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SOLUTION: Rear hatch won't open (with Pics)

151K views 44 replies 34 participants last post by  Sim 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Over the summer, I encountered the all too common problem that we've been having with the rear hatch not functioning. After doing a whole lot of digging, the only info I could find was about the wires splitting in the rubber sheath. Great! Now I can get started and have everything fixed in a day.

Here is what I found Tire Vehicle Auto part Car Fender


Not too bad. No broken wires just a little water was found in that. drain tube?; that must be the main issue: moisture causing contact. I sealed everything up and put the hatch back together. BOOM! FIXED!....or so I thought.

A while later, with a few damp days and the car sitting for a week unused, we're back to square one. Well, square -1 because now there is absolutely no function at all....the trunk shall remain closed forever. NOPE! With the help of actually reading a youtube comment, I actually found the release lever. 30 minutes later and everything was fixed. It's super easy, so the steps and pics are below.

This is only a guide if your exterior release button is not functioning but your wiring harness is intact....here we go.

1: GET YOUR HATCH OPEN
Pull off the interior panel. and look for this little bugger:
Auto part Vehicle Compact car Family car Car

See that tiny metal lever at the bottom dead center? That is your manual trunk release. Brilliant spot in my opinion. Push this down with a screwdriver and open your hatch. Tie a string to this and hang it out the hatch every time you close it. fixed.

Kidding of course.

2: TEST THE CIRCUIT FOR FUNCTION.
With your hatch open, close the catch with your finger and unplug the wire harness from the hatch release here:
Pink Vehicle door Vehicle Car Automotive exterior

Then, look at the end of the harness like an idiot for a few minutes while trying to remember what you did with your jumper wire; like this:
Technology Electronics Auto part Electronic device Cable

This is the important bit; hold it like that. Exactly like that. If you don't, then the magical electrician in your brain will get upset and take a coffee break. Got it? OK. The left terminal is for the license plate lights and not important at all. The right terminal should be a black wire, and the middle terminal is the lead for the hatch release actuator. Shove your paperclip in those 2 holes( I know you're going to use a paper clip). If your magical electrician is not on break, you should hear a little buzz-click sound. look at the catch, is it open? Good, now close the catch again and play with this a few times(it's a neat sound). You've also just discovered where your problem is.

3. REMOVE THE SWITCH
Remove the 4 nuts that you saw in the first picture of step 2(they might only be finger-tight, as mine were), then while holding the chrome exterior piece(switch assembly), pinch the black pinchy thing in the middle. Done. Now, Step 4.

4. Look at how dirty the back and bottom of the switch assembly are and say "f#$ing gross" before you clean it all up. While doing that, have a look at the connector; it should be super dirty too, and maybe a little corroded.

5. CLEAN YOUR CONTACTS
Scratch the contacts clean with whatever is handy and, gently, bend them down, or up, about 1/2mm. I did this because, as you may notice, the male terminals are a lot smaller than the female terminals(Oops. I guess Italian designers like to have art imitate life). Plug the wiring harness in and push the button.....buzz-click? If it made the noise, you are all done; If it didn't, you'll have to investigate further.

6. INVESTIGATE FURTHER
I don't know. I didn't have to. Please, if you did have to post your steps.
 
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4
#3 ·
The lever faces inward. I suggest taking off the interior hatch trim and looking around;its always better to know more about your car.

I see where you are headed by wanting to drill a hole there. It's funny, if FIAT had put a hole there, even without any sort of label, I think we all would have figured out what it was for.
 
#7 ·
Hi there,
Fiest thank you for that post, that was helpful. So I'm having a very similar problem with mine. Bought this car cheap from a dealer who got it from an auction.... can't find anything about the history of the vehicle, and clearly it's been "worked on". The hatch didn't open, so I thought it was just the handle microswitch that was bad.... unfortunately, it wasn't. I'm getting some voltage on the connector, i's a weird 5V-ish that fluctuates a little bit. See video here for tests:




I really don't get it... what I did:

  • checked all wires that I could track and nothing is broken in the boot (white-orange, purple and black).
  • checked the fuse box in the engine compartment and the rear window defroster relay is surprisingly missing!! Strange but unrelated.
  • checked the ground in the rear left panel, it's clean.
  • whatever this strange 5+V voltage is, it's powering on my plate lights just fine
  • it sounds like there is just no signal going to the latch solenoid. I tested it direct on the battery and it works fine
  • is there a relay to drive the hatch latch? I looked at the fuse box details and nothing seems to indicate this....
Any idea? I'm at a loss here....

Could be a bad BCM..... ?!
 
