trunk latch problem on '95 E420
 

On a normal operating trunk, when you press the chrome trunk release, the trunk lid will pop open slightly, and then you just lift the lid up effortlessly...when the trunk is in its open position, the latch should look like this
http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/...x/IMG_1195.JPG
Lately, however, I noticed that when I press down on the trunk release, the trunk is no longer popping open...I have to physically go and pull up, with quite a bit of force, before the trunk will open. The problem I found was that the metal latch in the middle of the picture I posted, it is not flipping down COMPLETELY into the open position when I presss down on the trunk release...it is still SLIGHTLY raised...not a lot...but enough so that it is still kinda hooking ontop the trunk lid...so you have to yank it up...

Anybody encountered this before? Any fix??? This car is falling apart :mad:

tkamiya,

thank you a lot for taking the trouble to go to the garage to check it out...I was playin' with the latch with the trunk UP in the same manner you were doin' after I discovered the problem...actually, the latch feels a little stiff when I try to move it up from its open position, but after goin' up a bit, it will snap to its shut position easily enough...quite smooth...just at the beginning does it feel a little stiff...that is also where I normally find the latch position after I open the trunk using force when it is stuck...but when pressing the release button WITH the trunk already open, it pops open to its fully open position with no problem at all...it is only when the trunk is down, does the latch not fully retract...but the problem is only intermittent...after playin' around with it...it seems to work properly again with no problem at all

I was wondering if that latch is normally lubricated at its moving point and maybe it is a little dry??? ...it also seems the moving point is under the plastic...and I can't get to it directly...but I see directly behind the latch in the inner wall of the trunk, there is a plastic panel...I am guessin' this pops off to access the latch?

at first, I thought it was the rubber seal also...but after cleaning it, and discovering the same problem, I took a further look and am pretty sure it is the latch...

Does anybody know if the pivot point on the trunk latch is lubricated? Anybody lubricate it ever so often? Just wondering, since I don't wanna put a shot of lubricant down there and damage anything...any insight would be appreciated...the problem persists...and I still haven't found a solution...a call to the dealership regarding the trunk latch always gets me me the reply, "you can make an appointment and bring the car down here" :confused: