Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting how to lubricate trunk release?

Manual trunk release lever is working but seems kind of sticky or something. When I pull it up it stays up and has to be pushed back down manually and does not go back real smoothly to its resting position...many times when I push it back down it ends up opening the gas door.

I sprayed some wd-40 type stuff at the lever area but this has not helped. I have not found any other place where I could attempt to lubricate the cable to the trunk.

Any one know how to get that cable to work smoothly?

Try to use the search feature at the top right of the page. Enter in "trunk release" or something similar. There are a few threads that might help you with your problem.

I did search a few different ways...I always search first and ask questions later...but could not seem to find anything on this. Found stuff on trunk itself sticking and the keyless thing not working but not on the problem I have with the cable or lever sticking even though trunk does open.

You mention that you sprayed some WD40 at the "lever" area. Is this the area on the lower left side of the driver's seat? If so, I would try to spray the trunk latch (in the rear of the trunk).

I think that I have also had the same problem that you describe, although only intermittently. The trunk opens fine, but then when I try and close the trunk lid it doesn't stay locked. I have not tried to permanently fix this yet because it seems that when I jiggle the trunk latch (on the rear of the trunk) it seems to go away for a while.

Let me know if you find the solution.

Yep by the driver's seat is where I sprayed. Actually I did do the trunck latch area too.

If I don't manually push the lever back down then trunk will not latch...not sure if that is what you have happening too.

On my '95 the release works fine, pull lever up and let go and it goes right back down. On my '96 its like cable is gummed up somewhere or lever itself is gummed up.

If I don't get any other ideas here it looked like might get better access to lever and that end of cable by taking off the plastic piece by bottom of door opening.

i have a some what problem like yours. When i pull my latch by the driver seat to open my trunk not only does the trunk open so does the gas tank and it is not spose to open. when i need the gas tank to open it won't. not sure what the problem is. Mine doesn't stick thou.

You'll have to remove door threshold molding to gain access to trunk remote cable end. I would suggest plumber's waterproof or similar grease rather than WD40.

This is definitely a snow and slush climate problem, bet you won't see many posts from Florida.

Started doing that, got one screw out but the seat gets in way of second. I ended up spraying some more crap in there and at the trunk latch. got it working well enough to suit me that way.

After I pull up I still have to push down but if I hold the lever while moving it back, rather than just pushing it and letting it kind of snap down, to resting position it does not pop the fuel door any more.