[stevon]

Guys,

I succeeded in adding a remote trunk release key fob. Purchased a kit from eBay:

12V 15A dry contact 0v out momentary relay switch with 2 remote key fob RP11 $19.00

12V 15A dry contact 0v out momentary relay switch with 2 remote key fob RP11 | eBay

Relay: [email protected], [email protected]

www.ebay.com

found trunk button trigger wire under center console on the pink connector then you touch the gray with violet stripe to ground, wala!. for another project I will take off the door panel and wire a switch I bought eBay

Car Trunk Lid Lock 4G0959831A Fit AUDI A4 A6 A7 A8 Q3 Q5 Q7 2006-2015 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Car Trunk Lid Lock 4G0959831A Fit AUDI A4 A6 A7 A8 Q3 Q5 Q7 2006-2015 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[stevon]

Oh yes, for $15 I purchased access to the Helm's 2017 VOLT service manual and downloaded the wiring diagram

 

[flyingsherpa]

Interesting project, but I'm not sure I see the utility? If the car is unlocked, anyone can open the trunk, and you can unlock it from the same panel where you are putting the switch. Am I missing something?

 

[Sly Bob]

Great post and one that you spent a lot of time researching, nicely done.

 

[Saint]

What year is your car? I tried to add the cabin trunk release button but my 2017 has different wires and connectors on the passenger side center console, not following the wiring diagram.

 

[stevon]

Saint,
My car is a 2017 Premier. Remove drivers side console cover bolt (10mm) then unclip the rest remove side panel. The pink connector on the BCM is the one where I found the ground BCM output to the release solenoid for the trunk latch. The button signal wire from the trunk lid I did not find
Stephen

What year is your car? I tried to add the cabin trunk release button but my 2017 has different wires and connectors on the passenger side center console, not following the wiring diagram.

 

[stevon]

FlyingSherpa
If the car is open you can crawl into the hatch area anyways I don’t Understand your point
Stephen

Interesting project, but I'm not sure I see the utility? If the car is unlocked, anyone can open the trunk, and you can unlock it from the same panel where you are putting the switch. Am I missing something?

 

[Saint]

Saint,
My car is a 2017 Premier. Remove drivers side console cover bolt (10mm) then unclip the rest remove side panel. The pink connector on the BCM is the one where I found the ground BCM output to the release solenoid for the trunk latch. The button signal wire from the trunk lid I did not find
Stephen

I see. Even though I would prefer the button signal this is a solution. Thanks!

 

[stevon]

Saint,

I too would prefer to use the signal from the trunk button, but it was getting dark and this one worked. It looks like I used the yellow with blue stripe wire (the ground for the release solenoid) Will be adding a button on the door panel when I get a chance, the wires for that are stached in the fuse box for now. After that plan to fix the wireless charging for my iPhone 10 as it has never worked.

Stephen

I see. Even though I would prefer the button signal this is a solution. Thanks!

 

[stevon]

Saint,

Maybe I did use the hatch button wire. The color code shows Yellow/blu and it was a very small wire like 22 gauge or smaller. Good luck with your project!

Stephen

 

[flyingsherpa]

FlyingSherpa
If the car is open you can crawl into the hatch area anyways I don’t Understand your point
Stephen

My point is that I don't see a use-case for the mod. If you are approaching a locked car and want the trunk to be open for someone other than the fob-holder... then pressing a button on the OEM fob already does that (unlock). Pressing a release button on another fob therefore doesn't gain you any new capability. Same with a door panel button, you already have an unlock button accessible from your seated position, a release button doesn't add new capability.

I'm not trying to rip on the project, it's neat you figured all this out, I'm just trying to understand what motivated it, since it doesn't get you anything new.

 

[stevon]

FlyingSherpa,
There is no trunk button on a Chevy Volt key Fob , that’s why I had to add one. The lame excuse GM gave was no comfort or usable information

Other GM cars still have a trunk release key Fob button and one inside as well

 

[stevon]

Neither the 2016+ Chevy VOLT or the Chevy Bolt have any trunk release other than button on deck lid. There is no way to open hatch from the inside the car. I found this maddening. An internet search reveals that hundreds of people are also extremely annoyed about this issue but until now,
at least for the second generation VOLT no one has posted a solution
Stephen

 

[jayoldschool]

Wonder if there a different GM fob that can be paired that would simply enable trunk release?

