I've read several threads on closing rear hatch being very difficult, my 2015 to be included. I just started reading Corvette Stingray, the Seventh Generation and it talks about new technology of Active Hatch Vent, which is supposed to eliminate this problem. It has to do with electrical heating of a wire to activate the vent to let air out when closing the rear hatch. Has anyone asked their dealer about this technology and why it doesn't appear to be working? If not, I guess I'll be doing it when I take my car in for 1st oil change.

 

<p>It just simply does not provide enough opening to relieve the air pressure. 2016 switched to a motorized pull down. Your dealer most likely cannot do anything... Possibly adjust the hatch bumper stops, but not likely.</p>

 

Just open a door when closing the hatch, and live with it , not a big deal.

 

I'm still getting up to speed on all the tech gadgets on this car and wasn't aware system wasn't relieving enough air. The book made it out to be such gee whiz technology I thought GM would be all over this……..and maybe they are by using electric motor for the 2016's. This new technology was supposed to reduce weight from having to have an electric motor. No problem…..I can live with it. Thanks for your input.

 

The Forum has many threads about this issue, solved in 2016 by replacing the touted "magic memory wire' activated vent with what I had in my C6, a motorized pull down! I have many posts many myself showing how you can watch the vent work and all the things I tried but still have to have my door open in my 22 month old C7! However recently added a simple device that allows you to open your windows with your key FOB. This PDF shows all the issues, pics of the memory wire activated vent and other info on why (for some cars) it's not big enough: http://netwelding.com/Latch_Hatch.pdf
Also shows this simple FOB activated window device.

 

I just lower the trunk slowly so it just rests on the receiver for the latch and just push down. Works every time windows up or down. Had to do the same thing on two 911's.

 

There is a proper way to push down the hatch demonstrated by the factory delivery team. Do not push in the middle where the latch attaches but on the stronger ridges on outside edges of the rear window evenly.

 

That is the recommendation folks getting museum delivery were told to use in 2013 when there were reports of hatch frame paint cracking! There have been many reports of cracked paint and at least one poster who said his hatch frame actually cracked from pushing in the center to latch!
In October 2013 when I got mine i saw the hatch frame bending when I tried to push to latch-so stopped! In fact even if I push on the peaks it takes quite a bit of force and I can see the hatch frame bend! Not good so I only close the hatch with a door (or windows) open. Then I can stand just behind the open drivers door and with the hatch fully open push with one finger and is closes and latches every time. For some cars the hatch vent is just not big enough. "Happiness is an Air Tight Vette!"
Note, some cars worked as advertised from day one. GM obliviously could not solve the issue and went back to what worked for my C6, a motorized pull down for the 2016 model.

 

That is a good book you referenced and you're right that feature was hyped in it and in a lot of GM marketing press. However when the weight details came out, it saved only like 1 1/2 pounds over the motorized pull down! My guess is it probably worked on the ~100 prototypes (called IVERS) they had operating for about a year. They no doubt did not have the tight panel, seal etc fit of some of the production cars. There have been many folks who say they keep a door open. Some who push to latch reporting hatch paint cracks which was causing warranty costs! Others who's cars worked using the advertised pull down handle suggested approach.
I tried many things to see if I could get mine to work, out of curiosity. Nothing helped. No big deal since you're usually getting out of or into the car when the hatch will be opened. Just remember to close the door last!
It's unfair to blame the "new technology" as my vent opening mechanism works as advertised, you can watch it thru a large hole behind the license plate. The vent is just not big enough! In fact GM's bulletin issued early this year for dealers said to check and see if the hatch latches if both windows are opened 3 inches. GM obviously did the tests to define that amount of vent area. That is probably 4 or 5 times more vent area than the memory wire activated vent. They could not make the rear vent that big!!

 

Not all C6's had the motorized pull down. I believe the C6's had a vent, but it did not have the "magic wire" to open it like the C7. Is anyone sure that GM eliminated the "magic wire", or did GM just add the motorized pull down while keeping the "magic" wire vent?

 

 

My '08 (and I assume later years) had a motorized pull down similar to other cars I've owned where it was used. Can't recall what my '93 and '88 Vettes had but don't recall the hatch frame ever deflecting.
The 2014 Service Manual shows another smaller vent behind the speaker (see pic) but I doubt if they continued with the memory wire activated vent in the rear panel. Have not seen anyone discuss if one exists.




Sketch of vent from 2014 Service Manual

 

I believe that as part of the weight reduction program for the C6 Z06, the motorized pull down was not on the 2006-2008 Z06's but was added on the 2009's> because of complaints about the hatch being hard to close, even though the C6's had a vent to exhaust the interior air while closing the hatch.

I suspect that the C7 still has a vent, but GM supplemented it with the motorized pull down because of customs complaints.

 

I believe that the first C7's built had a different design/material rear hatch weatherstripping. Not sure why(maybe noise or water problems) but they redesigned the weatherstripping early on and it made the hatch harder to close.

It's possible that the "magic wire"vent worked okay on the captured test vehicless that would have had the first design weatherstripping.

I do know that even on my C6 Z06(with the motorized pulldown) the hatch doesn't want to fully close with the doors shut unless it's dropped from about 8"-9".

Dropped from under 8" and it won't fully close and the motorized pulldown finishes the closing. I can open the door, drop the hatch from 2"-3", and it fully closes without the aid of the motorized pulldown.

 

From some comments from the few with 2016's that have posted it appears like you said you must drop it down from a certain height to have it latch or you just need to push "lightly."
Having been at this since October 2013 when I got mine and tried adjusting the hatch frame stops even to a point of misalignment, tried the latest GM bulletin suggestion of loosening the screws holding the latch and closing to see it it helped center etc etc. Mine still requires a door (or windows) open.
Early on some said it was the hatch seal and it will get better. After 22 months mine is as soft as a baby's bottom-no help! I'm sure the GM engineers tried everything to get it to work on all cars before switching in 2016. What's still curious is why some cars worked from day 1! Just like that 1st video in 2013 by a Vette salesman who showed "How it's Done" on the car in his showroom! That has created the controversy-since some cars are fine, some are not. GM no doubt knows what the issue is and probably have the pressure tests etc. They also obviously gave up and reverted back to the motorized pull down for the 2016 model!
For myself it's just curiosity not really what I consider a problem. As I've said, it helps keep my short term 72 year old memory sharp! If I forget to keep the door open and try to close the hatch, it's my fault!! I don't push to latch, I open a door and start over!