DIY: Subaru tailgate latch stuck closed! 

As many others have said, this video saved me a lot of time and money. First the latch was stuck closed (oil finally got it open), then the latch was stuck open. I couldn't believe that the interior cover could be removed easily, but after a couple of tries, it came off, and I was able to release the lock. Please keep this video up and available for those of us with 20+ year old Outbacks (230k miles and counting)!

Wow, I can't thank you enough for uploading this video. I followed your video and had mine fixed within a few hours. I'm from Utah and they salt the roads for a few months out of every year and I'm in an '04 Outback. The amount of rust was shocking! Thank you, thank you!

This was EXACTLY the same problem I had with my 2000 Outback. We are in Michigan and the rust has taken its toll. Followed your instructions and now it works like a champ. Thank you!

Congrats on the quick and easy repair. Given the rust on one area of the latch its been my experience with Ford, Mazda and Subaru hatch designs where the rear wiper arm in the glass has a rubber washer that wears slightly over time, This allows water to drip down onto the rear inner hatch area. Suspect that may be the case here allowing water to drip and over time rust up a part that really should have been a coated metal.

Thanks so much for the video. This is EXACTLY what was wrong with the back hatch for my 2000 Outback. It worked for the first couple months so I had initially thought it was something in the actual latch assembly where it clasps the retaining loop. Was just a rusted and locked up pivot joint and after disassembling, removing rust and lubricating the joint it works perfectly!

There's that brown rust again Ivan, earning us a living. Nice fix!

Two different mechanics quoted me $600 to fix this on my 03 Outback. Your video and and $8 can of lube did the trick! You saved the day and it's like I have a whole new car. Huge thanks and cheers to ya!

"work it, spray it, clean it" Ship it! Nice work Ivan. Thanks!

Very helpful. I have followed the same steps on Subaru Legacy and now I can open my door!!!! Thank you very much for your help!

From Huntingdon PA. Thanks for doing this video! Mine is stuck, too. I’m sure this is the problem so I really appreciate you taking the time to do the video.

I've watched plenty of your videos and you got that Russian, whatever it takes for it to work, I'll do it. That's what I like about your videos they inspire ingenuity and flexibility good job!

Thanks Lone Ranger for helping me with unlocking the tailgate of my 1997 Subaru Legacy Outback! We all appreciate your kindness in posting this video! P.S. With 295,400+ miles and still going strong! Best, Steve Thaw, Moraga, California

Thanks for posting this.My tailgate handle had a plastic piece that had snapped off,couldnt see exactly what was wrong without this video though. Thumbs up!

Ivan...you are getting to be my # 2 daily Tube video. Can't forget that Deer Hunting Eric O. Cheers.

Subaru tip. Since you keep working on Subarus, I think you own one, have you noticed the valve cover gaskets either leak or are about to leak if newly replaced. Subaru uses a rubber seal on the valve cover shoulder bolts plus there is the valve cover gasket. What you have is a gasket compressing a gasket. You pointed out the anti-rattle washer (also know as a wavy washer) in the tailgate linkage. Use thin wavy washers on the valve cover bolts to maintain pressure on the valve cover gasket as the twin gaskets shrink.

Had same issue and was glad I watched vid before tackling. Handle would stick shut and wouldn’t release hatch. Tackled with penetrating oil first and followed up with Fluid Film. Works decent now, but will probably need to follow up with cleaning described in video.

That piece reminded me of an '04 Expedition parking brake piece that was seized the same way, only much worse. I had to heat the things up red hot, dunk them in used motor oil, then work it in the vise several times before they broke free. Rusty, crusty! Guy was happy to have his parking brake back. :)

Ivan...great vid....I have used a electric vibratory sander as a vibratory tool to use on plastic/metal integrated parts...the sander handle is the go to part of the "electric air hammer" it works good with blasters. use some tape or a rag on the car part your "Hammering"

Just bought a 2000 outback with the same problem very helpful video thanks.

Thanks so much! Mine only needed some spraying on the latch and had some rust on that piece but didn't need to take it off...now I don't need to shovel all my things through the back seat :D

thanks for the video. it showed everything including disassembly, which every other video on this did NOT. I was fearing having to mess with panel clips, glad I didn't spend 30 mins with the tool trying in vain to find something by feel that wasn't there. edit, I didn't bother removing the piece, the connecting rod, did not want to come out of the plastic, and I didn't want to machine a new one out of delrin rod... so I just used a wire wheel and a drill, chain lube, and job done! again, thanks for the video.

07 outback been stuck open for long time, now stuck shut. thanks, I will give it a try when the weather gets better.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! 4 days of trial and error until I found your video! Fuggin godsend!!

Thanks Brother, I didn't want to destroy my trim trying to get to the latch.

A friend brought me her 2009 Kia Rio with the same problem. She carries cleaning chemicals in the trunk and the corrosion was incredible. The lock cylinder had completely rusted away. Fortunately the latch mechanism and release cable were salvageable.

Had the same problem on my 2000 outback sprayed it with PB blaster worked ot back and forth and it opened up thanks for the tutorial video .

Spasibo Ivan! You always make interesting video!

Looking for exactly this breakdown. Thanks so much!!!

Thank you so much. Now to go pull the panel from the inside. I was worried that I had to have the hatch open to pull it.

you are lucky that inside door cover came off without opening the door! Nice repair

Good repair Ivan. Thanks for posting the video. Looks like some road salt spray entered that hole beside the latch handle, over the years, corroding the bare steel. I may need this info for my wife's 2004 Subaru Outback, if the latch ever freezes on it. We live in a salt-free state, so I may never see this issue.

Thanks for the video! Totally helped get my latch unstuck.

