Rear hatch release

My '95 RMW rear hatch will not release by pushing the tailgate button, using the remote, or using the dash button.

The only way I can open it is to use the key.

Any ideas?  Is this realistically fixable?  It's a concern, as I primarily drive this w/my dog crated in the back, and if something happens and I can't open the hatch, it could become a problem.

Open the glass and check the electrical contacts in the glass. If they're dirty/corroded, clean them with sandpaper.

Open the tailgate and remove the cover and look inside.   It's not unusual for the solenoid to fall off inside the gate or have a broken wire.

Roo, does pushing the tailgate button activate a mechanical release or an electrical one?

As far as me opening the tailgate and having any idea what I'm looking at, is probably not going to happen.  But if it's something like that, I could have it looked at.

Electrical. The only mechanical release is the turning of the key.

The latch assembly for the popper is plastic, and they are a common failure point. Pop the cover and look for broken plastic. Should be pretty obvious.

Also seen a few where the mount point on the solenoid fatigues and breaks.  I actually had my daddy weld the first one back together...still holding 5 yrs later

Do your door locks work with the remote/door lock switch, including the gate lock?

The only items that affect the glass release directly and do not have an alternate path are the glass release relay in the convenience center and the transmission position switch.

Your transmission position switch may be out of adjustment/not making contact (ground). The gate will only work in park and neutral.  Another issue might be the gate relay on the convenience center by the steering column (this is the most likely).

Yes, the rest of the locks work fine, either with the remote or the door switches -- including the tailgate lock.  The only thing that doesn't is the hatch release (unless I use the key).

I would try the relay in the convenience center (very inconvenient center) on the left beside the steering column as my first guess. Then the transmission position switch. It is one of the little black relays in row across the center of the convenience center.

OK -- now yesterday it started working again...

So if it's intermittent, does that indicate one thing vs. another?

hueterm wrote:

OK -- now yesterday it started working again...

So if it's intermittent, does that indicate one thing vs. another?

Yes,... it indicates you haven't really found the problem or fixed it yet,.

maybe like the other guy who is having latch/gate problems,.you have a screw loose too?

The relay is your first choice, because it is easy. Second choice is the trans position switch. Intermittent means that you are waiting because right now it is not inconvenient. I have seen the latch solenoid stick, and if it is sticking, you will not have satisfactory functioning of the gate release. Something like a sticking solenoid could be an intermittent problem, but someday it will become constant.