#11 ·
Any idea? I'm at a loss here....
Did you ever find the problem? I'm having the SAME issue presently. Getting constant 5V or 12V through the same connector, and my latch won't activate. Switch is fine, latch is fine (did the same battery test that you did). Checked all the wires I could access - they look fine. With constant voltage at the connector, you'd think the latch mechanism would be constantly activating, but nothing happens. "At a loss" as well......
 
#9 ·
Over the summer, I encountered the all too common problem that we've been having with the rear hatch not functioning. After doing a whole lot of digging, the only info I could find was about the wires splitting in the rubber sheath. Great! Now I can get started and have everything fixed in a day.

Here is what I found View attachment 93129

Not too bad. No broken wires just a little water was found in that ?drain tube?; that must be the main issue: moisture causing contact. I sealed everything up and put the hatch back together. BOOM! FIXED!....or so I thought.

A while later, with a few damp days and the car sitting for a week unused, we're back to square one. Well, square -1 because now there is absolutely no function at all....the trunk shall remain closed forever. NOPE! With the help of actually reading a youtube comment, I actually found the release lever. 30 minutes later and everything was fixed. Its super easy, so the steps and pics are below.

This is only a guide if your exterior release button is not functioning but your wiring harness is intact....here we go.

1: GET YOUR HATCH OPEN
Pull off the interior panel. and look for this little bugger:
View attachment 93137
See that tiny metal lever at bottom dead centre? That is you manual trunk release. Brilliant spot in my opinion. Push this down with a screw driver and open your hatch. Tie a string to this and hang it out the hatch every time you close it. fixed.

Kidding of course.

2: TEST THE CIRCUIT FOR FUNCTION.
With your hatch open, close the catch with your finger and unplug the wire harness from the hatch release here:
View attachment 93145
Then, look at the end of the harness like an idiot for a few minutes while trying to remember what you did with you jumper wire; like this:
View attachment 93153
This is the important bit; hold it like that. Exactly like that. If you don't, then the magical electrician in you brain will get upset and take a coffee break. Got it? OK. The left terminal is for the license plate lights and not important at all. The right terminal should be a black wire, and the middle terminal is the lead for the hatch release actuator. Shove your paperclip in those 2 holes( I know you're going to use a paper clip). If your magical electrician is not on break, you should hear little buzz-click sound. look at the catch, is it open? Good, now close the catch again and play with this a few times(its a neat sound). You've also just discovered where your problem is.

3. REMOVE THE SWITCH
Remove the 4 nuts that you saw in the first picture of step 2(they might only be finger tight, as mine were), then while holding the chrome exterior piece(switch assembly), pinch the black pinchy thing in the middle. Done. Now, Step 4.

4. Look at how dirty the back and bottom of the switch assembly are and say "f#$ing gross" before you clean it all up. While doing that, have a look at the connector; it should be super dirty too, and maybe a little corroded.

5. CLEAN YOUR CONTACTS
Scratch the contacts clean with what ever is handy and, gently, bend them down, or up, about 1/2mm. I did this because, as you may notice, the male terminals are a lot smaller than the female terminals(Oops. I guess Italian designers like to have art imitate life). Plug the wiring harness in and push the button.....buzz-click? If it made the noise, you are all done; If it didn't, you'll have to investigate further.

6. INVESTIGATE FURTHER
I don't know. I didn't have to. Please, if you did have to post your steps.
Thank you. I have been having an issue with my trunk lately. I park facing up hill the trunk will not open but I park facing down hill and poof it opens. I was starting to think it was a safety thing. Now guess I’m digging into my wiring before it gets worse
 
#10 ·
I'm confused about the paper clip. So i'm making a circuit by putting one end of the paper clip in one of the slots and the other end of the paper clip in the other? There is evidence this connector has been worked on in the past. (car is used) and is damaged. Is there anywhere I can buy just the plastic piece connector?
 
#12 ·
I had intermittent problems with my '13 Abarth's rear hatch, and then suddenly function stopped completely. I hoped this would be the fix, but no such luck. After a bunch of taking things apart, I discovered that my release button itself had failed, AT THE SAME TIME as something else - and I still don't know what the other something is. I (somewhat) carefully dismantled the trunk handle/button assembly as much as I could because I didn't want to buy a replacement (if I broke it I'd have to anyway, so no harm in trying).

I knew something in my button assembly was wrong, because you should be able to get a clean continuity test from the two relevant wires on the assembly's wiring harness connector - no "beep" from your meter, then a "beep" when you press the button. It eventually came down to continuity testing between the contacts underneath the switch itself, and where the wires came in to meet the switch assembly. Somehow in the centimeter of non-moving wire within the assembly, there was a break in the line. In the image below, the yellow slash is where continuity was lost. (Yeah, I know, there's a big bar section of wire on the left - that was me AFTER opening things up, I was sick of my alligator test leads not having contact...I fixed it later.)
108807


I decided to snip the wire that was losing contact, and re-route it through a different part in the base of the switch assembly. I'm awful at soldering, but with my Dremel and drill bits, I was able to carve a big chunk out of the bottom of the assembly and drilled an access hole to give me a good hook on the internal contact with my newly snipped wire. Once I had a solder joint I was happy ENOUGH with, I just filled the rest of the space with hot glue to help it stay still, absorb vibration, and insulate a little more.
108808

108809


Ugly as anything, but it at least delayed a $140 new handle purchase for a while.

