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Subject:Re: Rear hatch will no longer lock, sliding door iffy
From:Matt Thyer
Date:Tue, 5 Jan 2010 13:07:32 -0800

Ok, you're right, I'll try the lube before I replace the solenoid.  But to
get to the problem you've still got to take off the hatch panel and that's
probably where your problem lies.

Matt

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Scott Daniel - Turbovans
Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2010 1:03 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Rear hatch will no longer lock, sliding door iffy

I'm amazed at how WD-40 can bring tired/sticky electrical mechanism back to
life. I don't think it can hurt them either.
Very often, it's just take it apart, inspect, clean, treat and service - and
it's working again.
And once in  a while you can even resurrect a sticky thing without taking it
apart.
I don't even understand how things are supposed to work for decades with
only their original lubrication or assembly.
Judiciously applied lube of the right kind here and there - makes a huge
difference.  Electrical contact cleaner, I find myself using that a lot on
vanagons too.
Scott