Thank you so very much for posting this video. It so greatly appreciated! You saved me some money with me doing it my self!!! Thank you again!!!!

I wish my latch problems were as easy as all the ones I've seen on youtube over the past 5 years since this problem with mine first began. I haven't been able to open my trunk in 5 years- not from the inside or outside with any hand or tool. It's going to take removing my entire trunk to replace the entire latch mechanism. The only reason I'm FINALLY doing this now is because my passenger rear brake light has been out for 2 years and my driver side finally went out the other day, and I need to replace those.

thanks for the video, I'm sure this is all I need to do to my forester to fix my stuck car lid.

good video Ivan, sure will help if or when i run into the same problem.

Nice one Ivan. We like simple repairs.

Work's perfectly fine for me thanks I fixed mine in 10 minutes again thank you

Nice repair, Ivan! WTF as much as these cars cost- all the water intrusion is ridiculous. You'd think this part would be galvanized at least?

I couldn't get the metal part unstuck from the plastic casing in the handle to even try to clean up the rust. It is STUCK. I would love any tips anyone has. I've been using PB blaster, silicone grease, I've scraped and wire brushed, and I tried tapping it out with a bit and mallet. Nada

Wow Ivan, you guys have problems we just dont see out here on the west coast. A door latch rusted closed? We might see that on a car that has sat for years in a junkyard. Hell, i still have half a can of wd-40 I bought 8 years ago.

I do and I'm from Arizona Lots of people in Flagstaff Az drive Subarus

Use Cyclo Break Away to dissolve the rust in the pivot. it would be good to spray that rust preventer in the cable housing too!

I have this exact problem man. Great job.

Very helpful. Thanks for the video!

I have a 99 outback and the back hatch is stuck shut...won't unlock The last 2 times I had it to the dealer for this, they opened it by holding down the unlock button in the car for 10 seconds and it started working again. This time I tried that and no luck. Do you know if the electronic part of the lock can be disconnected from the lock so the hatch can only be locked and unlocked with the key?

I have the the same problem 2008 Subaru Outback. With the remote its telling me its working and the white plastic handle coming down but not opening the Trunk. Any Idea. Normally how much the mechanic charge this kind of Job to do?

appreciate this.. having the same issue..i know what's getting fixed tomorrow

good job Ivan

nice to have an easy one once in a while

Duuuude, you missed the opportunity to end with opening the back hatch and saying: "And remember, if you're car has any problems, just [follow my channel]. And I'll try and address them as soon as I'm done riding my bike."

The start of Ivan auto body.

Does this apply to outback 2008?

Cruise control brake switch 2008 Tahoe

the all new Subaru anti-Out-the-Back :)) perhaps I should have said Rustaru

very nice....I'll give it an Try..😮

Great video, but a little surprised you didn't take a few seconds to lube the cable while it was off the vehicle and hit the locking mechanism as well. Nice job either way - thanks!

you're the man good fix

Well done!!

I you are restoring a car rather than fixing a car that is needed for immediate daily use just dump similar parts in a tub of vinegar or dilute citric acid for a week or two, the vinegar turns into a horrible mess but the rust vanishes.

Dude you just saved me so much time and cussing

Well my cars trunk won't open. The latch is latched and won't unlatch. Emergency trunk release doesn't work. So please don't tell me that.

Thank you.

You think this would be the same procedure on a 2007 Impreza hatch?

excellent thank you

helped me fix mine thanks m8

GOOD STUFF

Rust, rust and more rust! At least its not water, water and more water this time lol.

I’m having the same issue with my 08 outback but I feel I’m too stupid to accomplish this. I’ve never able to get the plastics back in place when I remove them when it comes to literally anything Car related. I’m just fucking stupid. Wish I had someone that could do this for me lol.

Thank you sir!!!

Thank you!!

Outback with a water ingress issue, no! lol

Could be wrong,there is money to be made in trunks.Scotty was right after all !!

What is the rusted piece that you cleaned up called?

Wd40 should be her friend. Has the same car.

I've this issue on so many of these 2003s. My guess is as good as yours but I'm going to guess, a piss-poor anodize job and very little protection from the elements.

Not true, we do like Subaru WRX models. The rest of their head gasket blowing garbage we don't care about. We also commonly use their motors in sand rails, sort of updated VW engines, as they are small and light. Probably not a large market for those up in State College. Why do I also have to beat you and Eric O. over the head to get you to try something? I told him years ago that Kroil is the nuts. He finally tried it and now he can't live without it. You're thick headed up there in the Northeast. Super tip to follow: Ivan, something that really works great for removing rusty nuts (if you can get heat on the object) is paraffin wax. A torch works well but is sometimes not good from the fire standpoint but a heat gun works equally well most of the time. You heat up the rusty object the best you can: nut, bolt, other assorted rusted shit (the hotter the better - but you don't need red hot heat - just enough to melt the wax to a water like viscosity). The wax has an extremely high capillary attraction and when placed and melted onto the object is sucked into the joint and makes removal much easier. You can use a candle for this purpose or canning wax, doesn't matter. Additionally, it doesn't tend to catch on fire (that's a bonus). You can't use this method without heat as you can Kroil but if applying heat is not a problem it really works well. Better yet the wax stays around and acts as a future rust preventative. Sort of Kroil + Fluid Film in one shot.

Stick that rusted latch in some Evaporust for an hour and problem solved

Super soak it!

there's your problem lady

hope you were wearing safety glasses while using the wire wheel.

ponle pelos xD

Good stuff looks like you got a hater lol always 1 thumb down but he keeps watching all your vids lol

I feel for you mate, subarus are shitboxes, I can't believe people still buy them.