After all this, I confirmed my latch itself was still working by pulling it out and using the alligator leads to hook it up to a 9v battery. Middle pin to battery negative, another lead on the "top" pin (where Violet would be going) and touch the other end of that lead to the battery positive - it will run the latch as many times as I want. And it is a neat sound.

So my button completes the circuit, which should be providing ground to the latch (if I understand the theory properly) and my latch is functional. What I can't figure out still, is why my Violet wire doesn't have 12v on it. From the wiring diagram it looks like it should (to me) and from my testing with the 9v battery it seems like that should be where power comes in, and waits for the button to provide ground to the latch, triggering it to open. But nothing gets it to work. All my wiring in the flexible loom at the trunk hinge is fine. I have continuity with every wire I test all the way up to the Body Control Module (C5 and C3) in the driver's footwell.

This has stumped my dad (over the phone) my father in law (in person), both of whom have fixed their own cars for years and understand this stuff, as well as myself, who pretty much thinks electricity is magic.

At this point I've given up trying to get it to work properly, and am trying to figure out another wire I can pull 9 to 12v from in the trunk lid (other than the wiper motor...I don't want to have to have my wiper on to open the back) and then I'd just jump a ground directly from the button "out" (White/Orange) to the latch middle pin. Not having great luck with that either - the latch's White/Gray ajar sensor DID have like 10v, but now only has 6...hmmmmmmmmmm

This car drives me nuts. I've had it 11 months and it's been broken in one way or another all of that except for maybe 2 weeks. Also dealing with a intermittent misfire, intermittent turbo issue, had to fix my passenger seat recline cable, driver door handle twice, that no-start issue that so many people seem to have, etc. Oh, and it blew a transmission seal and the transmission ate itself, had to get a new (to me) one in. When it runs right though...pretty darn fun to drive.
 
#15 ·
Keep in mind that the wires that go from the body to the hatch can 'look' fine but actually be broken inside. A "visual" inspection is not an end all, though definitely a good thing to start. I have fixed broken harnesses that upon visual inspection looked fine but where not.
 
#16 ·
Over the summer, I encountered the all too common problem that we've been having with the rear hatch not functioning. After doing a whole lot of digging, the only info I could find was about the wires splitting in the rubber sheath. Great! Now I can get started and have everything fixed in a day.

Here is what I found View attachment 93129

Not too bad. No broken wires just a little water was found in that ?drain tube?; that must be the main issue: moisture causing contact. I sealed everything up and put the hatch back together. BOOM! FIXED!....or so I thought.

A while later, with a few damp days and the car sitting for a week unused, we're back to square one. Well, square -1 because now there is absolutely no function at all....the trunk shall remain closed forever. NOPE! With the help of actually reading a youtube comment, I actually found the release lever. 30 minutes later and everything was fixed. Its super easy, so the steps and pics are below.

This is only a guide if your exterior release button is not functioning but your wiring harness is intact....here we go.

1: GET YOUR HATCH OPEN
Pull off the interior panel. and look for this little bugger:
View attachment 93137
See that tiny metal lever at bottom dead centre? That is you manual trunk release. Brilliant spot in my opinion. Push this down with a screw driver and open your hatch. Tie a string to this and hang it out the hatch every time you close it. fixed.

Kidding of course.

2: TEST THE CIRCUIT FOR FUNCTION.
With your hatch open, close the catch with your finger and unplug the wire harness from the hatch release here:
View attachment 93145
Then, look at the end of the harness like an idiot for a few minutes while trying to remember what you did with you jumper wire; like this:
View attachment 93153
This is the important bit; hold it like that. Exactly like that. If you don't, then the magical electrician in you brain will get upset and take a coffee break. Got it? OK. The left terminal is for the license plate lights and not important at all. The right terminal should be a black wire, and the middle terminal is the lead for the hatch release actuator. Shove your paperclip in those 2 holes( I know you're going to use a paper clip). If your magical electrician is not on break, you should hear little buzz-click sound. look at the catch, is it open? Good, now close the catch again and play with this a few times(its a neat sound). You've also just discovered where your problem is.

3. REMOVE THE SWITCH
Remove the 4 nuts that you saw in the first picture of step 2(they might only be finger tight, as mine were), then while holding the chrome exterior piece(switch assembly), pinch the black pinchy thing in the middle. Done. Now, Step 4.

