I closed my hatch w/o the release cable connected - DOH!!!!!

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I closed my hatch w/o the release cable connected - DOH!!!!!

By teal_dx
- Tue Apr 03, 2012 4:49 pm #300788 I had the lower hatch off of my car and I was putting it back on last week. I was closing the lower tail gate part to see how the body lines lined up and I needed to adjust it a little bit more but had to leave so I shut the hatch glass - without the release cable connected inside of the tail gate. :facepalm:
I had put the plastic trim piece on the inside and forgot all about the cable. Now it is stuck closed :x
I crawled through the back seat and tried to pull the plastic trim off the inside but it isn't coming off with the hatch closed up. Then I tried to unlock & open the hatch with the glass still latched and that didn't work at all.
It looks like the only option is to unbolt the wiper motor/latch assembly from the glass. The problem there is I can only get to the outside bolt. The smaller bolt on the inside is behind a plastic cover that I wasn't able to get off with the hatch glass closed. So I may have to end up breaking that plastic cover piece to get the inside bolt off. :(
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By dbrooks
- Tue Apr 03, 2012 8:08 pm #300802 Hahahahaha dude that sucks!
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By Ecc0
- Tue Apr 03, 2012 8:51 pm #300812 What's the easiest part to get hold of? The plastics or a new rear window? As that could be your other option.

Or crack that housing round the wiper motor for better access.

By rak511
- Wed Apr 04, 2012 1:44 am #300841 Dang, sounds kind of like a problem im having but i didnt put the plastic piece on so i just push the thing over to pop it... wat bout the key for the hatch? or dosent it work like mine dosent?

By trackEG4
- Wed Apr 04, 2012 11:02 am #300900 If you remove the inner mouldings from each side you should be able to get a spanner in to unbolt the actual catches??? I think they are 12mm , 2 on each side. Goodluck.
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By Classiccarsrule85
- Wed Apr 04, 2012 12:30 pm #300904 now its been along time since i owned a hatch but pretty much id say you should have access to the latch release for the two sides of the hatch what i would do is remove the plastic trim off that take the two screws out and remove this part and you should be able to sneak something in there to release the glass off the hatch since that is the closest part to the actual mech
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By teal_dx
- Wed Apr 04, 2012 12:47 pm #300906 I was able to take off the 2 small access covers used to change the bulbs in the inner tail lights. Maybe I can stick a clothes hanger wire through there to jimmy the latch open.
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By Classiccarsrule85
- Wed Apr 04, 2012 4:38 pm #300925 also if the key works thats attatched to the window not the sides i used my key when i had my hatch sometimes and all it dose is release the window section that should do the trick or locate the back of the lock and follow the metal rod and see if you can reach the lever
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