Hatch Striker Adjustment

Didn't find what I was looking for in search (only questions of, can they be adjusted).

Here goes, got my car back from a fresh bodyjob, different used hatch installed, my old locking mechanism installed on it. I'm not sure if they moved the striker for some reason, or if the latch part of the lock is slighty in a different position compared to the original hatch. Anyways, yesterday it wouldn't close and I noticed the hatch was off center, big gap over the right tailight. Started to play with the striker and now the hatch locks and the edges are centered over both tailights. However, I recall that prior to getting the bodywork done when I would open the hatch and turn the key, the hatch would pop up a little. Basically you could just lift the hatch up without having to keep the key turned. Frankly, I open the hatch so little that I'm not sure if I'm just 'thinking' it was this way.

My question, what is it from the factory? Does it pop up a little, or are you supposed to have to keep the key turned as you lift the hatch up? If I'm thinking correctly and it's supposed to pop up, that should mean I need to position the striker a bit higher correct?

Maybe I'm not crazy afterall . Yeah, you almost need three hands the way it currently is.

Anyone want to chime in on whether that means the striker needs to move up or down? I'm having a brainfart on the engineering side of things with this

bloopbloob said:

don't take my word for it, but to me it seems like the striker should be moved down for the struts to be able to want to pull the hatch back up (over extended, creating a vacuum perhaps?) i really have no idea, but thats what makes sense to me.........

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I know what you mean, at first I was thinking the striker needs to go up so the latch part can push itself over top (thus 'pop'). But then, I thought it probably needs to go down, because it's currently too high and the latch can't pop itself on top. Lol, I'll have to play with it.

LX302 said:

I would look at the hatch shocks first.
Are they the originals or new replacements? It is hard to lift? Then I would think you need new shocks. You can get these at autozone and other autoparts stores for around $15 a piece. Replace both, not just one?

How are the hinges on the body? Are they tight?

Also are the bump stops on either side of the hatch hitting the body right next to the taillamps positioned correctly?

Play around with all of these to get it right including the height of the striker.

As a last resort, go back to the bodyshop and have them adjust it. You paid to have it done right.

Good Luck!

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I will try the shocks before fiddling with the striker further. It's on my list of things to replace, they are probably the originals.

Something definately got out of whack over the weeks, as the bodyshop and I looked over the car a few days after it was done to get some corrections made. Obviously the hatch wasn't off center at the time.

The hatch doesn't rattle and I can't see any gaps from the inside or hear windleak, so hopefully the problems not too involved.

PM sent to you LX302

SuperStang83 said:

It should pop open just slightly.

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Lol, I got that