4. Look at how dirty the back and bottom of the switch assembly are and say "f#$ing gross" before you clean it all up. While doing that, have a look at the connector; it should be super dirty too, and maybe a little corroded.

5. CLEAN YOUR CONTACTS
Scratch the contacts clean with what ever is handy and, gently, bend them down, or up, about 1/2mm. I did this because, as you may notice, the male terminals are a lot smaller than the female terminals(Oops. I guess Italian designers like to have art imitate life). Plug the wiring harness in and push the button.....buzz-click? If it made the noise, you are all done; If it didn't, you'll have to investigate further.

6. INVESTIGATE FURTHER
I don't know. I didn't have to. Please, if you did have to post your steps.
 
#17 ·
I've followed your steps but the paperclip between center (with/orange and bblack (ground) did not work on my fiat 500 Abarth 2012. it took me almost a year and I finlly found the problem.

I found this genius Al1Elec on this formum: https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/Discus...39181_ds555650.

I had tryed everything, following wires to BCm, take apart BCm to spot problems, check all fuses... it finally was a corroded switch.
the switch needs to have 1.5kOhms for the BCm to recognize it and send the 12v to the latch. It is a safety thing so that if the is a short during an accindent the hatch does not open by itself.

And this end my adventure with the hatch.. I cannot thank this guy enough and you too PAZZO.

Gianluigi
 
#24 ·
I've followed your steps but the paperclip between center (with/orange and bblack (ground) did not work on my fiat 500 Abarth 2012. it took me almost a year and I finlly found the problem.

I found this genius Al1Elec on this formum: https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/Discus...39181_ds555650.

I had tryed everything, following wires to BCm, take apart BCm to spot problems, check all fuses... it finally was a corroded switch.
the switch needs to have 1.5kOhms for the BCm to recognize it and send the 12v to the latch. It is a safety thing so that if the is a short during an accindent the hatch does not open by itself.

And this end my adventure with the hatch.. I cannot thank this guy enough and you too PAZZO.

Gianluigi
i have the exact same problem. Hatch wont open with key or button at the back... wierd 5v gonig to it... i tried to bypasss the button and jump the wires still nothing. checked the actualy lock actuator and its working under voltage... what "switch" are you talking about ? how was this issue resolved? also synchronizing using sunroof didnt work ...
 
#18 ·
Thank you for giving everyone an update!
 
#20 ·
Over the summer, I encountered the all too common problem that we've been having with the rear hatch not functioning. After doing a whole lot of digging, the only info I could find was about the wires splitting in the rubber sheath. Great! Now I can get started and have everything fixed in a day.

Here is what I found View attachment 93129

Not too bad. No broken wires just a little water was found in that ?drain tube?; that must be the main issue: moisture causing contact. I sealed everything up and put the hatch back together. BOOM! FIXED!....or so I thought.

A while later, with a few damp days and the car sitting for a week unused, we're back to square one. Well, square -1 because now there is absolutely no function at all....the trunk shall remain closed forever. NOPE! With the help of actually reading a youtube comment, I actually found the release lever. 30 minutes later and everything was fixed. Its super easy, so the steps and pics are below.

This is only a guide if your exterior release button is not functioning but your wiring harness is intact....here we go.

1: GET YOUR HATCH OPEN
Pull off the interior panel. and look for this little bugger:
View attachment 93137
See that tiny metal lever at bottom dead centre? That is you manual trunk release. Brilliant spot in my opinion. Push this down with a screw driver and open your hatch. Tie a string to this and hang it out the hatch every time you close it. fixed.

Kidding of course.

2: TEST THE CIRCUIT FOR FUNCTION.
With your hatch open, close the catch with your finger and unplug the wire harness from the hatch release here:
View attachment 93145
Then, look at the end of the harness like an idiot for a few minutes while trying to remember what you did with you jumper wire; like this:
View attachment 93153
This is the important bit; hold it like that. Exactly like that. If you don't, then the magical electrician in you brain will get upset and take a coffee break. Got it? OK. The left terminal is for the license plate lights and not important at all. The right terminal should be a black wire, and the middle terminal is the lead for the hatch release actuator. Shove your paperclip in those 2 holes( I know you're going to use a paper clip). If your magical electrician is not on break, you should hear little buzz-click sound. look at the catch, is it open? Good, now close the catch again and play with this a few times(its a neat sound). You've also just discovered where your problem is.

3. REMOVE THE SWITCH
Remove the 4 nuts that you saw in the first picture of step 2(they might only be finger tight, as mine were), then while holding the chrome exterior piece(switch assembly), pinch the black pinchy thing in the middle. Done. Now, Step 4.

