Hey guys, I just found this site about a week ago and it seems like a pretty cool place. I have a question and thought you guys might have some good advice. The trunk of my Bonneville is loose when it is shut, and when I go over bumps you can hear it rattle up and down a little bit. I looked at the trunk latch and found that the metal itself that is around the bolts for the latch has ripped somehow, and that the locking mechanism is fine. Anyway, I'm not sure how to repair this. I had considered looking for a whole new trunk lid at a parts yard somewhere, but then there would be the problem of it being the same color, and I just don't know if that would be a huge hassle or if there is an easier way to fix this. What do you guys think?

I haven't looked the trunk latch in a really long time. Is there any adjustment in it? Could you move either half of the latch?

could it be welded?.. plus a pic would help wiht this..

What kind of car is it?

Pics if you could also.

There is adjustment in the latch assembly as well as two rubber stops in the corners under the spoiler that can help prevent rattling if properly adjusted. You want the rubber stops to 'fight' the latch.

Thanks guys, I'll see what I can do with the rubber stops. Sorry I forgot to tell you, I have a 98 Bonneville SE. I just posted in it in the new member forum.

Well I've got some pictures of this problem. The rubber stops work okay, but the lid of the trunk looks so uneven with the body when they are adjusted to stop the rattling. Here are some pics. I have no idea how this even happened in the first place. It seems like a weld is going to be required :(






Any ideas?

might be time to find a trunklid. going to be a somewhat harder repair I guess you could always weld somthing up though.

carpart.com


Lid/Gate
1996 Pontiac Bonneville BLUE
A0
7373
$125
Randy'* Auto Parts and Towing USA-WA(Okanogan)
1-800-553-4466


Lid/Gate
1996 Pontiac Bonneville BLUE 2D1 -169
A1
$Call
B and R Auto Wrecking, Corvallis USA-OR(Corvallis)
1-888-325-8469



Lid/Gate
1999 Pontiac Bonneville SLE,BLU,1-99,GT,WH
2S0039
$350
G and R American PAR Member USA-OR(Turner)
1-800-452-0312



Lid/Gate
1996 Pontiac Bonneville 4D,E.BLU,
6QB96
$Call
205 Auto Salvage USA-OR(Portland)
1-800-336-2562

Dang. Thanks for all that info however. I think if its going to cost a few hundred I might have to live with it. I wish I knew somebody who welds

A good body shop could probably tig weld that with relative ease. No idea of cost though, the latch obviously would have to be removed and the ripped steel section pushed back in place.