Dan you are the man! There are no tutorials on the tube that show the latch and it’s malfunction. You solved the mystery of the first gen hatch issue that has evaded many to put a bent steel latch to open the hatch. So ghetto. Nice work sir!
To be honest, this method is just a bandaid to the issue and is not a permanent fix since there are several failure points in the latch system, mine worked pretty good after this for about 2 or so years but the cheap part started to fail again so i just did the small hidden metal lever mod and it's been problem free ever since
After several broken handle replacements, I finally bought the dealer version. The real difference was also replacing the cable. The new combination when reassembled can be opened with one finger’s pressure. What a difference. The aftermarket latches did not address the cable lag and drag that made the handle have to work too hard.
Just wanted to come back and say thank you Dan. Finally got around to taking everything apart and grinding down the area you showed. I, for the first time, have a fully functioning rear latch and can actually lock my tailgate!
@@theman9764 It did! Had a set of needle files and went to town on it for about 5 min. Mine would not lock before, now it's all moving freely. Bent both brackets holding each end of the cable to give a little more slack and not be so tight too. Thanks again
Thanks. Mine was a matter of cleaning and lubricating the main latch. I used Break Free, a cleaning lubricant used on firearms. It has a foaming action and seems to have thicker oil that WD40. Cheers!
Very good information, it's always a problem on the rear hatch . This video will definitely help a lot of people. I going to do your modification. Thanks again.
15:52 is it possible the cheap metal of the spring has stretched so not pulling the plate back? Not sure if the pivot lugs get bit corroded & they are very internally buried so not want to move which strained spring first... guess a nylon pin is dearer vs a spring change. Your very good camera work was great & made it easy for us viewers to consider ideas - thanks!
Thanks for the awesome tip @6:30 I thought my latch was broken again but hitting the lock button a bunch of times worked like a charm. Got the latch open finally and lubed it up!
Very intelligent and skillfully put together video -- thanks! I feel that it should be required viewing for all Toyota engineers. One theory I have that I'd like to bounce off you, if you don't mind: Since it appears these latch assemblies often fail due to rust, dirt, and crud, wouldn't it help a lot to seal up around the rear window (with silicone or something) so as to dramatically reduce water and grundge seeping down into the innards of the latch? Yes, this would mean you wouldn't be able to roll the window up and down, but why is that a big deal, especially if the hatch door opens and closes as it should. You would need, of course, to disable the rolling mechanism. Or do you think there are other entry points for water and crud? It just seems that it was counterproductive for the overpaid engineers to design the whole mess like this in the first place. Seems sealing the window, much like a windshield, would be a relatively easy and quick fix to cut down on future problems. What do you think, sir?
No i don't think sealing it up would be a good idea, i personally use the back window all the time, but that's just me, and no matter what you do, crud is gonna get in there, plus the cost of replacing the whole latch is minimal and pretty easy, i think the little electric motor used to operate it could have a stronger pull strength tho, and the section where the cable mounts to the handle and latch could be reinforced better because they both tend to bend easily causing the cable to get slack which causes the latch to not operate over time
Great video. My latch just has too much resistance and the handles break or bend (the aftermarket metal one). The latch is not currently available at dealerships and is back ordered by the hundreds so I am wondering if they wont be making it any more. UGH. I guess I will try to clean and lubricate it? But it looks to me that spring might be an issue too after 17-18 years. Wonder if it can be replaced.
Great information great video. The cable mines is not open the door still the lock is Frozen online and they unlock method does not work for mine. So unfortunately I had to take a screwdriver and manually open mine after I pride the plastic off for 2 hours inside and broke off enough plastic to get to the access point of the lock.
