fguignard

Hi, I'm sure there's already a thread somewhere about this but I cannot find it. So my apologies for the duplicate.
About a month ago I bought an 86' 944 Turbo and last week the rear hatch stopped opening when activated from the button in the foot well. When I depress the button I can hear a faint humming noise coming from the back. It sounds like a small electric motor. I looked at the units in the trunk and to me it seems that opening mechanism is activated by vacuum and not power. Before I start taking the whole thing apart I was wondering if someone has come across the same issue and what fixed it.
Any advise will be appreciated.
Thank you in advance

931guru

Release the hatch with the key. Then, have a friend push the button by the clutch pedal to operate the hatch release motor. You can then watch it in operation and see what it is not doing. If you can't figure it out, compare the action with the button to the action with the key.

GarageYears

There is no vacuum associated with the rear hatch. Maybe you are looking at the drain hoses?

There is a small electrical motor that runs when you press that button. It turns the mechanism that releases the hatch jaws, that when all is good releases the pins under pressure from the gas struts and pops open. This rarely works on most cars, and most 944 owners would probably agree isn't how they open the hatch.

I use the key (the key turns anti-clockwise to open the hatch) which releases the pins, and pull up on the hatch using both hands in a position that approximates to the pin locations. The reason is the hatch glass will begin the delaminate (separate) from the metal frame over time - but particularly if you use new struts and the electric release. That popping open action stresses the frame/glass and WILL separate.

Many new owners replace the struts since it is a simple job and it seems a good thing to do... and then will fret and worry when the hatch leaks and the glass and frame want to divorce :-(

I would strongly recommend ignoring the electric release and get used to opening the hatch manually - don't replace the struts even if it won't stay open, or replace them with less force-full ones of the same dimensions - I believe struts from one of the Jeep models works well.

Good luck.

'86 Stone Gray 951

GarageYears

While I think of it, many times the jaws that are supposed to open become 'gunked up' and won't release the hatch when the electric release is used - open the hatch using the key and take a look down into the pin receptors. You could try a quick spray with penetrating oil down onto the jaws and then try working the mechanism with the key while you look. Both jaws should retract equally and then close together. Mine were a little sticky when closing. I actually loosened the mechanism from the inside of the hatch just a 1/4 turn for each of those hatch receivers - 10mm bolts - and doing that really made a huge difference to the action of the jaws.

fguignard

Hi, thank you everyone for the help. I figured it out. You were right what I mistook as a vacuum line is just a drain hose. I have no issue opening the rear hatch with the key but I'm the kind who wants to have everything work in my cars. Locating the electric motor was very easy and even easier to see what the issue was and still is since the hook keeps popping out of the plastic retainer. I won't go into a long description, the attached pics will do the job. Happy 4th all!

931guru

You can buy a new nylon clip, part number 993 531 563 00 linkage clip

fguignard

Thanks but who sells it? I tried Pelican and FCP and neither seem to have it.

fguignard

Oops. Just found it on Pelican! Thank you very much for your help