Rear hatch problem
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 844
Likes: 0
From: Cape Cod Ma
Rear hatch problem
The rear hatch on my 85 coupe dosent open. If you press the button or the manual realease it dosen't open. Nothing, there is no way I can figure out how to open it. It didn't open for the guy who painted my car and the manual realease handle broke. Also if my doors are open there are no interior lights. Help, thanks :thumbs:
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,606
Likes: 1
From: Las Cruces NM
Re: Rear hatch problem (redfast)
Does the solenoid make a noise when you hit the release buttons? If it does and the hatch still doesn't open, like was said, the wxr strip has stuck to the hatch. If it doesn't make a noise, there's a couple things that could be wrong. Could be a fuse, could be a bad ground at the solenoid(this happened to me), bad solenoid, bad switch. Although I wouldn't think all 3 switches would go bad at once.
When you say the manual release is broken, do you mean the steel wire you pull is busted, or that you pull on it and nothing happens?
Chris
When you say the manual release is broken, do you mean the steel wire you pull is busted, or that you pull on it and nothing happens?
Chris
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 5,818
Likes: 2
From: Alive and well in Burlington NC
Re: Rear hatch problem (bradvette)
Change the Shocks.
tony
:flag Tony, are you hitting the pipe again, or did you just drop a couple purple microdots? :rolleyes:
tony
:flag Tony, are you hitting the pipe again, or did you just drop a couple purple microdots? :rolleyes:
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 22,209
Likes: 12
From: OBAMA IS HITLER
Re: Rear hatch problem (Steel Blue 91)
Change the Shocks.
tony
:flag Tony, are you hitting the pipe again, or did you just drop a couple purple microdots? :rolleyes:
I think Tony was refering to the assist struts on the hatch (at least I hope he was).
tony
:flag Tony, are you hitting the pipe again, or did you just drop a couple purple microdots? :rolleyes:
I think Tony was refering to the assist struts on the hatch (at least I hope he was).
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 5,818
Likes: 2
From: Alive and well in Burlington NC
Re: Rear hatch problem (bradvette)
Change the Shocks.
tony
:flag Tony, are you hitting the pipe again, or did you just drop a couple purple microdots? :rolleyes:
I think Tony was refering to the assist struts on the hatch (at least I hope he was). Yes, however it still wouldn't explain zero movement. Real bad shocks would still move the hatch a bit.....the problem is one of the other mentioned possibilities.
tony
:flag Tony, are you hitting the pipe again, or did you just drop a couple purple microdots? :rolleyes:
I think Tony was refering to the assist struts on the hatch (at least I hope he was). Yes, however it still wouldn't explain zero movement. Real bad shocks would still move the hatch a bit.....the problem is one of the other mentioned possibilities.
It would appear that the weatherstrip has become stuck to the glass.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Re: Rear hatch problem (bradvette)
The hatch struts can be so far gone as to not move the window at all. If the hatch is stuck to the weatherstrip, that could very well cause the hatch to not move.
If the solenoid is not clicking, that needs to be checked out. If pulling on the manual release doesn't work either, it may very well be that the latch itself is broken and not allowing release.
Try using a piece of thin metal to pass between the weather strip and the glass to see if the seal is stuck. You definately don't want to pry up on the glass to force the hatch open!! If it breaks, it is EXPENSIVE :eek:
If the solenoid is not clicking, that needs to be checked out. If pulling on the manual release doesn't work either, it may very well be that the latch itself is broken and not allowing release.
Try using a piece of thin metal to pass between the weather strip and the glass to see if the seal is stuck. You definately don't want to pry up on the glass to force the hatch open!! If it breaks, it is EXPENSIVE :eek:
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 14,089
Likes: 925
From: Fremont Ca
2022 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Re: Rear hatch problem (bradvette)
Change the Shocks.
tony
:flag Tony, are you hitting the pipe again, or did you just drop a couple purple microdots? :rolleyes:
tony
:flag Tony, are you hitting the pipe again, or did you just drop a couple purple microdots? :rolleyes:
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 14,089
Likes: 925
From: Fremont Ca
2022 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Re: Rear hatch problem (redfast)
Manual release handle?All I got is a piece of cable.Something else too bitch about.Us 84s aint got nuthin...............nuthin I tell ya :lolg:
Racer
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 471
Likes: 0
From: Boston MA
Re: Rear hatch problem (z51jeff)
If nothing is happening with when you hit the hatch release (in terms of noise) :iagree: with the guys above, otherwise could be a stuck hatch hinge. I dont think the shocks are the real issue, bcs like said above the glass would still pop up a little bit due to the release force (unless your weather stripping is totally dead. As for the interior lights, might be a low voltage issue with the battery or any number of other things....if it was a fuse other things on that fuse would be crapped out aswell. Any other "good" stuff going on?? Dim dash?? Check out the manual to see what else is on the interior light fuse. Good luck!
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,606
Likes: 1
From: Las Cruces NM
Re: Rear hatch problem (z51jeff)
I'm pretty sure the '84's got the manual realease cable thing, but if it's anything like the car's I've owned, it's underneath the plastic trim. Not much help if the glass is stuck down since you can't get the plastic off without destroying it. After my '86 had solenoid ground problems, I made sure the cable stuck out the bottom of the trim piece on both cars. Luckily, with the ground, it would work sometimes, so on one of the times it opened, I remvoed the trim altogether till I fixed it.
Chris
Chris
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,491
Likes: 94
From: Westfield MA
Re: Rear hatch problem (okinawa86vette)
I have a similar problem with mine, the release work, I can hear it, but i have to pry the window up with my fingers, then it opens fine, but will not pop up by itself. If it gets stuck to the weatherstrip, is that a matter of lubing it with some silicone spray?
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Re: Rear hatch problem (skybolt31)
Clean the weather strip with some soap and water and get a tube of dielectric grease from an auto parts store and rub into the weatherstripping. That will keep it pliable. If you do this a couple of times a year, you shouldn't need silicone spray.
The struts on my 87 are new enough that when I release the hatch, the glass pops up immediately and goes all the way up. The is a spring-loaded plunger next to the hatch lock mechanism that is pretty strong and also controls the rear storage lamps. That is what gives it the initial lift to where the struts take over.
The struts on my 87 are new enough that when I release the hatch, the glass pops up immediately and goes all the way up. The is a spring-loaded plunger next to the hatch lock mechanism that is pretty strong and also controls the rear storage lamps. That is what gives it the initial lift to where the struts take over.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 844
Likes: 0
From: Cape Cod Ma
Re: Rear hatch problem (c4cruiser)
Thanks for the good info. The switch on the console dosn't make any noise. The car is an 85, there is some sort of tee handle not a cable that was pulled to open the hatch, but when pulled,. it broke.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,606
Likes: 1
From: Las Cruces NM
Re: Rear hatch problem (redfast)
I agree you pulled the wrong thing. Probably the lockdown for the roof panel. Try lifting the trim piece back there a bit to find a steel cable that looks like a guitar string. Should be about 6 inches long from the solenoid. You might need to get some pliers on it to pull it.
For the future, I always leave mine sticking slightly out from below the trim piece.
Good news is that if the piece you broke is the top hold down, it's easy to replace and only about 15 bucks. I had to replace mine after it caught on something getting taking out of the back.
Chris
For the future, I always leave mine sticking slightly out from below the trim piece.
Good news is that if the piece you broke is the top hold down, it's easy to replace and only about 15 bucks. I had to replace mine after it caught on something getting taking out of the back.
Chris