You have provided the best information for the lock mechanism (black PIN vs latch) ! I was able to open the two screws, tilt the cover and see the black PING stuck in the middle. No way I can move the black PIN either way. then I was able to unlock it by keep pressing LUCK-UNLUCK many many times! Also, for grinding the metal for black PIN more room to move. Can I know what kind grind tool do you use? it's in small tiny area ! Thanks a lot,
Dude, great video but I can't get my hands in there to unplug the big plug... no idea what I'm doing wrong. Also those damn little screws on the plastic... I can't get a screw driver in there... right now my door is stuck locked I can't open it to lift the tail gate and I can't get in to release the mechanism
Sometimes you can remove the cable from the handle and manually pull the cable to release the latch, and with the plastic cover I've had to just get aggressive with it and rip it off to gain access to the unlock linkage
I realize this is two years later lol … but, would replacing the lock actuator accomplish the same thing or will I have the same issue? Is grinding the best thing to do?? Currently replaced my handle with sturdy metal one and new cable but the door won’t lock now .. first it stuck on lock and couldn’t get it open …
If you use new OEM parts, you'll be less likely to have any issues, but this latch setup has been plagued with problems for a really long time so anything you can do to assist it is a good idea, the new cable will help quite a bit
On mine pulling on the cable didn't do anything because the lever on the latch was bent so I had to use a hacksaw blade to cut the striker off. I didn't want to do that since a new one costs $20 but it was the only way.
How is this repair holding up after a few months? I am well versed in replacing the handle, and have replaced the cable/latch mechanism once as well, all of this on my friends car. I really don't think this is the problem with their car, I think the cable keeps getting stretched by lifting the hatch by the handle, but next time we go in there ( which may be soon) I"ll look at your idea and try it out. Cant hurt I suppose.
I still have the problem every now and then when it's really cold outside, but if i hold the handle and smack the door it pops open, when it's mostly warm outside i never have the problem, I'm guessing maybe the grease in the latch gets too thick and won't let it operate properly
Thanks for the tutorial. Bookmarked for future reference if I should need it. Luckily mine hasn't done this yet but my rear hatch window doesn't work and I can't roll it up or down. Have you had any problems with yours?
No, make sure the rear wiper is in the full rest position and have someone hold down the window switch while you jiggle the wiper arm up and down, also make sure the window lock switch isn't engaged, and lastly, use a pick or butter knife and run it along the window seal, several years ago mine did get stuck but it was because the seal was stuck to the glass
@@theman9764 well the seal wasn't the problem. Window still doesn't work. I did find this video here on how to fix the rear window:. ruclips.net/video/CJK4SP9hlv0/видео.html
I have had an issue with this on my 2003 and "fixed" it several times. This time I replaced handle, latch, and cable with new After market parts. Still did not work. Tried your suggestion of grinding down the lock mechanism per your video. STILL not working. Latch works but the handle does not pull cable far enough to activate the latch release. Cable travels about 1 5/8" before it activates release. /////handle only moves cable about 1 1/4". Any other suggestions? I see Glen Barth's comment below and will try OEM handle and see if that works.
Honestly it's a real common issue on these and you can replace with oem parts all you want and its still going to prematurely fail, i think there's a company that makes an electric retrofit version that uses a push button instead of the handle
@@theman9764 Thank you for that i just saw that video and am going to explore that! By the way i enjoyed your video... very complete!... and i have seen a lot of these. this is my second Sequoia.... had a 2001 that i replaced the handle on once at about 50K miles. I've had several failures on the latch / handle on this 2003. FYI i used a Dremel with a chainsaw grinding head to grind down the lock mechanism... it works great
Hey Dan, I’m Danny also.. today’s March 29, 2021, i have had my Sequioa since 2001. I haven’t been able to open the Trunk in years.. i just baught the assembly Kit today, should arrive tomorrow. Just wondering, what state are you located in? I need help! lol..
Dan, any suggestions of how to open liftgate if the lower latch won't release. The lock mechanism was replaced, the upper handle replaced - now see I should have ground down the area where the locking mechanism hangs up. But now liftgatte is closed, removed cable from exterior latch and pull but the liftgate will not open. Any ideas, do I have to tediously saw off the part the latch engages when closed?
