Argh!!! why? WHY???? - back hatch stuck!

[fuzzydog]

got some serious rain yesterday evening, then froze last night.
This morning the doors wouldn't unlock with the remote but I did get the keys to open the door, but not the hatch. Now I think the linkage broke inside the hatch mechanism because it tried to open but was frozen.

Is there ANY way to get the hatch open when the mechanism is broken?

[Speed_racer]

heat it up slightly with a torch, then add some lubricant, press the button on the hatch, and yank!!

i have probs w/my rear door due to a bent bumper.. have seen probs due to tweeked body/subframe as well, but if you say its just from the cold, i could see that being your only problem

[fuzzydog]

thanks for the advice, but i think it's more than that. i did heat it up with a torch and I was able to get the key in and turn it both left and right, and push the button in, but it still won't release.

[Speed_racer]

If that's the case, I'd spray some lube up inside the whole lock mechanism, and go from there.

sorry I couldnt be of more help!

[fuzzydog]

no problem, I appreciate you trying.

[stewie]

i heard of this happening before. if its still stuck, you could have someone push (read kick/stomp) on the lift gate from the inside while you try opening from the outside. this works good for when the latch wont completely disengage. then take the interior trim off and spray with a water displacing lube like WD-40.

you could also have water forming to ice and bonding the liftgate to the body of the vehicle. not to entirely sure how to fix that. take the following with a grain of salt as its just an idea i had pop into my head. you could check the weather stripping to ensure its not damaged. then clean the mating surfaces of the lift gate, weather strip, and body. now we have to figure out what would keep water from freezing and bonding it together. would a light grease work or a wax? dont know, as i havent been in that situation yet. but like i said, im talking out of my @$$ here.

i wonder if anything i said will help

[Speed_racer]

Good thinking, actually, Stewie.

If it is still frozne around the door, heat it all up w/a torch and put new seals in there, shouldnt freeze shut w/new seals.

[fuzzydog]

I got it open. I parked with the hatch facing the sun all morning - yes it was a beautiful morning - and it just popped open.
When it was stuck it opened about 1/8 inch and then you could hear and feel the latch catching. I guess I hadn't heated it up deep enough before.

Thanks for tips

Now I can take the winter rims down to get new winter tires put on - that is going to look so girly with stock size tires....but at least I'll stick to the roads.