What the Bleep is wrong with my trunk hatch lock?

[HuntNFish]

My Door Ajar light was on, but all the doors were closed. So I opened the rear hatch, and it looks like the lock wasn't engaging when the door was closed. I tried to loosen it up and get some gunk off with a multi tool- but the lock closed. Now the lock is closed (pics) but I can't, for the life of me, get the damn thing open. So now the door can't even close all the way- I'm roping it shut. Any idea what is going on here:

How do I open it up? I'm at m wits end with this damn thing.

 

[J-money$$$]

Looks like maybe you have a rusted up latch. My door ajar light use to go nuts. It would come on randomly even with all the doors shut. It think its busted for the hatch now.

I would try those 3 bolt in the pics. I have never taken that rear latch apart

 

[awpsome]

haha same thing happened to me when i was moving mines downward cause the latch wouldnt open it..


what you have to do is get a screwdriver or a pen or something and while you are holding the latch open (like how you do to open the trunk) then you slide the pin inside either up or down to get it back to open position.

 

[Gerdo]

I think it's an easy fix.
Make sure the doors are unlocked, take a screwdriver and put pressure against the latch (toward open), and pull the hatch handle.

 

[t4r4life]

i would take everything off sand it repaint lube and put it back.
PS: go hard on the lube !!!!

 

[ironhippy]

my 98 has a sticky hatch, it's seized up a few times. I keep it lubed now and haven't had a problem in a while. Lots of lube, lots.