4. Look at how dirty the back and bottom of the switch assembly are and say "f#$ing gross" before you clean it all up. While doing that, have a look at the connector; it should be super dirty too, and maybe a little corroded.

5. CLEAN YOUR CONTACTS
Scratch the contacts clean with what ever is handy and, gently, bend them down, or up, about 1/2mm. I did this because, as you may notice, the male terminals are a lot smaller than the female terminals(Oops. I guess Italian designers like to have art imitate life). Plug the wiring harness in and push the button.....buzz-click? If it made the noise, you are all done; If it didn't, you'll have to investigate further.

6. INVESTIGATE FURTHER
I don't know. I didn't have to. Please, if you did have to post your steps.
I'm trying to figure out the problem on my grandson's 2013 500 Pop.

The back hatch will not unlatch from either the key fob, or the release button on the handle.

After climbing inside and removing the back panel, I got the hatch open and then slit open the rubber boot at the top left (where a lot
of other issues have been found) however, none of the wires are frayed, or cut in any way. (No obvious damage to the wiring there.)

I tried to do the paperclip trick on the switch connector, but got no satisfactory 'buzz-click' from the mechanism.

I put a multimeter across the contacts to the mechanism, but got absolutely no reading across any combination of connectors.

Could anyone tell me which of those wires is 'supposed' to supply the current to the mechanism, and/or the release switch so that
perhaps I can trace back through the harness with a probe, to see if there might be a broken conductor within the 'normal looking' insulation?
Is there a decent wiring diagram of the wiring in the rear hatch available somewhere?

I don't have the car here, he is bringing it out on Saturday for me to do some more diagnosing and checking. I'm looking for some hints
to maybe cut down the search time. (I will be checking the fuse, as I didn't the other night he was here.) He works and goes to school so
availability and length of stay is limited.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Bill.
 
#22 ·
Over the summer, I encountered the all too common problem that we've been having with the rear hatch not functioning. After doing a whole lot of digging, the only info I could find was about the wires splitting in the rubber sheath. Great! Now I can get started and have everything fixed in a day.

Here is what I found View attachment 93129

Not too bad. No broken wires just a little water was found in that ?drain tube?; that must be the main issue: moisture causing contact. I sealed everything up and put the hatch back together. BOOM! FIXED!....or so I thought.

A while later, with a few damp days and the car sitting for a week unused, we're back to square one. Well, square -1 because now there is absolutely no function at all....the trunk shall remain closed forever. NOPE! With the help of actually reading a youtube comment, I actually found the release lever. 30 minutes later and everything was fixed. Its super easy, so the steps and pics are below.

This is only a guide if your exterior release button is not functioning but your wiring harness is intact....here we go.

1: GET YOUR HATCH OPEN
Pull off the interior panel. and look for this little bugger:
View attachment 93137
See that tiny metal lever at bottom dead centre? That is you manual trunk release. Brilliant spot in my opinion. Push this down with a screw driver and open your hatch. Tie a string to this and hang it out the hatch every time you close it. fixed.

Kidding of course.

2: TEST THE CIRCUIT FOR FUNCTION.
With your hatch open, close the catch with your finger and unplug the wire harness from the hatch release here:
View attachment 93145
Then, look at the end of the harness like an idiot for a few minutes while trying to remember what you did with you jumper wire; like this:
View attachment 93153
This is the important bit; hold it like that. Exactly like that. If you don't, then the magical electrician in you brain will get upset and take a coffee break. Got it? OK. The left terminal is for the license plate lights and not important at all. The right terminal should be a black wire, and the middle terminal is the lead for the hatch release actuator. Shove your paperclip in those 2 holes( I know you're going to use a paper clip). If your magical electrician is not on break, you should hear little buzz-click sound. look at the catch, is it open? Good, now close the catch again and play with this a few times(its a neat sound). You've also just discovered where your problem is.

3. REMOVE THE SWITCH
Remove the 4 nuts that you saw in the first picture of step 2(they might only be finger tight, as mine were), then while holding the chrome exterior piece(switch assembly), pinch the black pinchy thing in the middle. Done. Now, Step 4.

4. Look at how dirty the back and bottom of the switch assembly are and say "f#$ing gross" before you clean it all up. While doing that, have a look at the connector; it should be super dirty too, and maybe a little corroded.

5. CLEAN YOUR CONTACTS
Scratch the contacts clean with what ever is handy and, gently, bend them down, or up, about 1/2mm. I did this because, as you may notice, the male terminals are a lot smaller than the female terminals(Oops. I guess Italian designers like to have art imitate life). Plug the wiring harness in and push the button.....buzz-click? If it made the noise, you are all done; If it didn't, you'll have to investigate further.

