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OB hatch latch revisited

A month ago I proudly posted a solution to the Outback problem of not being able to open the hatch door. I bought a rnew hatch/lock assembly and install it myself. Problem solved?

No. The hatch freeze reasserted itself just yesterday.

To make a long story short, the problem was not with the innards of the latch system but with the exterior. The handle on the outside is spring-loaded. If the handle does not return fully to the uncompressed position, the system once locked cannot be unlocked. I tumbled to this fact after playing with the old assembly in my kitchen for a half-hour.

It makes sense: the exterior is open to the weather and to corrosion. When the hinges on the handle get a little stiff after a eight or nine winters, the handle does not return fully down to the relaxed position. Force it down a bit, and you may be able to open the hatch.

With more trouble, you can adjust the coupling between the handle and its actuator rod. The end of the rod is threaded for this purpose, and if you can get the coupling nut off (horizontally), you may be able to adjust the effective length of the rod and solve the problem.

Pennsylvania Dutch saying: Ve get too soon old and too late shmart.

Uncle Ben

Reply to
Uncle Ben
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Always works for me, as noted earlier. If you also turn the key to the lock position.

Reply to
kapjim

So, I finally start working on the hatch, I get the shop manual from the library, it says "carefully pry the plastic retainers off with a small screwdriver". Actually, I used my old army p-38. It even has a picture of the prying. Now, what happens next? I didn't want to risk breaking anything, since, although it's a 97 outback, it's still pretty nice.

Does the grey fuzzy panel slide down from the darker hard plastic around the bottom of the window? Do the 2 parts stay together? Am I supposed to carefully pry the part from the window? In what direction?

If I sound wimpy here, remember I don't want to bust the thing.

Nils K. Hammer

Reply to
synthius2002

The fuzzy interior panel comes out by being pried out in the direction of the front of the car. (If you bust the thing, throw it away. You probably wont.)

Did you trying working first from the exterior? Press the handle forcibly down toward the ground and try unlocking with the key. Only if that doesn't work do you need to dig into the interior. If it does work, lubricate the external hinges on the handle.

Reply to
Uncle Ben

Now that I understand your question better, the gray fuzzy part and the dark plastic part are one piece. The dark plastic part carries the fasteners.

Uncle Ben

Reply to
Uncle Ben

Okay, one piece, that's what I needed to know. Now, the fasteners were all 6 of 'em down at the bottom. The dark smooth plastic part is up in contact with the rear window. I'll do some more prying then.

Thanks,

Nils

Reply to
synthius2002

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