Rear hatch is jammed shut (pic)

[droflex]

Hi everyone,

1989 sidekick hardtop.

Went to the store. Loaded groceries in the rear.

I did not lock the hatch. I rarely ever lock it.

I got home to unload the groceries and the hatch won't open. The key turns and the handle is working properly.

It's like the latch is welded shut.

When locked the handle moves freely all the way (like normal) but when unlocked the handle will start to engage about half-way-through when pulled (like normal). It is doing that but it it won't go the rest of the way to open the hatch. Of course, if I pull it too hard something is going to break.

I climbed in the back, took the panel off, disengaged to rods and tried to move it with my fingers. Still won't open the hatch. By the way, my back has not stopped complaining for me climbing back there.

I've attached a pic of what it looks like.

The red line points to the part that will move slightly.

The blue line points the part (with the "S" stamped on it) that doesn't seem to want to move when the other part starts pushing up on it.

The yellow line points to an unidentified object. Could that be jamming the part with the "S" stamped on it?
   

Sorry for the bad pic. I shoved the camera up in there and just started snapping away until something what somewhat useful.

I have applied quite-a-bit of pressure from both sides of the door to perhaps relieve pressure while someone else operated the mechanism.

I've sprayed wd40 in there and let it soak overnight.

I hope that makes sense.

Thanks!

[fixkick]

id disconnect that whiteclipped rod first
rotate the clip,it pops free
then move that lever at red line.
to do that pull hard at the lever, red at the end where the white clips is removed
have person 2 push in on door, edge, to re leave pressure.

best guess.?
once open you will find (?) the staple shaped body strike plate the staple is hugely grooved like mine was. i bought a new one ask for pn/

the strike plate, screws are near impossible to remove, i used air impact gun to get mine out.
or drill of the head, and vise grip the threaded shaft, out.
then now strike and 2 screws to match (flat head.6mm?)

[droflex]

id disconnect that whiteclipped rod first
rotate the clip
then move that lever at red.
to do that pull hard at the lever, red at the end where the white clips is removed
have person 2 push in on door, edge, to re leave pressure.

once open you will find (?) the staple shaped body strike plate the staple is hugely gooved like mine was. i bought a new one ask for pn/

K. So to verify. Your saying remove the white clip that is shown in the pic and pull on the lever only?

I'm don't think I can get up there with a vise grip (or any tool) to that lever since with the door jammed shut I have no room to work. I can't see what I'm doing. Working blind.

I've had the rod disconnected to where it attaches to the other end.

Do you think it would be fine to just use that rod to pull on?

[droflex]

Anyway, I fixed it.

Just so anyone knows if this ever happens to them, this is what I did:

I crawled back in there and used some pliers to gripped the detached bar to move the mechanism.

I gripped the bar with the pliers and used the edge of the metal access hole for leverage to pry against. It was pretty stuck.

I then removed the latch and disassembled it (one screw).

WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS:

There are two moving metal parts and three springs inside.

One of the springs, over the years, had worked itself into the plastic housing so that it couldn't do it's job anymore.

THE FIX:

I took the spring out (had to pry it out because it was stuck in the plastic housing).

I couldn't find my dremel so I heated up the tip of a knife with a lighter and smoothed out the area of the plastic housing that the spring had imbedded itself. Like spreading butter.

I lubed the whole mechanism with 20-50 and followed up with some grease and put it back together.

It works again.

NOTE: If anyone ever does this, be careful. When 'ya take the thing apart things might go flying 'cause of the springs in there. Also, theres a very small rubber piece in there. I think if 'ya loose that your toast.

[fixkick]

nice, work thanks for sharing.
not easy with back seat in car. very hard.