Rear hatch woes

[Beeble]

The rear hatch on our '06 has been a big pain in the @$$. It is getting somewhat easier to close, but it still needs to be slammed hard. The dealer says to bring it in and they'll adjust it - and keep it at least half a day.

Here's the real problem, though. The required slamming has done damage to the lid. There are several places where the metal is dented out, probably from the locking mechanism banging it from inside. And the third tail light lens is cracked.

We're due for the 5000 mile service in a couple of weeks, and I'm going to ask what kind of warranty coverage we'll get for this kind of nonsense.

Anyone had anything similar happen? How was it handled?

[kcfoxie]

i have the dent, too, but not the cracking. tho my third brake light is lose. my car won't open right since i added the spoiler.

They may try and cite abuse, if so call VWoA and tell them that the dealer said to slam it harder and they'd try adjusting it. That puts blame on them, they'll deny it but VWoA will likely have them at least replace the brake light.. pushing hard might get a whole new trunk assembly.

good luck!

[dunno513]

Mine needs a good push. I wish there was something on the outside to push on rather than bare paint. VW should install an automatic electric latch and make it easier for all. ( No wait, that would just be something else that will break after the warranty expires )

Does anyone have the problem where the latch releases half way, and you have to press the button again to be able to open it? I does this every so often. (Granted I've only had the car 4 days now )

[JuggBug]

Mine requires the slamming too What's funny is that if you don't slam it, it still alarms, and doesn't 'honk'. But if you do slam it, it makes this little Herbie beep when you alarm it. It's a quirky little bug, but I still love it! I think I will take it in next week just to see what they say about adjusting it? I'll keep you posted!

[animex]

does anyone know where the trunk sensor is and how it looks like?

[EvilinaDM101]

Originally Posted by JuggBug

Mine requires the slamming too What's funny is that if you don't slam it, it still alarms, and doesn't 'honk'. But if you do slam it, it makes this little Herbie beep when you alarm it. It's a quirky little bug, but I still love it! I think I will take it in next week just to see what they say about adjusting it? I'll keep you posted!

LOL! My NB has the SAME issue ! Although, if I don't slam it my trunk latch light will stay on. So I slam it and then it makes the cute burping (honk) noise. Crazy Beetle! Gotta love it!

[lnx-bug]

I have to slam the trunk a bit too, and was shown that by the sales lady. I don't think I have a dent, but I am going to be careful.

Is it possible to adjust the hatch so that when you unlock it, it opens up all the way? Right now when it unlocks I still have to pull it up. It would be nice to push the button on the fob and have the hatch open up completely.

[Pelican18TQA4]

My hatch has been hard to close since day 1 and since adding the spoiler it's gotten easier to close but harder to open! I think the added weight of the spoiler makes it easier to close and you don't have to slam it shut anymore, just a firm push as you're closing it. I also think the added weight of the spoiler is enough that when I "pop" the trunk it doesn't pop up enough to clear the latch. It's no big deal though, just means that I have to pull the trunk lid up right after I "pop" it open.

[JuggBug]

Originally Posted by Beeble

The rear hatch on our '06 has been a big pain in the @$$. It is getting somewhat easier to close, but it still needs to be slammed hard. The dealer says to bring it in and they'll adjust it - and keep it at least half a day.

Here's the real problem, though. The required slamming has done damage to the lid. There are several places where the metal is dented out, probably from the locking mechanism banging it from inside. And the third tail light lens is cracked.

We're due for the 5000 mile service in a couple of weeks, and I'm going to ask what kind of warranty coverage we'll get for this kind of nonsense.

Anyone had anything similar happen? How was it handled?

OKAY! Problem solved! I took JuggBug in this morning and had the dealer look at my hatch, cuz I noticed a faint start of a dent like Beeble's and here's what I found out......

I thought the guy was crazy when he told me that, since the car is new, the seals around the hatch need to be 'broken in'. ALso, he said that the NB's are air tight and therefore, if I leave a window cracked open (or the door) when I shut the trunk, I wouldn't have this problem because the air will have some place to go. HA-HA I thought, who's this guy trying to kid??

