It'* a 98 SSE with the valet lock out in the trunk and the USELESS button on the drivers door. My wife had the keychain transmitter and the trunk release button on that opened the trunk - until she lost her keys. I spent 2 days tracing wires, checking fuses and relays to no avail. Passenger side fuse block fuse #2 is what I checked and the relay is the 4th one up from the bottom. All checkout fine. When the button is pushed - no noise, no nothing. . . key in ignition, key out, key on, engine running - never a thing. I switched the valet lock out back and forth and no change. I changed out the trunk release mechanism on the trunk - no change. I'm thinking the valet switch might be broken not allowing voltage to the switch on the door. I have voltage at the trunk connectors, but no voltage at the door switch. The org/blk stripe wire rings like it'* grounded and the black wire doesn't ring out when touching ground. Black should be ground, but isn't showing it. The trunk release button on the keychain WORKED to open the trunk - shouldn't that prove that my mechanism and wiring is correct? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The relay for the release is behind the glovebox at the base of the passenger'* A-pillar. Can you hear it click if someone pushes the button?

What do you mean "bottom of a-pillar". I took off that plastic cover under the glove box to get to the fuse block mounted to the passenger side right in front of the door. There are a hand full of relays that plug in to the fuse block - I looked at the owners manual, it says what each one is, and I swapped around a couple that were known good that had the same p/n - no dice. I can't hear anything clicking when the button is pushed. Like I said, the switch isn't getting voltage. I popped the button off the door, disconnected the little plug, checked for voltage and the orange/black striped wire has zero and rings to ground, the black wire has zero volts and doesn't ring to ground. Strange I thought, because black is supposed to be ground and orange is supposed to have 12 volts on it I thought. If there is a different relay somewhere under or behind the glove box I haven't found it. Please explain where it is and what it looks like.

I got a 98 too, and that button is flakey as hell. Luckily I still have my fob, because I have yet to figure out how to make it work all the time. I personally believe it'* just poor construction, and if anyone too heavy handed ever used it, it just kinda "sinks" into it'* hole and makes it hard to operate.

yeah. right

I've been to the local pick a part yard and there'* plenty of door buttons in wrecked Pontiacs. If that'* the only problem I bet it would set you back a whopping .25 cents.

I've never investigated enough to verify the button, but on the rare occasions I have tried to use it, I go through a "PushPushPushWiggleWigglePush" routine til it works. Seeing as my car started her life as a rental, Lord only knows what kinda morons were playing with her....

Since I'm still trying to figure this thing out - could someone please do me a favor and check for voltage on the orange wire behind the trunk release switch on your drivers door then check for ground on the black wire right next to it? Please check this with the valet switch (in the trunk) on AND off so I know what I'm supposed to see under both conditions. Thanks a million.

Mmmm life is so good before valet switches. Good luck dudes

The valet switch either sends or disconnects power to the door switch - since I wasn't getting voltage to the door switch in either valet position on or off, I took the switch off. Low and behold the connector'* positive lead was completely erroded. I put a new connecter on it and viola! Valet switch works and door switch now works too. I love it when fixes are simple and cheap. Thank for the help

Great job! I've bought a tube of dielectric grease since I've had the car. Seems to come in handy