Rear Hatch Not Opening

[dtool242]

I did a search of this forum as I thought I remember somebody saying something about a trick to open the hatch from the inside when all else fails, couldn't find it.

So here's my problem, hatch release motor works, I can hear it cycle, but it does not pop the hatch. I've even tried pushing/pulling on the hatch while using the hatch release switch and nothing. And for some reason the key no longer opens it. I feel no resistance when I turn the key left or right. I crawled back there and pulled the tool kit off but see no way of releasing the hatch from the inside.

Anybody know any tricks to open the hatch another way?

[honerboys]

the motor moves a lever that releases the hatch - if you can get back there and see how that lever moves try and move it by hand after removing the lever from the motor - be careful as the motor can try to park itself (removing fuse first would be wise) - might help if someone outside pushes down on hatch while doing this to release the pressure on the catch

[stepson]

If you remove the protective cover (held by the mounting screw in the middle of the bracket facing forward), you can then disconnect the lever that is normally operated by the motor. By pushing the lever up by hand from the inside of the car, you should be able to disengage the white plastic piece from the fixed latch and raise the hatch.

Sometimes it is difficult to get that lever pushed up enough to disengage the white plastic part of the latch.