Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

Need some help and advice please. I have an 88 2.5 and my problem is with the hatch. Can anyone advise how the button inside in the footwell is supposed to work.
If I push and and hold it the motor in the back keeps turning. This means if you open the hatch most times the locks are still open so you have to keep touching the button briefly then checking the hatch until it locks shut. I thought perhaps it should just cycle once and stop in the same place which would be the locked position.
The other problem is it will not work with the key. I did buy a new microswitch from 911 Design but it still does nothing.

Thanks Eugene.

Both my cars leave the locks ready to lock the hatch down when you release the footwell button - just slam the hatch shut and it locks.

The rear tail gate are secured by the two pin shafts. The release switch operates the motor and the two cables (ie either side of the pins) and opens the clam locks, which hold the two pins in place. This unlocks the the tailgate only - you have to close it manually for the locks then to reengage.

The key lock/micro switch works in conjunction with the internal release switch. Greasing the pins and washing out the clam locks with a solvent could help...

Ok thanks

Hi. My problem is once opened its pot luck if the motor has stopped in the position to allow the pins to lock. Mostly I have to keep pushing the button and trying the hatch until it locks. My problem is the motor often stops with the locks in the open position.

You are going to have to unbolt the locking mechanisms and clean them out. I had to do that with mine. They can get stuffed up with dirt etc. Don't adjust the pins - just focus on the clam locks for the moment...

My S2 lock won't open because a part is worn or broken - but would work like this:


When you put the key in the lock - it turns a piece easiest described as oval - one end of the oval where it is at its widest point is attached to a cable operated by the motor. The other end of the oval is attached to a rod .

As you turn the key - the oval side with the rod pushes a switch - that starts the motor that opens the hatch by pulling the cable as the oval rotates. When the hatch has been opened the cable and oval piece are then returned back to the original position by a spring / lever rod which is attached at the opposite end of the oval piece to where the cable joins - so cable one end of the oval and rod the other.

So the key pulls against the spring - oval turns and pushes switch - motor starts and opens hatch - you release the key and the oval piece and lock returns to original position.

Maybe the spring is broken or the mech or cable need greasing or cable is slack - resulting in lock mech not returning properly.

I could do with an old lock to salvage the plastic type oval piece. It's not actually oval but a mis-shaped circular piece that gets wider on two sides as it is turned

My problem isn't with the locks as the work 100%. It's to do with the motor. For some reason it doesn't stop at the same point each time.
A bit like switching off you wipers and the not parking at the bottom of the screen they just stop anywhere. I just wondered if the motor should stop at a place to allow the hatch to lock.

Are you keeping your finger on the button?
If you do, it will just keep rotating as you describe. Press & release and it should index round to release and be ready to then secure when the tailgate is lowered. Despite having replaced my tailgate struts, it does not lift & open on its own as I have seen happen. The rubber seal is next on my list as the existing is quite compressed & letting water in (discovered when washing the car )

I press and release and it stops randomly and mostly so the locks are in the open position

Sounds like the jaws are sticking open, give them a good squirt with WD40, or even better take them off and give them a good soak in diesel, work them and relubricate. I stripped mine and fitted the Delrin inserts from Only944 in the States. Do not use with new pins.

Eugene, I dont know if you have solved the problem as you have n't responded lately. I had a similar problem over the weekend, I have had trouble with the hatch locking, it opened ok on the key and some times on the switch, I cleaned out the latches again and fitted the inserts shown in the previous post but was still having problems. I then noticed the cranked arm on the motor was stopping in different places! The nut retaining the arm was loose. I tightened it down with the cranked arm facing the centre line of the car and all is now well.
Looking at the wiring diagram for the latch motor shows that it has a permanent 12volt, earth and 12v from the switch, so the motor has a homing arc in it, like a wiper motor. If you lost the permanent 12v that could also give the symptoms you describe.
Bruce

Hi

Still have the problem. It's not the arm loose as I've had the motor off and changed it. All be it with a used one. You mention wiper motors and that's what it is like but it will not park in the right place.

This may be a useless suggestion, but are you absolutely sure that it's the motor holding the latches open, rather than them getting stuck open? I recently took mine off and cleaned them (only to find I have a different design latch each side... my car is a hodgepodge of parts ), put them back in, and found that they kept getting stuck open.

The reason? I'd over torqued the nuts that hold them in place... they need to be surprisingly loose to not bend the housing and cause the latches to jam open.

As above, if you overtighten the nuts the mechansim will struggle to reset itself. A really good clean including the locating pins with a very light lubrication should help things. My money is on the mechanism not the motor. Seen these with piles of grease on which attracts debris and ends up in the sliding mechanism which does not help things whatsoever.