I've had this issue before and sometimes pulling the handle and smacking the door right where the latch is can help the mechanism open, other than that, it requires getting inside the door, reaching in behind the window regulator, forcing the plastic cover off the latch and then manually moving the latch linkage with your fingers, it's not an easy task
Okay?? 1st off, the window won't roll down.🤣🤣🤣 Second Toyota design FLAW. Putting a computer/ electronic component in a door that slams on a regular basis.🧐🧐🧐
My 2004 rear window guide tracks are rusted out. This is a vehicle that lives in a garage. So if I try to roll the window down, there is no telling what mayhem will follow. I am trying to get the nerve up to tear that whole mechanism apart and replace the rusted pieces. This is a common problem on 4Runners from that general time frame and there are some videos on them. I suspect that the mechanism is similar if not the same.
My latch won't close now. Had it replaced last year and dirt got into and and was stuck until today. Got the latch open but now it won't close. E: my lock/unlock doesn't work. The pin doesnt move. What could it be?
@@theman9764 I'm not sure. I still have my old hatch and the lock/unlock can move freely. I just want to be able to close my latch for now. Can I attach a mini wheel blade to a 1/2 cordless drill/driver? I don't have a mini cutting or rotary tools.
@@itsatrap4986 i used a small carbide bit with an air rotary tool, but the metal you're trimming is thin and small so any kind of small metal grinding bit should work just fine
Would it also work if I switched out the actual part itself? I have the opposite issue. I used to not be able to open the rear door, now it won’t stay closed. The mechanism won’t lock onto the bottom bracket when you shut the door.
This was a new latch i had to modify to work properly, your problem almost sounds like the pull cable is too tight not letting the mechanism reset, but it couldn't hurt to try this method, but make sure you can manually reset it by pulling the handle and using a screwdriver to pull the latch lock arm out, the part that actually locks onto the "floor hook"
@@theman9764 yeah the problem with my latch is that it wouldn’t respond to the cable pulling on it. You could also visibly see my latch has some dirt and rust on it. I’m assuming the previous owner didn’t change the part and it’s a 200k+ mile car. I’m gonna change the part today and we’ll see what happens
@@JuanDiaz-ts8rr i went thru like 2-3 latch assemblies before i decided to modify it, mine still gets stuck sometimes when it's stupid cold outside, I'm pretty sure that's due to the grease being thick and not letting the mechanism move like it needs to, but i can usually pull the handle and bang on the lower portion of the door once and it always releases
Have an 03, handle broke one day, i took the cable OFF the mechanism and would have it sitting free, would roll the window down, then pull on the cable and the hatch would open. years later that stopped being an option, the latch must be rusted/bad, its the OEM, never replaced it but cannot get the rear hatch/door to open. Question for anyone is how? This one has a plastic shield cover for the latch, i put a hole in that, then soaked with silicone grease spray lube. I keep WD40 away from any/all mechanisms, use that for rusted exhaust bolts, not much else. I bought some better/expensive spray lubricant then sprayed all inside that cover thing to soak the latch. no difference. its stuck shut. Window is destroyed, it shattered around 2017, it had been replaced, not installed right but glass company said oh, the warranty? you had to bring it to us before the glass broke, thats how the warranty works. So there's no glass just go thru tape. Goal is to open the hatch/door and remove the mechanism, check it, grind it, bend it so it works until a new one can be had?
When it's really cold outside i sometimes have to hold the outside handle and bang on the door just below the license plate, if you can gain access to the cable attached to the handle you can use a pair of curved end needle nose pliers and pull the cable manually to open it
@@theman9764 Well thats the thing, the handle snapped in half in the freezing weather one year, I removed the cable from the handle mechanism, and for maybe a year could open the hatch by lowering the window and pulling on the ball on the cable. not anymore, now it does nothing. I pull on the cable ball thing and hit below the license plate. The latch is jammed/frozen/rusted now. panels are off, no glass, the magic latch has a hard plastic cover
@@bradleyr4451 if i remember correctly, I think there's only 1 tiny screw holding that plastic cover on the latch, you might have to get rough with that cover and pull on it kinda hard to remove it, it's in a tight spot so i know it'll be difficult
![ARGENTINA vs. CHILE [3-0] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 7](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/De3AWmXzhuA/mqdefault.jpg)
Dan you are the man! There are no tutorials on the tube that show the latch and it’s malfunction. You solved the mystery of the first gen hatch issue that has evaded many to put a bent steel latch to open the hatch. So ghetto. Nice work sir!
