Rear Hatch won't open | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Rear Hatch won't open

06MountaineerPA

Active Member
Joined
August 11, 2013
Messages
76
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6
City, State
Philly, PA
Year, Model & Trim Level
2006 Mountaineer Premier
I went to open my rear hatch the other day and the handle felt soft and I didn't feel the click of it releasing. I tried pushing on it, thinking it wasn't fully engaged, but it's closed. How do I get it open, so I can check the inner workings? The glass release still works.
 



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You should first detach rear hatch inner decorative panel and then you will see almost the whole hatch mechanism (also inner handle latch will be exposed) thru rear hatch metal chassis windows.

Be aware of broken rear panel plastic clips.

After hatch mech. explosed you will able to get handle assembly studs opened
 






I know this sounds a little strange but have you tried getting into the back and pushing it open from inside while someone holds the lift handle outside? I had the same situation this past winter where the handle felt like you described and the hatch wouldn't open but the glass would. Turned out that the hatch was frozen in place from the weather. I'm pretty certain yours isn't frozen from weather but it could be just stuck to the gasket. I'd try that before taking things apart.
 






Ok, I'll pushing it from the inside before doing any disassembly. But how hard is it to get the interior panel off with it closed?
 






I think this panel not related to hatch-chassis gasket areas since all the clips placed inside panel contour
 






In worse case scenario..cut this panel off(approximately near your hatch mechanism area )and get one from junkyard
 






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