6. INVESTIGATE FURTHER
I don't know. I didn't have to. Please, if you did have to post your steps.
Hey, how did you find the manual trunk release!!! you are a wizard! I live in Quebec (french canadian) and I had searched in all the french and Italian sites for Fiat!!!! (Sorry for my bad english)

thanks again! Merci!
 
#23 ·
As a Subaru owner for MANY years, and having an ACCESS PANEL for rear hatch opening, I took this pre-emptive strike a few years ago on my wife's 2012 500 Sport.

As shown in the pictures, ordered a 3" black round cover. It DID have a rim on the inside that might fit and hold in a metal hole, but would not in the flimsy Fiat rear cover. I cut that rim OFF and covered it with Velcro HOOKS so it would STICK around the hole made.

109906


Couldn't make the hole any LOWER on the panel, the inside metal of the hatch is there, so I cut it as LOW as I could.
109907


Took a picture of the Latch release ALONE, then using PAINT, I added an arrow and words of where the lever is to PUSH to release. Then double stick tape to the inside of the velcro cover, leaving edges clear to STICK to the panel.
109908


Made a RELEASE tool from a rod from an old closet organizer we were throwing out. Bending a handle on one end and short piece and sanded smooth on the other for the release lever.
109909


Tested all from the inside... and all worked. Then found a place on inside left rear to keep release rod I made and hold in place , once again with a Blue strip of velcro I cut.
109910



Take a Preemptive strike before you are in this position.... something Fiat SHOULD have thought of since they DID give you a manual release lever on the latch,
 
#41 ·
As a Subaru owner for MANY years, and having an ACCESS PANEL for rear hatch opening, I took this pre-emptive strike a few years ago on my wife's 2012 500 Sport.

As shown in the pictures, ordered a 3" black round cover. It DID have a rim on the inside that might fit and hold in a metal hole, but would not in the flimsy Fiat rear cover. I cut that rim OFF and covered it with Velcro HOOKS so it would STICK around the hole made.

View attachment 109906

Couldn't make the hole any LOWER on the panel, the inside metal of the hatch is there, so I cut it as LOW as I could.
View attachment 109907

Took a picture of the Latch release ALONE, then using PAINT, I added an arrow and words of where the lever is to PUSH to release. Then double stick tape to the inside of the velcro cover, leaving edges clear to STICK to the panel.
View attachment 109908

Made a RELEASE tool from a rod from an old closet organizer we were throwing out. Bending a handle on one end and short piece and sanded smooth on the other for the release lever.
View attachment 109909

Tested all from the inside... and all worked. Then found a place on inside left rear to keep release rod I made and hold in place , once again with a Blue strip of velcro I cut.
View attachment 109910


Take a Preemptive strike before you are in this position.... something Fiat SHOULD have thought of since they DID give you a manual release lever on the latch,
Thanks 4 the idea, just did the same just In case I have problems in the future-- but I drilled a smaller hole and closer to the latch- drilled through the fiber cover and the sheet metal so I can actually get right to the release lever
 
#26 ·
Over the summer, I encountered the all too common problem that we've been having with the rear hatch not functioning. After doing a whole lot of digging, the only info I could find was about the wires splitting in the rubber sheath. Great! Now I can get started and have everything fixed in a day.

Here is what I found View attachment 93129

Not too bad. No broken wires just a little water was found in that ?drain tube?; that must be the main issue: moisture causing contact. I sealed everything up and put the hatch back together. BOOM! FIXED!....or so I thought.

A while later, with a few damp days and the car sitting for a week unused, we're back to square one. Well, square -1 because now there is absolutely no function at all....the trunk shall remain closed forever. NOPE! With the help of actually reading a youtube comment, I actually found the release lever. 30 minutes later and everything was fixed. Its super easy, so the steps and pics are below.

This is only a guide if your exterior release button is not functioning but your wiring harness is intact....here we go.

1: GET YOUR HATCH OPEN
Pull off the interior panel. and look for this little bugger:
View attachment 93137
See that tiny metal lever at bottom dead centre? That is you manual trunk release. Brilliant spot in my opinion. Push this down with a screw driver and open your hatch. Tie a string to this and hang it out the hatch every time you close it. fixed.

Kidding of course.

2: TEST THE CIRCUIT FOR FUNCTION.
With your hatch open, close the catch with your finger and unplug the wire harness from the hatch release here:
View attachment 93145
Then, look at the end of the harness like an idiot for a few minutes while trying to remember what you did with you jumper wire; like this:
View attachment 93153
This is the important bit; hold it like that. Exactly like that. If you don't, then the magical electrician in you brain will get upset and take a coffee break. Got it? OK. The left terminal is for the license plate lights and not important at all. The right terminal should be a black wire, and the middle terminal is the lead for the hatch release actuator. Shove your paperclip in those 2 holes( I know you're going to use a paper clip). If your magical electrician is not on break, you should hear little buzz-click sound. look at the catch, is it open? Good, now close the catch again and play with this a few times(its a neat sound). You've also just discovered where your problem is.

