Fido71

The alarmed hatch lock on my '85 does not open from the inside button (the motor woks fine) and the key turns freely with no resistance in the tumbler. I am assuming that there is a disconnect between the lock barrel and the plastic latch arm.

All the posts I have read just state to forcefully drive the upper latch back/down with a screwdriver... the only exposed piece of the plastic latch I can see is well above the pivot pin and I can not get the screwdriver angled to press too far downward.

I have even resorted to drilling the back of the lower assembly and can see the pivot arm/tab and the plastic piece of the spring assembly just fine. But, I can not seem to reach the plastic upper latch from there either.

I don't want to gorilla arm the hatch open with a crowbar in fear of breaking the back window.

Any suggestions???

Mrmerlin

first check the fuses for the hatch ,
one is for the cycle sequence its a 1 amp,
the other one runs the hatch motor.
then try the hatch release from the passenger side switch.
If the fuse is blown (the hatch motor running fuse) then you may have a bad switch,
if so then remove the E brake cover and pull the plastic connector housing down,
then the connector will slide off the the switch,
touch these wires together,
does the motor run?

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

the This should not be too bad. If your key is free wheeling then you will have to pull down or push up ( I can't remember) the release from inside the rear hatch compartment. Remove the toolbox/rear trim and find the motor. It has a rotating shaft with an arm that attaches to the latch release mechanism. It is adjustable by three bolts, but it can be removed and pulled or pushed on. One or the other should pop the latch. If adjusting the three bolts to move the motor, makes it work, then you are done. Skip the key. If not, pull the motor and try to activate the latch from where the motor connected to it.
Good luck.
Dave

Fido71

the problem is, I have loosened the motor assembly and have drilled the center pillar to which the lower female latch assembly is attached to expose the the cross bar and lower tab.

I just don't see the upper plastic latch. I can see the spring loaded plastic plunger on the lower part but not the latch.

Is it possible that the tumbler has physically jammed the upper plastic latch arm?

Fido71

to add: the locking tab on the lower section seems to function properly. I can see the tab moving up and down. Yet the upper latch does not release. ;(

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

Oops. Not sure what's next.

h011yw00d

Hmmm... feel like I should be able to help here. But... my motor works as well but be danged if I can get the hatch open from the inside. If the key entry broke I would be in the same boat. It's about time for its quarterly screwing around with to see why it... won't... WORK!!! I'll look at it tomorrow and see if I can see how to get it open with a screwdriver. Don't take a crowbar to it, man. That'll get pricey.

jbrob007

Does the rear hatch cycle, but not open? Do your interior lights NOT work with the doors open, but DO work with the rear hatch open? My rear hatch would cycle but not release and my interior lights would work (in door open position) only with the rear hatch open - they would not work (door open position) by opening either door with the hatch closed.

As crazy as it sounds... the interior light RELAY may be bad. The rear hatch release & hatch light are connected to the interior lights through the relay. If the relay is non-functioning it will mess up both the interior lights (door open position) and the rear hatch release. New interior light relays are PRICEY if you can even find one. In the meantime, make sure the 1 amp fuse is good and jumper the interior light relay to see if this fixes your issue... It solved my rear hatch & interior light issues. You wont have the "delay" function for the interior lights, but they will work in all modes/positions. Hope this helps.

Joel

waynestrutt

I had a similar problem .Read this
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...ne-strutt.html

dfrhodes

yeah, don't crowbar it. have you tried downward pressure on the hatch from the outside while turning the key?

wayne has some great photos of the receiver. if you have access from the inside you should be able to pop it manually.

Fido71

I have tried using inside pressure while my wife put pressure on the hatch outside and various methods of key turning= no luck.

Wayne-Thanks for the thread link. I will surely use it when I can pop it open and remove the latch/catch. So far it seems that no one else has had difficulty moving the upper latch arm.

Next idea: Since I will be replacing the upper latch arm/ pin (at least)...I'll use a dremmel and small bit, drill a perforation across the latch arm. If the arm is jammed (either in the upper or lower section) it would be separated in the middle...no crowbar and subsequent utter destruction of my baby.

I don't believe this issue has anything to do with the motor. The fuse did finally blow after an over adjustment of the motor, but I have read and bookmarked those threads (thank you all for posting) and will return to them WHEN I get this F'ing hatch open

Fido71

Here is a "sketch" of what i was thinking

Mrmerlin

this isnt that hard,
first did you follow my suggestions?
what are the results?
If you did then the simple thing to do it drill a small hole in the outside of the receiver while holding the unlocking pawl out of the way,
then insert a punch into the hole and press it this will press the white locking pawl and unlock the hatch

BUT dont do this till you have put the assembly back together and tried the initial suggestions.

have someone press down on the hatch while the motor cycles and listen for the pawl to see if its unlocking.
you may have a broken unlocking pawl or the unlocking mechanism has fallen off its actuating arm or the actuating arm is loose on its shaft and not turning,
You may have already removed the bent shield on the latch under the tool tray use a mirror to see if the actuating arm is turning with the motor its held on its shaft with a phillips screw and is adjustable

whatudrivin

Will be watching this thread very closely as my hatch will not open. Going to have to try to drill mine out to pop it. Assuming that it will pop and I wont be left in a situation like this.

SeanR

There have been quite a few that I could not get open w/o placing a crow bar on the nuts that hold the upper receiver on, and giving it a pry as someone was outside trying the key.