My wife and I bought a 91 240 Wagon last week, and I've been slowly working on getting it in shape. So far, the forum here and a couple other sites have been of huge help to get most things sorted out. However, the rear hatch seems to be our current frustration.

The previous owner warned us it would stick, and the only time he got it open for us was with him yanking on it pretty hard. We got it home, and I played with the keys, and nothing seemed to help. I went into the back and tried to open using the interior handle, and it doesn't seem to help.

I *think* that the interior linkage is the problem. I felt around in the hatch, and couldn't find any parts hanging around in there. Nailed what I could with some penetrating lubricant, and that didn't seem to make an impact. The exterior handle looks like it's broken from what I can see and what's in the photo. The interior handle snaps back on the spring, but it seems like it should be catching something.

Anyone have a diagram they can point me to? Here are some photos of what I have hanging around in the hatch:
[url=http://imgur.com/PVy3Fvo][img]http://i.imgur.com/PVy3Fvol.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://imgur.com/LC8kPjW][img]http://i.imgur.com/LC8kPjWl.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://imgur.com/aUHB20q][img]http://i.imgur.com/aUHB20ql.jpg[/img][/url]

You are missing some parts.

There's a rod that slides through the metal rings in the last picture. It is pushed-pulled by the turning of the key and the activation of the power lock in pic #1.

Try putting a dowel (or similar) through the rings so that when the outside button is pressed, or the inner handle pulled, the dowel pushes against the lever to unlock the door. (I think that's how it works. I'd have to pull my door apart to check.)
--
1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb, M46 trans, 3:31 dif, in Brampton, Ont.

I'll try again on that tonight. It looked like that may be the case, so I was using the shaft of a screw driver in there, to hopefully have the level pull on that, and bring that hook bit forward. I think I could get a set of vice grips in there and pull on that part alone.

I'm hoping an posting on my local Craigslist responds - he has an 89 240 wagon near by that he's parting out, and hopefully either he'll let me take a look/pull some parts, or I may just take the whole hatch.

The hatch is different for 89 and 91, it may fit but the rear glass is mounted to the hatch differently. The 91 has flush mounted glass and looks better.

I would try to get the complete latch with all associated rods.
Dan

Sorry, that's what I meant - if he won't let me just buy the parts, I'll buy the whole hatch and then scavenge them at home.

Or you could bolt it right on to your car as is. They are interchangeable.

There are definitely bits broken in there. But, from what I can see, the broken bits should only affect your ability to open it from the outside. Using the handle inside *should* open it no problem.

Here's my guess:

1) You need a new outside handle. The piece in your second photo that looks broken is indeed broken. There should be a little metal bit that attaches to the solenoid in your first photo, that attaches to the broken bit, so you're missing that piece too. I wish I had extras laying around so I could take pics for you! When you replace the broken handle and the missing bit, I *think* your outside handle will work.

2) Child safety locks. My 91 245SE has it, but I've definitely seen 245s that don't. I don't know when the change was made. If you happen to have this feature on your car, and it happens to be in the locked position, that would explain why you're not able to open it from the inside either. If you're familiar with the child safety locks on your doors, you'll recognize the little switch, but unfortunately you cant get to it unless you have the hatch open. Here's a (terrible) pic from the owner's manual that will at least shouw you the location of the switch on a door, so you can see what it looks like: http://i.imgur.com/u4EGlm5.jpg

3) Maybe the whole damn latch thing is seized/rusted solid. This also happens. You may need to replace it completely. I actually keep a spare just in case.

The first thing I'd do is replace the missing bit that attaches to the solenoid and see if that will enable you to open the hatch from the outside. I hope some of this helps!

Out of curiosity - do you know of any vendors that carry the latches/parts? I'll start hunting the board classifieds, and I've seen the outside handle bit I think on a couple vendors sites, but none of the inside tailgate bits.

I don't, unfortunately. But your best bet would actually be to go to a junkyard or find someone local parting a car. That way you can look at how it is all supposed to go together, and it'll be cheaper too.

The outside handle isn't something that breaks often, if it was me that's something I'd try to buy used as well, to save a few bucks.