Rear hatch problem

[wedgepilot]

Not the usual problem though - in this case, the remote release works ok, but when I turn the key in the lock, nothing happens. I had a look with the hatch open, and the plastic cam is pressing the microswitch, but the motor doesn' t run - it just started doing this yesterday and was ok before that.
Unfortunately, the hatch struts aren' t strong enough to lift the hatch when it unlatches, so I have to press the release, and then sprint to the back to lift the hatch before it locks again! []
Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[Guest]

Mine does this too, although I only bought the car in early December and the previous owner did at least volunteer that the locks didn' t work. The remote release works OK, without my needing to " sprint" round the car, though!
There was an article in a recent " 911 & Porsche World" concerning tailgate lock overhaul, which might be of use.
I was just going to get my mechanic to have a look at the problem, or is that just being lazy????!

 

[Tom]

Mine has suffered this problem intermitently for the almost 4 years that I' ve owned it. I' ve found it hard to debug, because everything appears to be moving properly and it starts working as soon as I start investigating. I usually find that if I turn the key two or four times, it works. It always works from the interior switch, so I' m pretty sure it' s the microswitch.

If anyone has a definite fix I' d be very pleased to hear.

Tom
1991 944 S2

 

[bert gear]

The key does not operate the motor, just pulls on the cables if the locks dont release with the key the cables need adjustment.
if the hatch dosent lift you may need new struts and seal

 

[Tom]

When I turn the key, there doesn' t appear to be any " pulling on cables" - the lock mechanism just has a cam that acts on a microswitch. If the microswitch makes contact, the motor whirrs and pulls the cables. It definitely looks like an electrical problem to me, as the (electrical) switch in the driver' s footwell works 100% of the time.

 

[Diver944]

It does sound like the microswitch at the key is a bit duff. I wouldn' t have thought that Porsche charge the earth for that (but you never know)

New struts from Bert make a world of difference to making the hatch ' spring' open, it' s amazing how weak the old ones are when you take them off.

Mind you don' t crack your jaw though []

 

[wedgepilot]

I had another fiddle with it last night (oo-er!) and came to much the same conclusion. I couldn' t see any loose wires or bad connections, so the switch itself must be duff. New struts sound like a good idea as well, for both ends of the car!

 

[Keggers]

I know that this is an old post, but thought I'd share my luck over the weekend which solved exactly this problem - remote hatch release button works fine but the key release doesn't work despite operating the microswitch correctly.

I had spent hours trying to trace this problem and couldn't work out why it wouldn't work for the life of me (despite search every 944 forum that I could find for an answer). Turned out in the end that the Alarm relay in position G19 of the fuse box (described on the fusebox label as "Bridge Adapter - Alarm System") had been removed (presumably by my aftermarket alarm installers). Ordered a new one (£10.00 delivered from Porsch-apart) and my problem with the hatch lock was instantly solved. Appears that the wiring for the key lock goes through the alarm and power never reaches it unless there is a working relay in place in the fuse box.

Hope this is of help to someone else as it got rid of a really annoying problem for me!

 

[Guest]

Yep, it's a bit late, but I've had this problem recently and it was the microswitch. Over time and use, the microswitch actuator (the little metal lever on it) bends just a small amount so that it doesn't fully activate when hit with the cam. I just bent mine gently with a pair of long nose pliers (again, just a small amount). Works fine.

BTW, the struts aren't meant to open the boot fully, they just lift it off the latches.

HTH

 

[Diver944]

If you have new struts they will lift it right open at a press of the button []

Apparently there is a little bit of 944 folklore that the original manuals said it would lift right open. Unfortunatley as the struts wore this would cease to happen so later manuals (like mine) had the text altered to say 'if the tailgate does not open of its own accord, it must be raised by hand'

I've never seen an early manual to prove this though [&:]

 

[wedgepilot]

Seeing this thread again, I just realised that I never posted a conclusion [&:] In the end, I got a 'new' microswitch for a fiver from PorschApart, which is still working fine to this day []. Still haven't got around to sorting the rear struts though! []

 

[Guest]

ORIGINAL: Diver944

If you have new struts they will lift it right open at a press of the button []

Apparently there is a little bit of 944 folklore that the original manuals said it would lift right open. Unfortunatley as the struts wore this would cease to happen so later manuals (like mine) had the text altered to say 'if the tailgate does not open of its own accord, it must be raised by hand'

I've never seen an early manual to prove this though [&:]

Wonder if the extra weight of the later spoiler would prevent lifting straight up..?

 

[wedgepilot]

You could always counteract the extra weight by replacing the wiper with a 'clubsport' bung! []