To be honest, this method is just a bandaid to the issue and is not a permanent fix since there are several failure points in the latch system, mine worked pretty good after this for about 2 or so years but the cheap part started to fail again so i just did the small hidden metal lever mod and it's been problem free ever since
After several broken handle replacements, I finally bought the dealer version. The real difference was also replacing the cable. The new combination when reassembled can be opened with one finger’s pressure. What a difference. The aftermarket latches did not address the cable lag and drag that made the handle have to work too hard.
Just wanted to come back and say thank you Dan. Finally got around to taking everything apart and grinding down the area you showed. I, for the first time, have a fully functioning rear latch and can actually lock my tailgate!
So the grinding modification worked out for you?
@@theman9764 It did! Had a set of needle files and went to town on it for about 5 min. Mine would not lock before, now it's all moving freely. Bent both brackets holding each end of the cable to give a little more slack and not be so tight too. Thanks again
Thanks. Mine was a matter of cleaning and lubricating the main latch. I used Break Free, a cleaning lubricant used on firearms. It has a foaming action and seems to have thicker oil that WD40. Cheers!
I've owned an 03 Sequoia for 18.5 years. This issue arose only last year. So for the first 17 years, that mechanism operated as intended.
Very good information, it's always a problem on the rear hatch . This video will definitely help a lot of people. I going to do your modification. Thanks again.
Excellent video.thank you
Thank you for the tutorial! I'm going to give this a try.
It's not the cure, but it can help
Thanks for this I was able to do and I have very little auto experience
Thanks, helped me do the job! No more rattle from my old latch.
Thanks for your vedio i think thats whats its doing on my sequoia
Everything in the video seemed promising, until he said roll the rear window down, " F**K"🤣
Nice video. I have a similar set up for my fishing poles! 550 cord and trucker's hitch between the middle and rear handles.
It was some cheap set up i found on Amazon, velcro straps made into the main strap, it's held up perfectly for almost a year now
@@theman9764 Thanks for the lock actuator tip. I've replaced both the handle and latch, but it still won't lock. Time for some grinding...
Thank you very much
You are a great help. Smart man
15:52 is it possible the cheap metal of the spring has stretched so not pulling the plate back? Not sure if the pivot lugs get bit corroded & they are very internally buried so not want to move which strained spring first... guess a nylon pin is dearer vs a spring change. Your very good camera work was great & made it easy for us viewers to consider ideas - thanks!
Thanks for the awesome tip @6:30 I thought my latch was broken again but hitting the lock button a bunch of times worked like a charm.
Got the latch open finally and lubed it up!
Mine still sticks a little whenever it starts getting cold outside
Holy bajesus! You have a time machine in your garage!
Awesome Detail. Thank you so much 🙏🏼
Very intelligent and skillfully put together video -- thanks! I feel that it should be required viewing for all Toyota engineers. One theory I have that I'd like to bounce off you, if you don't mind: Since it appears these latch assemblies often fail due to rust, dirt, and crud, wouldn't it help a lot to seal up around the rear window (with silicone or something) so as to dramatically reduce water and grundge seeping down into the innards of the latch? Yes, this would mean you wouldn't be able to roll the window up and down, but why is that a big deal, especially if the hatch door opens and closes as it should. You would need, of course, to disable the rolling mechanism. Or do you think there are other entry points for water and crud? It just seems that it was counterproductive for the overpaid engineers to design the whole mess like this in the first place. Seems sealing the window, much like a windshield, would be a relatively easy and quick fix to cut down on future problems. What do you think, sir?
