why no manual lock/unlock on rear hatch????

[bryanhbre]

So this weekend I was replacing all brake pads, rotors, and all 4 shocks on my 2001 mountaineer. For the past year or so, whenever it was colder than say 50 degrees out, the rear hatch wouldn't unlock until either the sun warmed up the interior to a good temp, or outside was at least 50 degrees. Our key has never opened the rear lock either. Not sure why. Hadn't been a problem until now. Anyway, to change the rear shocks you have to remove the spare tire. Well, I couldn't get the hatch to unlock which prevented me from lowering the spare since I couldn't access the pipe hole for the spare crank mechanism. We tore the back end of the hatch apart trying to figure out what was sticking. My guess is that the lock actuator is somewhat weak, but either way I installed a manual lock/unlock latch while I was in there. Just a wire rod put through the top (had to drill a couple holes). Really good thing I found out you couldn't lower the spare if the hatch was closed, I plan on taking a trip in a few weeks (800 mile round trip) & if I needed a spare tire, I would have a big problem if I couldn't get the back end to open. Seems like a stupid thing that Ford wouldn't have put a manual lock/unlock latch back there. Any particular reason why this was left out or were they just being cheap???????

 

[Bill Kemp]

Any particular reason why this was left out or were they just being cheap???????

Probably just being cheap. Or thinking that the Xs would be maintained or last forever. Neither of which happens.

 

[BrianDye]

I had a kinda simaler prob with my 92, the lock would almost never lock when I bought it, and it was a pretty big issue for me with my a/v and all that in there, so i took the panel off, and grabbed the handy dandy WD-40, gave all the mechanisms back there a nice moisten, and now it works smoother than ever locks and unlocks every time

 

[KPT]

Just being cheap. Second gens have this and it was gone in 2.5 gens. I thought about getting rid of mine, never had a use for it.

 

[MazdaGreg]

Weird!

I owned a 1st Gen, which has the typical button for lock unlock, and I now own a 3rd Gen, which has a manual control on the face of the rear hatch. So 2nd Gen's didnt have anything like that? not a simple up / down indicator?

Chock it up to another "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!"

 

[my98nnj]

The key is the manual lock/unlock.
If thats not working it's time to lube things up.

 

[KPT]

So 2nd Gen's didnt have anything like that? not a simple up / down indicator?

Chock it up to another "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!"

Yes, second gens have a little knob that goes up an down, similar to what the doors have. 2.5 gens do not have this.

 

[Spdrcer34]

First Gens had it too....I also liked the fact that they added another lock/unlock button on the drivers side rear panel. Perfect for when you have just unlocked the rear hatch with your keys. Just hit the unlock button, and the doors will unlock for your passengers, OR for you, so you don't have to manually unlock the drivers door...

I am going to add this to my `93.

Ryan

 

[bryanhbre]

seems odd that Ford would leave out a manual lock for just certain years. not sure why my key won't work, it works the front locks & ignition just fine. also has the Mercury symbol on the key, would the rear lock cylinder have been replaced at some time? how would I know?

 

[Spdrcer34]

The hatch went pretty much unchanged from 1991 to 1997. Other than the 3rd brake light, the latch, and all was pretty much the same.

in 1998 they moved the license plate from the bumper, and into the rear hatch. The hatch also got a bit of a curve to it.

Ryan

 

[eXcali]

seems odd that Ford would leave out a manual lock for just certain years. not sure why my key won't work, it works the front locks & ignition just fine. also has the Mercury symbol on the key, would the rear lock cylinder have been replaced at some time? how would I know?

I have this problem all the time in all my cars because I rarely use the key to unlock. In the winter when there is salt on the roads it finds it's way into the locks. You may have to pull out the lock cylinder and clean it up. A wire brush, some brake cleaner and some jewelers flat head screw drivers (for working the salt and corosion out of the tumblers) then some lock dry lube will get you rolling again.

 

[Lloyd10977]

A lot of salt used on roads in the NY/NJ area and I saw that may be an issue with my rear hatch tumbler. So I took one of that flat refrigerator magnets that is about the sixe of a business card and covered the tumbler. That kept out water, ice, salt for years. Now it is covered by a "Support Our Troops" magnet.

 

[Ranglorer]

The rear hatch key cylinder has a cheap ass plastic connector that attaches it to the rod that would unlock the hatch. Once that warps or breaks it has to be replaced......