebuilt hydraulic struts since I was thinking like you that I must have a bypass within the strut or something. I installed them a couple days ago and no difference.

To me it acts like the valve is not opening and letting fluid in, according to the service manual if I here a click then the valve is working? I do here a click when triggering any valve with the tech 2, but I also sent the motor back and top hydraulics put it on a test top which worked.

I keep leaning toward the top control module is the one telling the motor to run, open the valve and let the fluid go fill the struts.

Keep thinking, It may be something really dumb that I am missing..

The top worked great when I put a new motor on for about a month, then one day the trunk didn't lift, I re hit the top down button and then it lifted. The next week twice it did't lift twice it did, then never lifted again.

I feel like I know the top system ok, but the service manual is losing me with the short to ground and intermittent shorts, I cant tell what and where to test.

 

[David_B]

YouTube

 

[Fireduck69]

Check the grounds. Just about every glitchy problem we have with these cars is a ground problem.

 

[pure zen]

Check the grounds. Just about every glitchy problem we have with these cars is a ground problem.

Likely true..... if you find a ground problem, replace with s/steel end

 

[jacobsbob]

Fireduck69 / Thanks for the reply, I have been reading the wiring diagrams today in the hopes of finding something like that. Hope your right and I hope I find it

 

[jacobsbob]

Pure zen / Thanks for the advise, will do

 

[Fireduck69]

Fireduck69 / Thanks for the reply, I have been reading the wiring diagrams today in the hopes of finding something like that. Hope your right and I hope I find it

Usual problem areas are the ground posts on the frame behind each rear wheel.

 

[SOFLIX]

hello i do have the moudle if it will fix the problem but its not the moudle coz as u said the top will work fine when u open the trunk i had the same problem and it was one of the hydrulaics leaking and i got it fixed but am still working on it when u open the trunl is it hard to pull up or when u close it it goes down fast ?