Cadillac Repair: Trunk Pull Down, auto recycler, jumper wire

Question
Is there a way to bypass the automatic motor pull down and make it work manually?

Answer
Hi Linda, The short answer is yes provided the switch or fuse is the problem and not the motor.

     Since you don't mention what the year and model of your vehicle is I can't get specific. But if you remove the cover to access the motor and remove the screw that holds the switch in place, a jumper wire can be made to go between the battery power wire at the switch and one of the terminals. The other terminal needs to have a jumper wire made so it can touch the other terminal on the motor and the sheetmetal that the motor assembly bolts to. When the last wire is touched the motor will start to move. If it goes in the direction you want it to go great otherwise trade wires on the motor and it will go the other direction. The idea is for you to position the motor so that the trunk can close and the seal will keep the water out.

     If you have gotten this far then you have determined that the switch is bad and the motor is good. The easiest fix would be to go to the dealer and get a new switch and install it and then you won't have to do anything else as the motor will function as it is designed to do. Maybe the parts stores have the switch now...a phone call would find that out.

     If the motor doesn't move and you feel that you have connected the wires correctly then getting a used pulldown motor assembly from a junkyard/auto recycler would be a cheaper alternative and might last a couple more years.

     Hope that makes sense. Let me know if you need anymore help. Bill