`95 Legacy rear door won't lock

[Bradley Walker]

Hello all,

My moms `95 Legacy Wagon L had a new rear door replaced several years ago
after some kid at a gas station backed a pickup into her. After all was
said and done, the body shop that worked on it, had to get an entirely new
rear door and install it.

Now a few years later I'm noticing several small issues stand out. First is
the fact that the door will not electronically lock. When she locks all of
the doors using the master control on the drivers door, the rear hatch will
not lock. In order to lock it, it requires a manual insertion of the key
and turning. The second issue I've noticed is that the latch handle for
opening the rear hatch is sticking. Something a little WD-40 would fix I
assume.

My guess with the locking issue is that a wire is cut, crimped, or just not
connected properly. Where would I begin to look about fixing this for her?
It's a bit of a nusiance, yet she doesn't want to pay big $$$$ to have it
fixed at a shop.

Brad

 

[Vanguard]

the fact that the door will not electronically lock. When she locks
all of the doors using the master control on the drivers door, the
rear hatch will not lock. In order to lock it, it requires a manual
insertion of the key and turning. The second issue I've noticed is
that the latch handle for opening the rear hatch is sticking.
Something a little WD-40 would fix I assume.

My guess with the locking issue is that a wire is cut, crimped, or
just not connected properly. Where would I begin to look about fixing
this for her? It's a bit of a nusiance, yet she doesn't want to pay
big $$$$ to have it fixed at a shop.

Could be the bar that runs from the motor to the lock is broke or
disconnected. That would require taking off the molding to get inside
to look. When someone else activates the master door switch (the one on
the driver door that activates all power lock motors) and while you are
standing by the rear door, do you hear the motor activate back there?
If you don't hear the motor activate, could be a broken wire like you
mention, a disconnected connector, or the motor burnt out. If you hear
the motor activate, the mechanical linkage from it to the door lock
assembly is broke.

As for the sticky latch, the Subaru's exhaust wafts upward from the rear
and underneath the rear door insignia bar and latch area. This increase
the humidity that is present when the car first starts and accelerates
the rust underneath. I've sprayed my every fall and spring although it
is rusty (so rusty, in fact, that flakes fall off the galvanized bracket
plate). Eventually I figure that I'll have to replace the handle when
the plate corrodes so bad that the handle gets loose.