Stu3 Posted July 15, 2024 Posted July 15, 2024 Hi: Hope the hive-mind can help me. 2019 Smart 42. I unlock the car with the remote fine. Open the glass fine. I then pull up on the release lever and only the driver side latch releases. Passenger side does not release. Just started this weekend. No damage to car....10000km. I want to try and fix it but I can't open the bloody railgate to even access the latch mechanism to try a DIY repair. I saw on youtube (but 2008 model) where the guy had to drill a hold into the plastic to get a wire or something inside the panel to pull on the mechanism to release the latch. Quote
Willys Posted July 15, 2024 Posted July 15, 2024 Welcome to the site first of all... IMHO, I would agree that you need to somehow either pry the locking latch mechanism or do the nasty as you say and drill a hole to get something in there that can trip the lever to open the door. Sorry I haven't had to deal with this yet.....touch wood....! I don't know how you get the outer skin off your rear hatch either but if it's possible to press it in and then off similar to the door skins maybe that is the way? Hopefully someone who has actual experience chimes in and gives you some good news.... Again welcome. Quote
Stu3 Posted July 16, 2024 Author Posted July 16, 2024 Wilys. Thx for checking in. I fixed it! I went out last night about 45 minutes after I posted my question. I brought a flashlight and a screw driver. I pulled up on the handle and noticed there were two braided wires attached to the handle. Each braided wire had some sort of grommet that was supposed to sit in a round notch in plate that is part of the latch handle assembly. I noticed that one of the grommets was not seated into a round a notch like the other one so I used the screwdriver blade to push it back into the notch and it fixed it. Somehow, not being in the notch meant that when the handle was being pulled up prevented the cable/force not being applied to the release on the passenger side. Too hard to take a pic and I can't find an image on the web. I'll use the tailgate sparingly to avoid messing around with it. Quite proud of myself. I am sort of amazed that all my research on this issue found nothing because the design flaw where that grommet can just walk out of the semi circular groove in that plate is rather obvious. OTOH, if I am the only person to have this happen, it might mean that it was a million to one shot. 2 Quote
jwight Posted July 16, 2024 Posted July 16, 2024 There's an Evilution fix on his site, link is on your SCoA thread. Glad you got it fixed. Quote
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