Fiero Trunk Security

Note: 1984 Fiero owners do not need to make the modification in this article. 84 uses different wiring and fuse, and needs to have the ignition switch on to work.

Allot of people don't like the fact that Fiero power trunk latches open anytime you hit the button. This presents both security and safety problems. You just don't want people in the trunk when they aren't supposed to be especially children, which could become entrapped. An unacceptably large numbers of children die every year because of this. GM and other carmakers have developed emergency release systems for just this reason. The best precaution is keeping them out in the first place.

I don't like chopping up the wiring harness in my car. (I might for some freak reason want to restore it to its original operation some year...) After a bit of examination I found this "no cutting" way to modify the Fiero power trunk latch option so that it's activation is more controlled. Better yet it's easy. With this alteration the release will only open if the key is in the Run or ACC position.

Warnings

Just be careful. There isn't anything here that should hurt you, or anything else, unless you really screw up.

Materials

First get your hands on a spare switch socket, and cut it out leaving the leads as long as you can. This gives you some terminals with wire already attached. Any socket with the same terminal type will do. (These terminals can also be used to fix the temperature gauge/light factory wiring error.)

If you know which ones you need, some auto parts distributors carry these terminals. You can get some and make a wire up of the required length.

Self stripping, insulation displacing, or other crimp on, connectors for 16-18 gauge wire.

Installation

Take your release button assembly off the dash, and remove the connector from the release button.

Release the orange wire (the center wire on the 3 terminal side) from the trunk latch socket by inserting a small screwdriver between the terminal and the outer wall of the shell.

Put the orange lead into the unused top terminal position.

Release a terminal from your spare connector and insert it into the center opening you just vacated on the release socket.

Put the socket back onto the switch.

The next part is to connect this new wire to a Run or ACC hot lead.

On cars with the rear defog option you can connect the new wire to the bottom wire on the left (3 terminal) side of the defog switch socket. (Pink wire on 87 cars). I think the Defog socket is installed in all cars, but I'm not sure. The latch will only work when the key is in the run position when connected to the defog power feed.

On cars without the defog socket, you'll have to tap some other wire. The trunk release doesn't need much current. Nearly any Run or ACC hot wire will work.

Now test the thing to make sure it works the way you want, and then put the bezel back into place on the dash.

That's all there is to it. Now some twit can't reach in the open window or roof and get into the trunk.