Installing factory power trunk release/opener, can't get pulse to actuator
 

I went to the local jy today and got the power actuator, switch, and relay so I could install a factory power trunk setup starting from just having the non-power lever and cable. I checked the actuator, switch, and relay and all are working. I have 12v at the trunk and all grounds appear good except the actual pulse to activate the solenoid.

The problem is somewhere between the gnd at the actuator and the gnd pulse at the switch. It seems from the other threads I've read that there are some other items in the circuit between the gnd pulse at the switch and at the actuator, but I am not sure what these components may be.

My question is what, if anything, am I missing? Also where would my missing components be located?

(I also apologize if I am missing something obvious, but believe me I have searched)

Oh, I forgot to mention that the fuse is good and I want to make this thing work like it would if it were installed from the factory. Not just rig it to a switch or something.

According to the FSM, there is no relay in the circuit for the electric trunk opener. Where is this relay located at? And what is the label on it?

Have you checked voltage readings? On the switch, the purple/white stripe wire should have 12 volts on it all the time. This wire goes to the fuse.

The other wire on the switch, the purple/yellow stripe wire, should read 12 volts when not pressed and zero volts when pressed. The same goes for the purple/yellow stripe wire on the opener solenoid.

There are 3 connectors in between the switch and the solenoid. And this is not including the connectors on the switch and solenoid. Lots of possibilities for a bad connection.

Yea turns out the relay has to do with the stock keyless entry so I wouldn't really need it. Its the one that bolts up right next to the solenoid in the trunk though.

All the readings appear good. I can get the solenoid to engage at the trunk if jumper 12v from the plug to it and short it to ground (mimic the job of the switch).

I'm pretty sure I have it narrowed down to those three connections between the switch and the solenoid. I see on the FSM that they are "7, 9T, and 11" in the circuit... any chance you know what and where they are?

The numbers in your FSM ("7, 9T, and 11") do not match mine. Is your fsm a Nissan 1998 FSM?

In my manual the connectors are D10 on the door switch, doing to D1/M8 inside the door, going to M4/B1 under the dash, going to B27/T1 in the trunk above the left wheel, going to T7 on the trunk lid solenoid. The strange designation of D1/M8 is the male and female connectors of a harness connection.

In the FSM I have:
the schematic is on page EL-139
connectors D1/M8 and M4/B1 are on page EL-306, grid A4
Connector B27/T1 is on page EL-310, grid E4

The FSM I have can be gotten at these sites:
http://boredmder.com/FSMs/Nissan/Maxima/1998/EL.pdf
http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/maxima/1998/EL.pdf

Oh, sorry I was looking at the wrong numbers. So I started probing wires and have the problem isolated between B1 and M8 in the schematic as far as I can tell.

I'm pretty sure it's in the B1 M4 connection but I don't really know how to test that since i can't really access it.

Does that connection in the circuit happen to go anywhere else like a BCM I may not have since my car did not have a power trunk stock?

What you're likely missing is the factory keyless module in the trunk. Inside that module, there is a relay that completes the entire circuit, and it also sends power to the solenoid when you press the "trunk" button on the remote. The keyless module would be located inside the trunk mounted on the passenger side behind the carpeting...and that is where all the wires will be that relate to the trunk popper.

I thought that might be the problem at first, but there is conductivity from the solenoid ground to the B1 in the circuit (connection by the driver left foot kick panel).

Also, the solenoid always has 12v on it, the ground is what is switched. I can short the solenoid to ground and I can get the solenoid to actuate in the trunk from the connector. The only thing I could think of is that the "9T" connector in the schematic (also B1 to M4) is somehow connected to the "multi-remote control unit" in the trunk and controls when the trunk can open and when it can't.

Btw.. I don't have the multi-remote control unit in my car incase anyone was wondering.

If your sure the switch and fuse are good then there's not much else that could be wrong. If it were the wiring I would think it would have to be a problem in the door.

The problem isn't in the door since I have a signal from the switch in the door to the "M8" connection in the left foot kick panel. It seems like the problem is between there and the "B1" connector.

..btw I'm probing the wires in two locations and using a multimeter to test continuity

The keyless module has nothing to do with cjanderson's problem. He is dealing with an inside release button problem, not a key fob remote problem.

The inside trunk release is not controlled by the multi-remote or anything else. It is just the button in the door grounding out the solenoid.

I went and looked at 97 at the 9T or B1/M4 connector. I can see it, I can touch it with my finger and that's it. I am awed that you were able to check one of the wires in that thing. I don't know how you could unplug that connector unless maybe there is enough slack to pull it out into the open.

I was barely able to test that one. I took a screw driver and turned it enough so I could get a sewing needle into the back of the harness connection and probed it that way. I got continuity from that point to the switch at the door.

I'm pretty sure the problem is at the B4-M1 connection. It looks like this connection is on a plastic connection board with a bunch of other stuff. I can't get to the wire yet on that one to test it.

Since the problem was at that point it made me think that maybe there was something else in the circuit that may have not been described in that section of the FSM. I was thinking along the lines of a relay or BCM type of thing that would prevent the trunk from opening while the car is rolling down the road and what-not.

In cars that have power trunk stock is this possible? Can the trunk actually be opened while driving?

I think it can. There was a recent thread where the guy wanted to put a 5th gen switch in his car because he was always bumping the switch and opening his trunk. I keep forgetting to try it on my 97.

edit - here's that link. People say that it opens.

http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...pen-trunk.html

yea i saw that when I was searching around. I guess if I can't get this B1 to M4 connection to work I could just bypass it with a wire. I'd just rather make it as-stock-as-possible ya know.