[Robe30]

My wife and I just bought an 05OBXT 5spd and love it. When we got home from the grocery store the rear hatch doesn't seem to unlock. I can hear actuators moving at other doors when I unlock the car but nothing out back. Im guessing there is an actuator in there or could it be something else?

 

[plain OM]

Yes, there is an actuator at the rear gate latch mechanism. It's possible that the actuator is faulty, or there's a problem in the mechanism, but there's been quite a few cases of broken wires in the harness going to the rear gate. The breaks occur where the wires pass through the flexible boot at the top right of the rear gate opening.

If the wire(s) to the actuator is/are broken, there's a good chance that other wires to the gate are either broken as well, or on their way. Check all the other electrical functions in the rear gate:

Wiper, runs and parks properly when turned off;
Back up lights;
High brake light;
Radio (the antenna is in the rear glass, and there's an amplifier above the window;
license plate lights.

 

[Robe30]

I'll check it out. Thanks

 

[bartimus]

Try to push the handle back, then unlock again. My OB has the same problem, if I pull the handle while the hatch is locked, the handle moves all the way back and stays there. Then if I unlock it, the handle doesn't do anything (does not open the hatch). I slide the handle back into original position, unlock using the fob, then pull the handle- works for me.