No i don't think sealing it up would be a good idea, i personally use the back window all the time, but that's just me, and no matter what you do, crud is gonna get in there, plus the cost of replacing the whole latch is minimal and pretty easy, i think the little electric motor used to operate it could have a stronger pull strength tho, and the section where the cable mounts to the handle and latch could be reinforced better because they both tend to bend easily causing the cable to get slack which causes the latch to not operate over time
I'm going to give this a try. Thanks
Great video. My latch just has too much resistance and the handles break or bend (the aftermarket metal one). The latch is not currently available at dealerships and is back ordered by the hundreds so I am wondering if they wont be making it any more. UGH. I guess I will try to clean and lubricate it? But it looks to me that spring might be an issue too after 17-18 years. Wonder if it can be replaced.
Great information great video. The cable mines is not open the door still the lock is Frozen online and they unlock method does not work for mine.
So unfortunately I had to take a screwdriver and manually open mine after I pride the plastic off for 2 hours inside and broke off enough plastic to get to the access point of the lock.
This is a great video for replacing the latch actuator, but i wish you had also replaced the handle which usually breaks.
Next time mine breaks I'll definitely make a video of it
Excellent. Very informative. Thank you.
Great job! Thanks
You have provided the best information for the lock mechanism (black PIN vs latch) !
I was able to open the two screws, tilt the cover and see the black PING stuck in the middle. No way I can move the black PIN either way. then I was able to unlock it by keep pressing LUCK-UNLUCK many many times!
Also, for grinding the metal for black PIN more room to move. Can I know what kind grind tool do you use? it's in small tiny area !
Thanks a lot,
If I remember correctly, i used my carbide cutting bits in my air grinder
Thanks 🙏 you very helpful
Very helpful video, thanks!
Thanks man!
Well done! 😊
Dude, great video but I can't get my hands in there to unplug the big plug... no idea what I'm doing wrong. Also those damn little screws on the plastic... I can't get a screw driver in there... right now my door is stuck locked I can't open it to lift the tail gate and I can't get in to release the mechanism
Sometimes you can remove the cable from the handle and manually pull the cable to release the latch, and with the plastic cover I've had to just get aggressive with it and rip it off to gain access to the unlock linkage
I realize this is two years later lol … but, would replacing the lock actuator accomplish the same thing or will I have the same issue? Is grinding the best thing to do?? Currently replaced my handle with sturdy metal one and new cable but the door won’t lock now .. first it stuck on lock and couldn’t get it open …
If you use new OEM parts, you'll be less likely to have any issues, but this latch setup has been plagued with problems for a really long time so anything you can do to assist it is a good idea, the new cable will help quite a bit
On mine pulling on the cable didn't do anything because the lever on the latch was bent so I had to use a hacksaw blade to cut the striker off. I didn't want to do that since a new one costs $20 but it was the only way.
That sounds awful!
Thanks for video,
How about grinding the pin instead of the edges of the latch arm?
Yeah maybe, this was just the method that worked for me
Very good vid with details details details!,,excellent .
How is this repair holding up after a few months?
I am well versed in replacing the handle, and have replaced the cable/latch mechanism once as well, all of this on my friends car.
I really don't think this is the problem with their car, I think the cable keeps getting stretched by lifting the hatch by the handle, but next time we go in there ( which may be soon) I"ll look at your idea and try it out. Cant hurt I suppose.
I still have the problem every now and then when it's really cold outside, but if i hold the handle and smack the door it pops open, when it's mostly warm outside i never have the problem, I'm guessing maybe the grease in the latch gets too thick and won't let it operate properly
After replacing the handle twice I just drilled a hole behind the license plate, stuck the cable out , little silicone boom done.
Thanks for the tutorial. Bookmarked for future reference if I should need it.