3. REMOVE THE SWITCH
Remove the 4 nuts that you saw in the first picture of step 2(they might only be finger tight, as mine were), then while holding the chrome exterior piece(switch assembly), pinch the black pinchy thing in the middle. Done. Now, Step 4.

4. Look at how dirty the back and bottom of the switch assembly are and say "f#$ing gross" before you clean it all up. While doing that, have a look at the connector; it should be super dirty too, and maybe a little corroded.

5. CLEAN YOUR CONTACTS
Scratch the contacts clean with what ever is handy and, gently, bend them down, or up, about 1/2mm. I did this because, as you may notice, the male terminals are a lot smaller than the female terminals(Oops. I guess Italian designers like to have art imitate life). Plug the wiring harness in and push the button.....buzz-click? If it made the noise, you are all done; If it didn't, you'll have to investigate further.

6. INVESTIGATE FURTHER
I don't know. I didn't have to. Please, if you did have to post your steps.
 
#27 ·
Over the summer, I encountered the all too common problem that we've been having with the rear hatch not functioning. After doing a whole lot of digging, the only info I could find was about the wires splitting in the rubber sheath. Great! Now I can get started and have everything fixed in a day.

Here is what I found View attachment 93129

Not too bad. No broken wires just a little water was found in that ?drain tube?; that must be the main issue: moisture causing contact. I sealed everything up and put the hatch back together. BOOM! FIXED!....or so I thought.

A while later, with a few damp days and the car sitting for a week unused, we're back to square one. Well, square -1 because now there is absolutely no function at all....the trunk shall remain closed forever. NOPE! With the help of actually reading a youtube comment, I actually found the release lever. 30 minutes later and everything was fixed. Its super easy, so the steps and pics are below.

This is only a guide if your exterior release button is not functioning but your wiring harness is intact....here we go.

1: GET YOUR HATCH OPEN
Pull off the interior panel. and look for this little bugger:
View attachment 93137
See that tiny metal lever at bottom dead centre? That is you manual trunk release. Brilliant spot in my opinion. Push this down with a screw driver and open your hatch. Tie a string to this and hang it out the hatch every time you close it. fixed.

Kidding of course.

2: TEST THE CIRCUIT FOR FUNCTION.
With your hatch open, close the catch with your finger and unplug the wire harness from the hatch release here:
View attachment 93145
Then, look at the end of the harness like an idiot for a few minutes while trying to remember what you did with you jumper wire; like this:
View attachment 93153
This is the important bit; hold it like that. Exactly like that. If you don't, then the magical electrician in you brain will get upset and take a coffee break. Got it? OK. The left terminal is for the license plate lights and not important at all. The right terminal should be a black wire, and the middle terminal is the lead for the hatch release actuator. Shove your paperclip in those 2 holes( I know you're going to use a paper clip). If your magical electrician is not on break, you should hear little buzz-click sound. look at the catch, is it open? Good, now close the catch again and play with this a few times(its a neat sound). You've also just discovered where your problem is.

3. REMOVE THE SWITCH
Remove the 4 nuts that you saw in the first picture of step 2(they might only be finger tight, as mine were), then while holding the chrome exterior piece(switch assembly), pinch the black pinchy thing in the middle. Done. Now, Step 4.

4. Look at how dirty the back and bottom of the switch assembly are and say "f#$ing gross" before you clean it all up. While doing that, have a look at the connector; it should be super dirty too, and maybe a little corroded.

5. CLEAN YOUR CONTACTS
Scratch the contacts clean with what ever is handy and, gently, bend them down, or up, about 1/2mm. I did this because, as you may notice, the male terminals are a lot smaller than the female terminals(Oops. I guess Italian designers like to have art imitate life). Plug the wiring harness in and push the button.....buzz-click? If it made the noise, you are all done; If it didn't, you'll have to investigate further.

6. INVESTIGATE FURTHER
I don't know. I didn't have to. Please, if you did have to post your steps.
First of all thanks. I was able to fix the issue. I didn’t need to do the jumper test as I saw contacts needed a good cleaning right away.
Automotive lighting Street light Sky Automotive exterior Vehicle door
Automotive lighting Street light Sky Automotive exterior Vehicle door
Automotive lighting Street light Sky Automotive exterior Vehicle door
Petal Tints and shades Automotive lighting Darkness Carmine
Automotive lighting Automotive exterior Automotive design Bumper Tints and shades
Automotive lighting Street light Sky Automotive exterior Vehicle door
 
#28 ·
Sorry those are terrible photos. Perhaps take them down and redo?
 
