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DIY: Hatch release button

nvturbo

Go Kart Champion
Since the MK6 Golfs (2.5, GTI, R) did not come with an actual hatch release lever OR a push button like other models, I decided to add one. This DIY isn't that complicated but you will have to be careful when working with electronics. I DO NOT LIKE using crimp connectors so soldering all connections is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

*** YOU MUST HAVE THE AUTOMATIC TRUNK/HATCH MOD (ALREADY INSTALLED & WORKING) IN ORDER FOR THIS TO WORK PROPERLY. NO VAGCOM CODING IS NEEDED ***

Parts/materials:
• Soldering pen
• Soldering wire
• Utility knife
• Wire stripper
• Mechanical flat screwdriver
• Small flat screwdriver
• 1ft of 18AWG pair wire (2 wires)
• Cordless/corded drill
• Drill bit (depends on the size of the momentary button)
• Trunk release button or momentary push button (w/ 2 tabs)
• Black electrical tape
• Work light
• COMMON SENSE :D

DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible if you cause bodily harm to others, damage your car, or get burned by soldering. If you are still unsure what to do after reading this DIY or you simply don't want to handle the job yourself, let/pay someone competent to do the work. Do this modification at YOUR OWN RISK.



1. Pull the driver seat back to gain work room. With your work light in place, pull on the hood lever. If you look closely, you will see an open slot right behind the lever. Using a small flat screwdriver, pry outwards the holding clip. This will release the lever. After the lever is removed, pry the screw cover under the mounting of the lever. Once cover is removed, remove the plastic flat screw so you can take out the kick panel. Pry up a portion of the door sill plastic trim to gain more room to remove the kick panel.











2. Using your drill, drill a small hole above where the hood lever is located. Cut out a square about 1"x 1" to accommodate the square trunk release button. If you are using a momentary button, you will need to make sure the hole is the appropriate size for that button. I chose this location because I didn’t want anyone to fiddle with the button when I’m driving (you can literally put the button anywhere you choose, even at the center console above the shifter).




3. Re-install the kick panel and hood lever. MAKE SURE TO CLOSE THE HOOD since you pulled on the lever (when removing it). Look underneath the dash where the CECM MODULE is. You will see three plugs, BLACK (left), WHITE (middle), YELLOW (right). You will be working with the BLACK PLUG. With your small flat screwdriver, press the center release tab so the WHITE locking clip can be pulled downwards.



4. Once the WHITE clip is down, pull on the BLACK PLASTIC PLUG HOLDER and you will see the connection side of the plug. With your small mechanical screwdriver, carefully pry the small tabs on the TOP side to release the inside plugs. The plugs are slid together so you will just have to pull them apart. If you look closely, you will see numbers on the left side of the plugs. From the top, it starts with 12, 13, 14, 15 …….24. You will be using #13 (light purple) and # 23 (brown). #13 is the trunk/hatch release button and #23 is chassis ground.






5. Strip about 1 /4” of the insulation on each wire, one at a time, about 3 inches away from the plug itself. Try not to cut the wire itself. Solder one of the wires of the momentary button to either #13 or #23. Solder the other wire to the remainder wire (of the BLACK harness). It DOES NOT matter which one you connect to because you are making continuity of the ground, not actually power up anything.




6. Once the soldered connections are done, cover them with black electrical tape. Slide the two “separated” wire harness back together. Insert the joined harness into the BLACK PLASTIC PLUG HOLDER. You will hear a click when they are back into the holder. Re-insert the BLACK PLASTIC PLUG back into the original slot. Swing back the WHITE CLIP and it will click into place.


7. Test your new button and it will work whether the car is ON or OFF. Also, the trunk/hatch button on the key remote WILL STILL WORK as usual. BTW, the car doors have to be UNLOCKED before this can work.









JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER......

PLEASE CONSIDER A SAFE PLACEMENT OF THE PUSH BUTTON. IT WILL OPEN THE HATCH ONCE THE BUTTON IS PRESSED, WHETHER THE ENGINE IS RUNNING OR NOT. HOWEVER, AS A SAFETY FEATURE (VW), IT WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO POP THE HATCH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. WHEN YOU COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, UNLOCK THE DOORS AND THEN PRESS BUTTON TO OPEN.


ENJOY YOUR NEW (cheap) MOD. :thumbup:


If you need one of these trunk release buttons, I have (13) of them. These come with 4" pigtail of wires. There are 4 wires on the back but only 2 of them are needed to do this mod. The other two are for illumination, if you want the car logo to light up. I will make sure to distinguish the correct wires you will need to use.








PM ME if you're interested in one of these buttons.
 
Last edited:

nik

Go Kart Champion
I can't verify if this works or not, but there may be an option to wire it into the driver door as well, where I believe the Jetta's/ Passat
s is located. Thought I saw some VAG COM code for it when I was programing my door lights.

But then again removing that door panel is a PITA
 

nvturbo

Go Kart Champion
I can't verify if this works or not, but there may be an option to wire it into the driver door as well, where I believe the Jetta's/ Passat
s is located. Thought I saw some VAG COM code for it when I was programing my door lights.

But then again removing that door panel is a PITA

Those buttons you're referring to looks like a window switch. I'm not sure if the appropriate wire is actually present at the door.
 

nik

Go Kart Champion
Yeah some harness will have to be made for that one using repair wires I would think. Similar to the harness for the door lights to plug into the main door module plug.


Sent from the crapper using Fapatalk
 

Uberryan

Banned
If not, I would look into getting a dead button replacement near the ESP button and run a slightly longer wire. They might make a trunk one, but if not, they likely have it on that sticker pack you can get for those buttons.
 

sterkrazzy

Autocross Champion

sterkrazzy

Autocross Champion
All the wiring is under the dash, at the CECM. Not sure why you would have to run wires to the back.





sure do. :D

To the door, not the back. You have to run a wire to the harness in the door for the ecs kit.
 
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