Luckily mine hasn't done this yet but my rear hatch window doesn't work and I can't roll it up or down. Have you had any problems with yours?
No, make sure the rear wiper is in the full rest position and have someone hold down the window switch while you jiggle the wiper arm up and down, also make sure the window lock switch isn't engaged, and lastly, use a pick or butter knife and run it along the window seal, several years ago mine did get stuck but it was because the seal was stuck to the glass
@@theman9764 interesting about the seal being stuck to the glass. Will double check the seal to make sure this isn't the case. Thanks.
@@theman9764 well the seal wasn't the problem. Window still doesn't work.
I did find this video here on how to fix the rear window:. ruclips.net/video/CJK4SP9hlv0/видео.html
I have had an issue with this on my 2003 and "fixed" it several times. This time I replaced handle, latch, and cable with new After market parts. Still did not work. Tried your suggestion of grinding down the lock mechanism per your video. STILL not working. Latch works but the handle does not pull cable far enough to activate the latch release. Cable travels about 1 5/8" before it activates release. /////handle only moves cable about 1 1/4". Any other suggestions?
I see Glen Barth's comment below and will try OEM handle and see if that works.
Honestly it's a real common issue on these and you can replace with oem parts all you want and its still going to prematurely fail, i think there's a company that makes an electric retrofit version that uses a push button instead of the handle
@@theman9764 Thank you for that i just saw that video and am going to explore that!
By the way i enjoyed your video... very complete!... and i have seen a lot of these. this is my second Sequoia.... had a 2001 that i replaced the handle on once at about 50K miles. I've had several failures on the latch / handle on this 2003.
FYI i used a Dremel with a chainsaw grinding head to grind down the lock mechanism... it works great
Check out the Delorean!!!
Hey Dan, I’m Danny also.. today’s March 29, 2021, i have had my Sequioa since 2001. I haven’t been able to open the Trunk in years.. i just baught the assembly Kit today, should arrive tomorrow. Just wondering, what state are you located in? I need help! lol..
Sorry for the late response, I'm in OKC
Dan, any suggestions of how to open liftgate if the lower latch won't release. The lock mechanism was replaced, the upper handle replaced - now see I should have ground down the area where the locking mechanism hangs up. But now liftgatte is closed, removed cable from exterior latch and pull but the liftgate will not open. Any ideas, do I have to tediously saw off the part the latch engages when closed?
I've had this issue before and sometimes pulling the handle and smacking the door right where the latch is can help the mechanism open, other than that, it requires getting inside the door, reaching in behind the window regulator, forcing the plastic cover off the latch and then manually moving the latch linkage with your fingers, it's not an easy task
Okay?? 1st off, the window won't roll down.🤣🤣🤣 Second Toyota design FLAW. Putting a computer/ electronic component in a door that slams on a regular basis.🧐🧐🧐
My 2004 rear window guide tracks are rusted out. This is a vehicle that lives in a garage. So if I try to roll the window down, there is no telling what mayhem will follow. I am trying to get the nerve up to tear that whole mechanism apart and replace the rusted pieces. This is a common problem on 4Runners from that general time frame and there are some videos on them. I suspect that the mechanism is similar if not the same.
My dude casually has a friggin DeLorean sitting over there lol
This is what I was thinking 😂, like wtf 😎
Hopefully I'll get to make some videos on it pretty soon
So at the 16 minute Mark is the is the answer for my question.
Replace the latch handle with a metal one that way it does break.
where do you find that? i see lots of adds for all metal part but they all still have the plastic lever that eventually breaks.
My latch won't close now. Had it replaced last year and dirt got into and and was stuck until today. Got the latch open but now it won't close.
E: my lock/unlock doesn't work. The pin doesnt move. What could it be?
Did you try closing the rear hatch door when the latch was in the closed position? If so, you might have damaged it
@@theman9764 I'm not sure. I still have my old hatch and the lock/unlock can move freely. I just want to be able to close my latch for now. Can I attach a mini wheel blade to a 1/2 cordless drill/driver? I don't have a mini cutting or rotary tools.
