Earlier today, while working on a busted starter with the battery disconnected, I key-opened my hatch to get some tools and as to be expected (I wasn't thinking at the time) the hatch wouldn't close shut anymore, even with battery power reconnected. After doing a LOT of reading of various hatch threads here, I figured out that I had to trip the reversing switch to raise it and get it back to normal. Anyway it kinda works in that I can get the mechanism to take down the hatch like normal and I don't have to jerry-rig it closed anymore, but now when the hatch closes the reversing switch isn't tripped like it should be, causing the mechanism to stay stuck down when I open the hatch (and driving me back to square one). It does this even when I trick it with a screwdriver to go down, so it's not caused by the hatch's weight or binding or something similar.
Is there a step I'm missing as to how to get the oh-so-beloved hatch contraption working again when you open it without battery power available? Or did I possibly mess up the reversing switch when I was fiddling with it? I want to see if I'm forgetting something before dropping 60 bucks on a glorified light switch :/

 

Well apparently I solved the problem: the reverse switch simply wasn't being hit by a metal tab designed to do so when the mechanism goes down, and all I had to do was bend that little tab so that it'd actually strike it instead of just getting close. If you fiddle with the mechanism, raising it up and down, you'll see how that bit of metal is supposed to trip the reverse switch; it's dead simple. So now the whole damn contraption seems to work like it used to; it sure feels nice to solve two unforeseen auto problems in one extremely long 40-hour day Sleep will be amazing...

I have no idea how that tab actually got out of wack since it's quite solid and I didn't touch it until now, but then again my 'bird REALLY likes to throw curveballs like this when I'm busy solving another issue. Like 2 years ago I did a boring ol' tuneup and spent the next 3 weeks trying to figure out why the engine couldn't even idle like a worn out jalopy; turns out the harmonic balancer died peacefully of old age while I was messing with the dizzy/plugs/etc. And a few weeks ago I changed the oil and she didn't want to start afterward; apparently the VATS relay module got quite weary of it's career as a security guard right then and there so I had to replace it. I guess the General of the '80s liked to keep folks on their toes to help sharpen 'em up, I wonder if the 5th gen guys have to deal with this wackyness .

Anyway hopefully the above solution helps future "hatch problem" searchers.

 

Welcome to the Thirdgen forum and we are happy that you solved your own problem, on to the next project like a true thirdgener.

 

The moving latch is one of the worst idea's I have evern seen on a car. I mean why make something as simple as a hatch latch complicated? GM.

 

I know why...

My buddy had a balky trunk latch and once gave it a little "goose" to help it shut. Shattered the hatch window. I mean, it's like an explosion.

Those windows are under a lot of structural stress and do not tolerate twisting or jarring. The motorized closing is meant to allow you to "lay down" the deck lid so it wont ever slam.

BTW, nice job Thrillo, on finding AND POSTING your solution!