96' Ford Contour Trunk Problems

[lelu3517]

Hi everyone I just joined! I bought my 1996 Ford Contour in 2003. It was a big change from my 1990 Ford Escort. I love this car, and enjoy the V6 engine, even if it costs an arm and a leg to fix the alternator. The check engine light comes on every once and a while if I pump the gas a certain way, every car has it's kinks.
The problem I am having is with my trunk. When I got the car, it came with a remote. The trunk used to open when the trunk button was pressed. The trunk was always heavy, and would close on its own. Within the last six months the trunk relase by remote no longer works. I can open the trunk by the lever inside the car, and obviously the key. The trunk no longer stays up on it's own at all now, and I have to hold it up. It fell on my head once, and almost knocked me out (you see the problem). Is this a problem with a solution.

Also a very minor problem, the clock on the dashboard works, but the backlight no longer comes on when I turn on the car lights. Is this a fuse problem?

Any help or advice would be great! I Love my contour.