@@theman9764 Can you tell what cutting tool and blade you used to cut? I'm thinking of buying a cheap rotary kit off Amazon.
@@itsatrap4986 i used a small carbide bit with an air rotary tool, but the metal you're trimming is thin and small so any kind of small metal grinding bit should work just fine
@@theman9764 www.harborfreight.com/rotary-tool-kit-80-pc-63235.html
I bought this $10 cutting kit but it's not cutting through.
Would it also work if I switched out the actual part itself? I have the opposite issue. I used to not be able to open the rear door, now it won’t stay closed. The mechanism won’t lock onto the bottom bracket when you shut the door.
This was a new latch i had to modify to work properly, your problem almost sounds like the pull cable is too tight not letting the mechanism reset, but it couldn't hurt to try this method, but make sure you can manually reset it by pulling the handle and using a screwdriver to pull the latch lock arm out, the part that actually locks onto the "floor hook"
@@theman9764 yeah the problem with my latch is that it wouldn’t respond to the cable pulling on it. You could also visibly see my latch has some dirt and rust on it. I’m assuming the previous owner didn’t change the part and it’s a 200k+ mile car. I’m gonna change the part today and we’ll see what happens
@@JuanDiaz-ts8rr i went thru like 2-3 latch assemblies before i decided to modify it, mine still gets stuck sometimes when it's stupid cold outside, I'm pretty sure that's due to the grease being thick and not letting the mechanism move like it needs to, but i can usually pull the handle and bang on the lower portion of the door once and it always releases
@@theman9764 well I replaced it and it seemed to work. Let’s see how long it lasts
@@JuanDiaz-ts8rr my previous new ones would last about a month or so before they started to fail
What tool did you use to grind it
I used a small tip high speed carbide bit in my air grinder, same air tool i use for cleaning off gasket material
Rear hatch latch sounds better than actuator...
Have an 03, handle broke one day, i took the cable OFF the mechanism and would have it sitting free, would roll the window down, then pull on the cable and the hatch would open.
years later that stopped being an option, the latch must be rusted/bad, its the OEM, never replaced it but cannot get the rear hatch/door to open. Question for anyone is how?
This one has a plastic shield cover for the latch, i put a hole in that, then soaked with silicone grease spray lube. I keep WD40 away from any/all mechanisms, use that for rusted exhaust bolts, not much else. I bought some better/expensive spray lubricant then sprayed all inside that cover thing to soak the latch. no difference. its stuck shut.
Window is destroyed, it shattered around 2017, it had been replaced, not installed right but glass company said oh, the warranty? you had to bring it to us before the glass broke, thats how the warranty works.
So there's no glass just go thru tape. Goal is to open the hatch/door and remove the mechanism, check it, grind it, bend it so it works until a new one can be had?
When it's really cold outside i sometimes have to hold the outside handle and bang on the door just below the license plate, if you can gain access to the cable attached to the handle you can use a pair of curved end needle nose pliers and pull the cable manually to open it
@@theman9764 Well thats the thing, the handle snapped in half in the freezing weather one year, I removed the cable from the handle mechanism, and for maybe a year could open the hatch by lowering the window and pulling on the ball on the cable. not anymore, now it does nothing. I pull on the cable ball thing and hit below the license plate.
The latch is jammed/frozen/rusted now. panels are off, no glass, the magic latch has a hard plastic cover
@@bradleyr4451 if i remember correctly, I think there's only 1 tiny screw holding that plastic cover on the latch, you might have to get rough with that cover and pull on it kinda hard to remove it, it's in a tight spot so i know it'll be difficult
Wait a second - did I see a DeLorean?
Yep, I've been restoring it for a family friend and I'm maybe another week or 2 from completing it and finally returning it back to the owner
So I need to get the grinder out.
Let that key turn the ignition, hard to watch you force it
Great tutorial!