Rear hatch latch sticks

[mdwatkins]

Anyone else run into a problem of the rear latch sticking on your hatch? I have to crank on the lift gate handle ten or twelve times in order to get it to open up. Some days it opens right up and others it won't open unless I crank on things.

Matt

[zahra2325]

Ever get a response i have the same problem

[GGR]

I had it happen to me once to. I spoke about this in a previous thread. I ended up having to get inside and kick the living Jeebus out of the door, and ever since then I've not had a problem with it.

Call me lucky??

[2000xj]

I have this happen all the time. It happens most of the time when the inside of the Jeep is alot colder than the outside (air conditioner on). Just push in on the bottom of the door as you unlatch the door. In fact, I adjusted the rubber mounts out once to get less squeaking from the door, but the sticking got worse, so I adjusted it back to where it was. Try it and see if it works.

[fumble]

It happens to me when tools or something is pressing against the inside of the door. More than likely putting pressure on the latch. Other than that mine is fine

[wacho4]

It also happens on my 99, but only after I knocked my rear bumper hard on a rock. It was bad enough to put a quartersized dent with paint knocked off. That's what I get for being a dumba$$ on a really muddy slope. The door the got much worse after I bopped it really hard with my knee, since I was mad I couldn't get it open. LIke I said, I'm a Dumba$$. Now I have a hard to notice depression in my rear hatch, and I realy have to yank on the handle sometimes 10 times befor I can get it to open.
Any help before I do something else dumbass-like?

[wacho4]

oh yeah, it doesn't seem to matter what temperture it is. My fiance always thinks my rear door is locked, no matter how I explain to her. We don't have a problem on her 96 even thogh we've beaten the heck out of it. IT only seems a problem on the newer body style.

[sweetjeep]

I have had this problem really badly on my 99 also.

I also was able to solve it by putting a little pressure on the bottom of the door while lifting the hatch latch. Worked every time.

Just recently that quit working for me and I was going to just replace the entire latch mech. (because I have a spare), I had a feeling that the screws were not going to give up with out a fight, so I lubed the daylights out of everything and for some reason, this time it fixed the problem.

I think my problem was the handle converts the vertical motion into horizontal motion, I haven't seen how this works exactly, but I think that part was building up too much resistance and failing.

So.. yeah.. I don't know what the problem was, I just know that a ton of WD-40 solved my problem beautifully.

[wacho4]

I was also thinking of replacing latch mech. But was looking for one cheap. Before I made it worse, Pressin on the edge of the door seem ed to help me too. But I screwed that up, you know why..


D---A--, is me

[zahra2325]

U know i had a bunch of luggage init at one point and it didnt queit fit so i had to ram the door home. i think from what im hearing from everyones stories is that its the alighnment of the hatch which may be corrected at the hinges but then again i would mess with that. what do u guys think?

[Steve98XJ]

I had the same problem about a year ago, I fixed it by shooting a little Tri-Flow lubricant directly into the key hole on the hatch and let it sit for a few days. I have not had it stick since.
Steve