Fox Body hatchback RATTLE!!!!

[Dan Gray]

i have an 89 hatchback and the rear hatch is rattling more and more over the last few years and its now really starting to annoy me. i saw in a resto magazine people installing new weatherstrip seals and hindges to fix the problem but has anyone tried this and does it work? What have other people done to fix this problem?

THanks
Dan

 

[glowstang93]

I have in the past unscrewed the two adjusting rubbers some to tighten the fit when the hatch is closed. Must be careful not to unscrew them too much, but it did take care of my rattle. I'm sure each one is different based on wear and tear.

 

[Saleen0679]

Check your hatch striker bushing it could be worn and need replacement.

 

[SmockDoiley]

I believe a lot of it is due to excess play in the latching mechanism. If it isnt making a tight fit then the hatch is going to move around from the loose play when its latched. Try lifting the hatch from different points and see where its moving from. IF the back is tight, but the top portion is shifting, then the hinges are worn, and vise versa.

 

[ka0tyk]

its a broken hatch striker. you can get a replacement at autozone in the HELP! section. I believe you're gonna need a torx tool to remove the striker... same one that removes the seatbelts...

 

[backfocus]

As per above check out if the hinges are loose if not see below.

It is most likely caused from worn or broken parts. Just had to fix mine a few weeks back. Either the stricker or the latch get worn, maybe both. If you can get the hatch open inspect the stricker, it has a plastic piece around it. As it gets old it gets brittle and causes problems, you can order another from 50resto. As for the latch it is a bit more exspensive, so you may want to just try and clean and relube it yourself. I took mine off and used degreaser to help remove some of the old dried grease. Then you can use some white grease and WD40 or similar to lubricate it again. Putting in in a vice helps for this job. Then take a samll piece of pipe and push in onto the latch like it was in the car. Do this several times then apply more grease, it will help lubrication the whole latch.

As for reinstalling it you will have to take off the inside back panels. Crawl inside the hatch area and have someone or yourself slowly close the hatch. Watch where the striker and latch meet, they need to line up right in the center to work properly.

 

[Dan Gray]

Thanks guys,

i took a look at it today and the plastic striker piece is cracked so i will get a new one, plus the hatch lifted slightly in the rear so i adjusted it and its alot better. but the hindges do have play in them as well. i will play around with it some more.

THanks again
Dan

 

[Ivan_Carumba]

Just fixed my hatch rattle.
It was driving me nuts!
I tightend the hatch by slightly lowering the
latch pin (large torx socket) and I adjusted the
hatch stops but this did not help.
The problem was a worn hatch hinge on the
passenger side.
I changed out the sloppy hinge with a good one from
the wreckers and the rattle is GONE!
Makes for a much more pleasant drive.

You can check it by jamming you fingers into the
gap at the top of the hatch and pulling away from
the car. If the hinge is sloppy you will see and hear
the free play. You can also try gently prying instead of
lifting (with something that wont hurt the paint)
to check for free play as well.