rear gate of my 2000 wagon

[wws*]

Help! the rear gate on my 2000 wagon sometimes will not unlock. notice i said sometimes. on occasion the problem corrects itself (no doubt i did something unknowingly) once I went to the valet mode section of the manual and followed that instruction and it seemed to have corrected it. now that it is locked again and I am trying to do the same 'fix' it still will not unlock. Mind you, it won't even unlock using the key. the dealer guys at the service bay said it had to be something inside the latch and i'd have to bring it in. i am not convinced that it is a mechanical problem because of m past experience with the problem...before i shell out $$ does anyone know how to fix this and how to prevent it from happening? is is the key fob or a security arm/disarm situation?

[jayheel]

I have the same year Outback and occasionally i've found the rear gate handle sticking (like the spring doesn't pull it back into proper possition) when this happens it will not open with the key or fob, what i've found to work is to move the handle back and forth manually a couple times, lots of wD40 and then try the lock/unlock on the door. not a guarantee but worked for me

good luck

[ported]

Same sticking of the latch for our 2000 Outback. Every month I spray WD- 40 into the latch assembly and it seems to be working. The latch hasn't stuck for over a year now. We live right beside the ocean and corrosion is a big problem here.