Chris,

If all else fails, you can take the lock apart easily to see what's going on.
See my post in June of this year:

http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind0606A&L=vanagon&P=R8924

(this was a non-power lock vanagon, obviously)

tabe johnson/87 westy

>
> Date:    Thu, 30 Nov 2006 17:45:07 EST
> From:    Chris Snyder <Ccsvanagon@WMCONNECT.COM>
> Subject: Rear Hatch Lock
>
> Today I went to open the rear hatch on my 1987 Vanagon and nothing happened!
> I can push the lock bottom in but it will not release the hatch. Has anyone
> had this problem and what can be it's problem?
>
> As their is not a Volkswagen dealer within 100 miles of me I called The bus
> depot and was told that the lock and the other parts for the latch are no
> longer available does anyone have the parts to fix this rear hatch problem?
>
> Thanks in advance for any help.
>
> Chris S.
>