ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Model Specific Suzuki Forum => Suzuki Grand Vitara, Vitara, Chevy Tracker (Gen. 2 Platform) 1999-2005 => Topic started by: hatninja on September 28, 2012, 11:29:41 AM
-
First post. I just inherited my sisters 1999 Grand Vitara, due to a stopped up cat which I fixed yesterday. Next on my list is the rear hatch, it will not open, she said a few weeks age she had no symptoms at all she closed it and now it wont open. I have opened it a long time ago but I cant remember how it felt. I cant find a way to access the latch mechanism. Anyone know how to access it?
-
Should be able to access the latch mechanism from behind the plastic panel covering the inside of the door. It should pop off. The plastic panel should be held on by male clips around the perimeter of the cover. Once you have it open you can access the latch mechanism. However, there are metal door support brackets that make it tight to get into the actual latch mechanism (on the far right). The actual latch could be unscrewed from the end of the door and removed, if needed.
FIRST, I would inspect the actual plastic latch handle. Could be the plastic 'handle' that rotates upward when you pull on the door has either a rusted (frozen) spring or a part of the latch has broken off. Either case, you still have to remove the back plastic cover panel to remove the nuts securing these latch pieces to inspect/repair. A trip to the local junk yard is a quick and inexpensive fix if this is the case.
While you are there at the junk yard, consider grabbing some internal and external door handles as well. They are all made of plastic and sooner or later a piece will let go. It's easier to just go to your garage stash and grab a spare to make the repair than to continually run to the junk yard AND usually much cheaper than buying a new one on line or at the dealer.
-
Thanks man, I figured it was accessed through the inside but was worried about breaking the panel. So you say the inside panel is held on by clips? Does this include the top of the pane? I can just pull on the panel and pop them out one by one?
l
-
yes just pull the bottom of the plastic panel you'll get access to the latch. if you live any where that winter is hard on vehicals the latch inside is seized up. when that happens alot of the time the plastic handel (the whole license plate holder) breaks from excessive force. it happened to mine and a parts rig i had, there is alot of salt used here in the winter. i had to put a pair of pliers on mine to pull on the lever to get it open. but it did not work when i bought the vehical so i think it was seized for a long time. after i got mine to open i removed the latching mechanism sprayed some rustcheck in it and got it freed up. then let it soak in a tub of engine oil over night, haven't had a problem with it since.
-
The latch mechanism on the back door is prone to sticking reach up under the handle and make sure the paddle for the back door is pushed towards the body of the vehicle. then lock the doors and unlock them. This should get u in
-
Its fixed, the handle was rusty and would not allow the mechanism to fully return thus preventing me from unlocking it. Thanks for the info.