Well, guess what?? He's absolutely right. You can totally tell the difference in how much easier it closes and you don't have to slam it! It still does the sweet little Herbie beep when I alarm it, but no trunk light coming on and NO DENTS in JuggBug's future!

Try it....I think you will find that it works!!!

[from Margaritaville...]

For years I've made it a habit to leave the vent control to "fresh air" status rather than "re-circulate" to aid that effort (and it works for me)...

[JuggBug]

Originally Posted by Alan Margosian

For years I've made it a habit to leave the vent control to "fresh air" status rather than "re-circulate" to aid that effort (and it works for me)...

Thanks Alan! That's a great tip!!! This trunk thing has been driving me crazy , so I'm going to try that too! :-)

[Beeble]

I had heard that before, but wasn't going to try it in the winter! Spring's officially here now (the bulbs are coming up in the front garden!), so I'll start popping the sunroof open or something. Thanks!

[dunno513]

This leave the window open trick will always make closing other doors and hatches easier. Usually when a door closes hard, or won't close fully there is a greater problem at hand.

Yesterday while "looking" at our great german piece of work, I noticed that there are bumpers about half way down the rear latch shelf. I noticed that the marks left by the contact piece on the rubber were more pronounced on one side than the other. Thats when I noticed that there are adjustment notches on those bumpers, and the right side was about 5 clicks higher than the left side. I simply loosened the screw, and lowered the right block until there were approx 4 lines of adjustment showing on top of each rubber stopper block.

Now, the latch closes easily, probelm solved. For me at least.

"How To" Fix adjust your lift gate to pop open & Stop Ratteling

Also read this, as if these are over tightened, they may cause a problem. I had originally inspected mine (rattle) and found that there was no contact. I adjusted them so they just touched (using the paper method below) but the rattle was only slightly less. I turned them another 1/4 turn last night and the rattle seems to have stopped. I could feel the change of just that 1/4 turn while closing the hatch so I know that if they are over adjusted, they could cause resistance closing the hatch, or worse.

[JuggBug]

You're absolutely right! When I first got my bug I was so excited but never noticed that the trunk light open was on! I finally took it in, they adjusted the hatch and then the slamming began! lol When I took it back to show them the dents it was causing, the service guy straight up said, don't adjust it again, just crack a window or keep your door open. He said everything will loosen up over time too.

What's even better is that the little dents that had started are completely gone now! Yay! I'm so glad, cuz that was freakin' me out!! lol

[dunno513]

Here are some pictures to show you what is going on in the latch.

The first one is the adjustment screw in the hinge that is outlined in the link in my post above. It is where you will get the rattle if it is not adjusted to give tension when closed.




Using the paper method on this works wonders, then give it a 1/4 extra turn to make sure contact is "healthy"




This picture shows the blocks which if adjusted too far out will make the hatch very hard to close. Look at the blocks to see if the impressions / marks are the same from side to side.

[Toad]

I haqd this problem for awhile, and then after awhile, even when slammong hte trunk, it wolndt even engage the lock. So i took the paneling off, and lubricated the linkage points with white lithium grease.

I no longer have to slam the hatch.

I shoulda done it 2 years ago.

[shellbug]

Mine is kinda hard to close too, thanks for the info. also girls be careful when opening your trunk. My engagement ring diamond sticks up and I have scratched the heck out of my car when I reach in to pull it up. I have to remember now to be careful.

[kjm1863]

Takes two trys on the remote to open trunk. ..... Any type of adjustment short of dealership?
kjm1863

[chelsie]

I have an 01 GLS, and I had similar issues. Trunk would close but not latch, then I had to slam it, then it wouldn't really latch at all. Took it to the dealership and they stated the latch needed to be replaced. I bought the part and replaced it myself. I did have to modify the small rubber 'bumper' in the latch for it to close properly. That was about 2 years ago. I've had no problems since.