[tbearvolt]

Went to shut the hatch today and heard a clunk. It looks like the lock mechanism is locked down and won't open (tried to take a key and see if it could be pushed out of the way but no luck). Any suggestions before I take to a dealer? Anyone replace one of these? There are pieces of torn rubber so I imagine that it's shot.

 

[mvanzanten]

I once had the locking mechanism in the lock position when I tried to close the hatch. I had some small pieces of plastic break off. But I believe I was able to open the locking mechanism it by pushing the unlock button. Hatch still closes normally.

 

[El Dobro]

Did the latch go, or did the release switch go?

 

[tbearvolt]

The latch - it appears to be in the closed/locked position (like it would be wrapping around the catch). Tried locking/unlocking but no movement.

 

[AZ EV Driver]

The latch - it appears to be in the closed/locked position (like it would be wrapping around the catch). Tried locking/unlocking but no movement.

After unlocking it did you press the release switch on the hatch?

VIN # B0985

 

[Fyodor]

The latch - it appears to be in the closed/locked position (like it would be wrapping around the catch). Tried locking/unlocking but no movement.

It sounds like something that happened with my Jetta. A spring that held the latch jaws open was broken, and the mechanism had to be replaced. It was not a difficult repair or a very expensive part. It's probably a common, off the shelf, GM part.

 

[tbearvolt]

So, your advice got it latched but I'm afraid it's broken. I pressed the hatch release and that let me move the latch around and it shut and caught. However, tried it again and it did the same thing. I wonder how to get access to it? The latch is only about $70.

 

[tbearvolt]

I didn't but the person who actually shut the hatch when it broke may have.

 

[tbearvolt]

Found youtube demo on removing the trim from the back of the lock so hopefully that will be enough to get access to it. Ordered a latch online so I'll be replacing next week.

 

[El Dobro]

Youtube can be a good thing, at times.

 

[tbearvolt]

Sometimes. It shows removing all of the trim but doesn't give a close up view of the latch to see if it can be pulled out easily. New one to arrive on Monday. Can only imagine what the dealer would charge to replace it.

 

[tbearvolt]

Just to finish this one off. Using the instructions for removing the rear hatch trim here.....

So you remove the first two pieces (the handle with the two screws and the trim around the latch itself. Then you can get away with partially removing the next piece to where you can slide the part out/back.

The latch is held in with two T40 head bolts. When you remove them you can push the latch inward and then back around the bracket. Remove the connector (I used a small flathead screwdriver to gently lift one edge of connector and it pulled off). Installation is the reverse of the above.

The hardest/scariest part of this was hearing the clips come free from the large trim piece because they are metal tipped clips and they are loud breaking free.

Part number is 13585478. I was a cheapskate so I bought one from ebay from a low mileage wrecked Volt. Price for a new one is about $75. Figured that I saved the price of full retail part plus 1 to 1.5 hours of labor. It took me only about 30 - 40 minutes and that included running in to watch the youtube video again.

Hatch is working perfectly again.