Unlocked rear hatch latch - Help needed

[wilewil]

When my jeep was one week old I got rearended - what luck. Now I am having a continuing problem with the latch. It will unlatch with the remote, but not latch. This of course leaves it unlocked most of the time. I am getting tired of locking by hand each time I get out.

Does anyone know a fix?

How would I just disconnect the thing and make it manual if that is the best solution?

Thanks

[kevin s]

What year? How well do the other door locks work? If it is a pre-91, maybe you need to do the electric lock upgrade. Just a little wiring and a couple of relays.

[wilewil]

2001 Must be getting power at the lock as it WILL unlock. Thus the problem. Are there separate relays, solenoids, etc. for lock and unlock?

[kevin s]

Sorry. No help. The older ones WOULD unlock but not lock or vice versa, I forget which, due to low voltage. There is a fix for that.

Sounds like you tweaked something (duh, I know). You could try adjusting/shimming the latch or latch bolt. I had to do that too on my '90. Don't have a clue for a 2001.

[MJR]

Sound like a bad lock solenoid. Does it make a whinning sound when trying to lock ?. I would pull the trim panel and (leaving it connected) put a test light across the two wires to see if it gets power on unlock and lock.

[MattS]

I have a 99 Sport, bought in 2002. When it was new, to me, I had the same exact problem with my rear lock. I took off the back panel and sprayed/soaked the mechanism with WD40. After cleaning it up all worked like new. Mine must have been gummed up. Been working fine for a year. Hope this helps!

[wilewil]

Massive flush with WD-40 seems to have done the trick, course it took a long time to clean up the drips!:)

[MattS]

I know the feeling. Glad you got it fixed!!