#29 ·
Hi everyone ! I found this forum while searching the solution for a weird problem. I have a 2012 Fiat 500 convertible and the problem is that the truk opens ONLY when when the key is turned on the MAR position of the ignition switch or with the engine on.
Without the key on, it won't open either manually from the inside door handles or from the remote control keys when I unlock the doors.
Soft top works perfectly. ( I have done the reset ).
Finally I have to mention that depending on the version, when the soft top is fully open the trunk either looks or when you try to open it the soft top retracts. In my case with the egine on, the trunk opens even with the soft top fully open and the soft top doesn't retract.
Car was bought second hand and I don't know any history. The problem was there from the beginning.
Is there a valet setting for safety reasons that I can't find on the menus or do i start digging ? My car electrician has never heard of it. ( He's not specialized in FIAT though )
Any ideas ?
Sorry for my long post, I tried to give any details that I can. Thanks in advance.
 
#30 ·
Over the summer, I encountered the all too common problem that we've been having with the rear hatch not functioning. After doing a whole lot of digging, the only info I could find was about the wires splitting in the rubber sheath. Great! Now I can get started and have everything fixed in a day.

Here is what I found View attachment 93129

Not too bad. No broken wires just a little water was found in that ?drain tube?; that must be the main issue: moisture causing contact. I sealed everything up and put the hatch back together. BOOM! FIXED!....or so I thought.

A while later, with a few damp days and the car sitting for a week unused, we're back to square one. Well, square -1 because now there is absolutely no function at all....the trunk shall remain closed forever. NOPE! With the help of actually reading a youtube comment, I actually found the release lever. 30 minutes later and everything was fixed. Its super easy, so the steps and pics are below.

This is only a guide if your exterior release button is not functioning but your wiring harness is intact....here we go.

1: GET YOUR HATCH OPEN
Pull off the interior panel. and look for this little bugger:
View attachment 93137
See that tiny metal lever at bottom dead centre? That is you manual trunk release. Brilliant spot in my opinion. Push this down with a screw driver and open your hatch. Tie a string to this and hang it out the hatch every time you close it. fixed.

Kidding of course.

2: TEST THE CIRCUIT FOR FUNCTION.
With your hatch open, close the catch with your finger and unplug the wire harness from the hatch release here:
View attachment 93145
Then, look at the end of the harness like an idiot for a few minutes while trying to remember what you did with you jumper wire; like this:
View attachment 93153
This is the important bit; hold it like that. Exactly like that. If you don't, then the magical electrician in you brain will get upset and take a coffee break. Got it? OK. The left terminal is for the license plate lights and not important at all. The right terminal should be a black wire, and the middle terminal is the lead for the hatch release actuator. Shove your paperclip in those 2 holes( I know you're going to use a paper clip). If your magical electrician is not on break, you should hear little buzz-click sound. look at the catch, is it open? Good, now close the catch again and play with this a few times(its a neat sound). You've also just discovered where your problem is.

3. REMOVE THE SWITCH
Remove the 4 nuts that you saw in the first picture of step 2(they might only be finger tight, as mine were), then while holding the chrome exterior piece(switch assembly), pinch the black pinchy thing in the middle. Done. Now, Step 4.

4. Look at how dirty the back and bottom of the switch assembly are and say "f#$ing gross" before you clean it all up. While doing that, have a look at the connector; it should be super dirty too, and maybe a little corroded.

5. CLEAN YOUR CONTACTS
Scratch the contacts clean with what ever is handy and, gently, bend them down, or up, about 1/2mm. I did this because, as you may notice, the male terminals are a lot smaller than the female terminals(Oops. I guess Italian designers like to have art imitate life). Plug the wiring harness in and push the button.....buzz-click? If it made the noise, you are all done; If it didn't, you'll have to investigate further.

6. INVESTIGATE FURTHER
I don't know. I didn't have to. Please, if you did have to post your steps.
So I have an issue with my fob not opening the hatch. When I press the button lights flash hatch nothing. Know how to fix that?
 
#31 ·
Hi I'm having trouble with misses fiat 500 2010, so it's seems to be one thing after another with this piece of crap! so the other day after the car was sat for 24hrs got in it to drive when the battery was flat and nothing was left on, so jumped started it and it was fine. Until it came time to get in the boot (trunk) with the shopping! tryd the handle and the button on the key fob nothing!! wtf?!?!
Managed to climb through the back seat and opened it that way, so once at home took the chrome handle apart cleaned the connectors up WD40 etc put a volt meter on it power to the licence plate lights so there is power their, checked all the fuse's and all good (the miles kept flashing on and off pulling all the fuse's out seemed to have sorted that one) tryd the key fob button and still nothing. So my question is has anyone changed the boot lock because its a pile of ****? and did it solve the problem

Cheers
 
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