Hatch Rattle Fix

Last updated: August 8, 1998

Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 11:36:35 -0400
From: "Conrad J. Koch"

Two things to try:

1: Re-adjust the latch in the back so it holds the hatch down more tightly. On mine, I loosened the bolts on the latch and adjusted it down to the furthest point. Helped, but #2 below really did the trick.

2: Get some white lithium grease and grease up the rubber stoppers toward the rear of the hatch. Worked like a charm.

_________________

Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 13:26:30 -0400
From: "Ryan W. Schlagheck"

I'd like to thank everyone (more than 15 people) who responded to me regarding the hatch lock tightening problem I was having on my 3rd gen.

Though I have not fixed it yet, I have determined that my hatch lock plate is not slotted like most 3rd gen vehicles. All '93 3rd gen'ers who responded _did_ have a slotted plate, with slots about 1/2 inch long on each side. The lone '94 3rd gen'er who responded also had the slots, though I'm not sure if build date had something to do with the changeover from slotted to non-slotted hatch lock plate.

The other solution was to get some rubber strips and cut/drill them to "shim" the rubber bumpstops that the hatch rests against (one on either side of the hatch) effectively raising the bumpstops and allowing more pressure to be placed on the hatch, alleviating any up-n-down movement of the hatch. Other recommendations were to check the antenna motor for rattle, check the hatch hinges for play, and replace the hatch struts with heavy-duty units.

If further clarification is needed, please email me, I'd be happy to help out.

________________

Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 10:16:08 -0500
From: "Jonathan Drewes"

>There seems to be some squeaking noise from the rear, and I can't seem
>to trace it. I know it's coming from the interior - (sounds like a
>cricket). Any suggestions as to what it could be?

It took me a while to fix this problem. Here is the solution. Cut 2 three inch lengths of rubber hose (I dont remember what diameter). With the hatch open, place each piece between the car body and the hatch (oriented from left to right). Position the hose so that when the hatch is shut, the rubber pushes the hatch upward.

This stopped my squeaking.

Actually, I used two concentric pieces of rubber hose (on inside the other) for more stiffness.

__________________

Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 10:21:54 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Steven N. Burkett"

If you crank the striker plate down as far as it will go, it will probably fix it. However, it will make the hatch really hard to shut, and the hatch will be visibly out of line with the rest of the body. ( I know this because this was the dealer's *fix*, which I un-did ).

I found that some grease (make sure it's safe for rubber!!) on the bumper stops helps a little. I eventually intend to shim them up a little higher, as soon as I can figure out a good way to do it. Anyone done this?

_________________

Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:41:37 -0400
From: Jim Brickmeier

I had a similar problem that I thought was the rubber trim (hence inside the car), but found out was not. Do you have the stock rear spoiler? Turns out that some of the screws that held the spoiler to the rear hatch were slightly loose. When driving the hatch would intermittently emit a high pitched squeak like a cricket. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to eliminate the problem by greasing the rubber hatch stoppers...I accidentally stumbled upon the squeak while closing the hatch. It could be reproduced by firmly pressing/pulling on the rear spoiler. In order to fix it, I had to remove the rubber stoppers that cover the screwholes for the spoiler and tighten the screws. Voila...no more crickets.

_________________

From: jott@directlink.net
Date: February 21, 2000

I tried lowering the hatch release mechanism as far as possible. It didn't help my problem, and it caused the hatch to sit lower in the back than the taillight assemblies, so I put it back to where it was.

Then I removed the two rubber stops that are on the back of the left and right quarter panels. I put some dense foam weatherstripping I had underneath the base of the rubber stops, effectively raising them 3 or 4 mm, and reinstalled the rubber stops. I then put a thin coat of white lithium grease on the rubber stops where they come in contact with the hatch. My hatch no longer rattles!

Before I raised the rubber stops, I could hear some slight play in the rear hatch if I pressed down on it when it was closed. Now it does not move at all when it is closed. I suspect the rubber just compresses over time. It would probably be a more elegant solution to replace the rubber stops, but this was free and did not require a 2 week wait from the dealership.