03-09-2009, 08:10 AM
For years, my hatch has been difficult to open. There was a time when I could just push the release button inside the driver's foot well and it would just pop open, but that wasn't happpening anymore.
To get the hatch open, I had to lift on the spoiler while turning the key in the rear lock, and I could get it to pop open.
I had replaced the struts, which were weak, but that was not the problem.
The problem was the alignment of the hatch release latch mechanisms. I could never get them aligned right.
While I was at the RS Barn a few weeks ago, I asked Pete and Max if there was a trick to getting the latch release aligned. Sure enough, there was. Maybe everybody else already knew this, since it's pretty obvious, but I didn't think of it until they told me.
Yesterday I finally had a few minutes to give it a go, and my hatch is now popping open like new again!
So here's what you do: Loosen the two bolts on the bottom of each of the hatch latch mechanisms so they can move around for alignment. Then gently close the hatch. Here's the trick... then crawl inside the car and tighten the bolts while the hatch is closed! This gets the release mechanism aligned perfectly. Partially closing the hatch and then trying to tighten the bolts without letting them move just didn't get them aligned. This procedure did... perfectly.
It's like a new hatch again. It took 2 minutes.
I lived with this for years, and I feel stupid. Hopefully this description will help someone else.
To get the hatch open, I had to lift on the spoiler while turning the key in the rear lock, and I could get it to pop open.
I had replaced the struts, which were weak, but that was not the problem.
The problem was the alignment of the hatch release latch mechanisms. I could never get them aligned right.
While I was at the RS Barn a few weeks ago, I asked Pete and Max if there was a trick to getting the latch release aligned. Sure enough, there was. Maybe everybody else already knew this, since it's pretty obvious, but I didn't think of it until they told me.
Yesterday I finally had a few minutes to give it a go, and my hatch is now popping open like new again!
So here's what you do: Loosen the two bolts on the bottom of each of the hatch latch mechanisms so they can move around for alignment. Then gently close the hatch. Here's the trick... then crawl inside the car and tighten the bolts while the hatch is closed! This gets the release mechanism aligned perfectly. Partially closing the hatch and then trying to tighten the bolts without letting them move just didn't get them aligned. This procedure did... perfectly.
It's like a new hatch again. It took 2 minutes.
I lived with this for years, and I feel stupid. Hopefully this description will help someone else.
