Rear Hatch on Wagon will not open

[jjb]

Hi all.
I have a 2001 XC wagon and the rear hatch/tailgait will not open. I am guessing it is the latch as it gradually stopped working.
Last year I thought I found a tutorial w/diagrams on how to replace the latch including how to get the inside panel off but I have been searching these forums and now cannot find it.

Is it possible to get the panel off w/o breaking it?
What place do folks usually purchase this from?

Thanks,

J

[kain]

One time I tried opening the latch at the same time I unlocked the car and the latch got stuck but the gate wasn't open. Figured out that I had to push the handle back into its neutral position and unlock the car again. After that the gate opened just fine. I would check just to make sure this isn't what happenend in your case.

[Skater]

One time I tried opening the latch at the same time I unlocked the car and the latch got stuck but the gate wasn't open. Figured out that I had to push the handle back into its neutral position and unlock the car again. After that the gate opened just fine. I would check just to make sure this isn't what happenend in your case.
Yep, same thing just happened to me in my first week of owning the car. You know how when someone is standing outside the car waiting for you to unlock the door, and they try to open it the exact time you push the unlock button. That's what I did to myself on the rear hatch. Just had to lock and then unlock again to fix.

[jjb]

Kain,
I have tried what you suggested a number of times.
I am pretty sure it is actually the latch as it was slowly going.
For a couple of months I had to fiddle with the handle to get the latch to take hold but after a while it stopped working altogether.
It actually stopped working at the end of last summer.

Jen

[skibo]

Having the same problem as of yesterday. Must be the phase fo the moon or something.

[HughKaplan]

JJB

I had the same problem, and I fixed it the same way I think Kain did.
I used my fingertips to push the handle back toward the front of the vehicle until it clicked. Its happened a few times since then. Is that what was going on with yours before it failed?

[sumfan]

had the same problem with 01
found the wires in the upper left hinge area had broken wires in it
they break from not enough room to flex in the hinge
repaired has worked fine since then