Hatch latch fixed -- rip-off avoided

[Uncle Ben]

My 1999 Outback had a sticky latch on the hatch that has bothered me
for years. Fairly frequenty I could not open the hatch normally
without ripping out the upholstery and spraying WD40 blindly onto the
latch mechanism.

Finally even that didn't work. Peering down through narrow access
holes I could see that a spring-loaded sliding part was not sliding
far enough back (against the spring) to unlock the latch.

Figuring that something hidden was broken or worn out, I plunked down
$202 for a new
"hatch latch assembly. I was told that the charge for installation was
another few hundred . But I balked at that.

Turns out that the replacement of that assembly was only an hour's job
-- for the first experience. If I had to do it again, I could do it
in ten minutes.

It is a trick to detach the two long actuator rods, one from the
outside handle and another from the lock mechanism. The first was a
surprise; write me if you need to know how. If you buy the replacement
part, you can see easily how to do it.

You have to detach two connectors; both come out straight along their
long axes, but has a locking mechanism you need to squeeze.

For the rest, it is three bolts out and you can wriggle the old one
out and put the new one in.

But perhaps a new part is not necessary, and knowing what I know now,
I might have saved the $202. The sticking part may need only some
lubrication. You can't get at it without removing the part and
looking at its bottomt, but when you do, you can see how to lubricate
it. Once you know how to pull or replace the part, it is easy.

I paid so you may not have to!

Uncle Ben

 

[Uncle Ben]

Edited Nov 20.

My 1999 Outback had a sticky latch on the hatch that has bothered me
for years. Fairly frequently I could not open the hatch
without ripping out the upholstery and spraying WD40 blindly onto the
latch mechanism.

Finally even that didn't work. Peering down through narrow access
holes I could see that a spring-loaded sliding part was not sliding
far enough back (against the spring) to unlock the latch.

Figuring that something hidden was broken or worn out, I plunked down
$202 for a new
"hatch latch assembly. I was told that the charge for installation was
another few hundred .  But I balked at that.

Turns out that the replacement of that assembly was only an hour's job
-- for the first experience.  If I had to do it again, I could do it
in ten minutes.

It is a trick to detach the two long actuator rods, one from the
outside handle and another from the lock mechanism. The first was a
surprise; the rod is attached to the handle by a brass nipple that sticksout sideways from the rod and fits into a plastic bushing on the handle. Just pull it out towards the driver's side. Force it out!

 

[Uncle Ben]

Edited Nov 20.




- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

My 1999 Outback had a sticky latch on the hatch that has bothered me for
years. Fairly frequenty I could not open the hatch normally without
ripping out the upholstery and spraying WD40 blindly onto the latch
mechanism.

WD40 is not a lubricant. The "WD" stands for "Water Dispersant". It was
actually developed as a spray for nuclear missiles to keep them from
rusting while sitting in the silos waitng to be deployed!

Go to a GM dealer (steel thyself!) and get Rust Penetrant and Heat Riser
Lubricant, ~$9-12 per can. It is the BEST stuff I have ever seen! I use it
on stuck bolts, cables, linkages, etc. I found an old Fuji bike sitting
behind a store, the shifters were frozen solid and the brakes were too.
The chain was rusty and sticking. I sprayed all the cables with this, and
then sprayed the chain, and wiped it with a rag. The shifter and the
brakes work like new, and the chain looks like it's brand new. This stuff
is amazing. When I get a car, new or old, I spray everything I think I
might have to replace with this stuff once a year and it keeps everything
looking new.

 

[Uncle Ben]

WD40 is not a lubricant. The "WD" stands for "Water Dispersant". It was
actually developed as a spray for nuclear missiles to keep them from
rusting while sitting in the silos waitng to be deployed!

Go to a GM dealer (steel thyself!) and get Rust Penetrant and Heat Riser
Lubricant, ~$9-12 per can. It is the BEST stuff I have ever seen! I use it
on stuck bolts, cables, linkages, etc. I found an old Fuji bike sitting
behind a store, the shifters were frozen solid and the brakes were too.
The chain was rusty and sticking. I sprayed all the cables with this, and
then sprayed the chain, and wiped it with a rag. The shifter and the
brakes work like new, and the chain looks like it's brand new. This stuff
is amazing. When I get a car, new or old, I spray everything I think I
might have to replace with this stuff once a year and it keeps everything
looking new.

Thanks. Actually I tried many oils and a teflon spray, none of which
were much help eventually. But it is good to know about the GM
product.

UB

 

[Todd H.]

My 1999 Outback had a sticky latch on the hatch that has bothered me
for years. Fairly frequenty I could not open the hatch normally
without ripping out the upholstery and spraying WD40 blindly onto the
latch mechanism.

Ben,

Love this sort of post--thanks for taking the time to share this info
with us.