 

[Saint]

s Yellow/blu and it was a very small wire like 22 gauge or smaller. Good luck with your project!

Maybe you can run a quick test, when you press the new button in D does the trunk open? If yes it is the solenoid wire.

 

[Saint]

/

Neither the 2016+ Chevy VOLT or the Chevy Bolt have any trunk release other than button on deck lid. There is no way to open hatch from the inside the car. I found this maddening. An internet search reveals that hundreds of people are also extremely annoyed about this issue but until now,
at least for the second generation VOLT no one has posted a solution
Stephen

Could it be related to hatch-back? Maybe there is a safety concern? Just throwing ideas..

 

[stevon]

Wonder if there a different GM fob that can be paired that would simply enable trunk release?

I doubt that would work, you would need a “receiver radio frequency” and a circuit to amplify out put to signal the BCM. I did not see a module for that function in the manual or one physically in the car. That’s why the eBay button kit was required
Stephen

 

[wordptom]

Seems to me you need to clarify that what you are trying to do is to get the hatch to "pop open" by itself, i.e., without physically touching the hatch release pad, and not just to "unlock." Currently you can pop the hood from inside the car, and all four doors have door handles on the inside of the car, but there’s no "open the hatch" handle inside the car.

I note this in the Gen 2 Volt owner manuals in the Hatch subsection of the Keys, Doors, and Windows section that I do not find in the Gen 1 manuals:

"To open the hatch, the vehicle must be off or the shift lever must be in P (Park)."

(Don’t want a driver coming to a stop, then hopping out of the car to run to the back to grab something out of the hatch without first putting the Volt in Park and engaging the Parking Brake.)

A button that can "pop open" and not just "unlock" the hatch certainly seems to have "safety issue" written all over it. Do you really want to be able to pop open the hatch on a car that is moving down the street?

The question is why? You can’t get "trapped" in a trunk area behind the rear seats in a Volt where a method of popping the hatch would enable you to escape - just crawl forward and use any of the four doors. Perhaps this is your alternative to having one of those vehicles that will pop the hatch open when your arms are full if you wave your foot back and forth under the rear bumper...

 

[stevon]

Saint,

I tested the new key Fob with car off and in Drive selection. The trunk did not open, then putting car into park the new key Fob popped the trunk even with the ignition still on.

Stephen

Maybe you can run a quick test, when you press the new button in D does the trunk open? If yes it is the solenoid wire.

 

[stevon]

wordptom,

I just want to unlock the trunk with both hands full and with the key Fob, I also want to unlock the trunk from inside the car. The $4 saved per car by GM is a lousy idea and poor excuse while they still have it on many other GM models. I don't see this "safety feature" on Cadillac models, doubt their customers would tolerate it. Your second point "pop open" the Chevy volt does not include a spring strong enough to "pop" open the trunk, releasing the lock is working good for me so far.

Stephen

Seems to me you need to clarify that what you are trying to do is to get the hatch to "pop open" by itself, i.e., without physically touching the hatch release pad, and not just to "unlock." Currently you can pop the hood from inside the car, and all four doors have door handles on the inside of the car, but there’s no "open the hatch" handle inside the car.

I note this in the Gen 2 Volt owner manuals in the Hatch subsection of the Keys, Doors, and Windows section that I do not find in the Gen 1 manuals:

"To open the hatch, the vehicle must be off or the shift lever must be in P (Park)."

(Don’t want a driver coming to a stop, then hopping out of the car to run to the back to grab something out of the hatch without first putting the Volt in Park and engaging the Parking Brake.)

A button that can "pop open" and not just "unlock" the hatch certainly seems to have "safety issue" written all over it. Do you really want to be able to pop open the hatch on a car that is moving down the street?

The question is why? You can’t get "trapped" in a trunk area behind the rear seats in a Volt where a method of popping the hatch would enable you to escape - just crawl forward and use any of the four doors. Perhaps this is your alternative to having one of those vehicles that will pop the hatch open when your arms are full if you wave your foot back and forth under the rear bumper...