Sometimes I find it annoying when I release my rear hatch and it swings all the way up, like on rainy days. Sometimes I wish it would just release and stay down...
Well, I got my wish. I guess my rear hatch struts - dampers - stays - (what ever you call them) are past their prime (like me ; )
Now I wish I could pop the glass hatch up, like new. So what are my options; what have others done. Can I get them rebuilt? Are there aftermarket replacements? What does a dealer charge for new ones? Should I do both or will one new one and one weak one lift the hatch?

 

I have new struts on my hatch and it opens and stays down then it takes half my strength to lift the hatch. I have no idea how much they cost. Mazdatrix might have them.

 

When I pull my hatch release it pops but stays down so I just give my rear whipper a little tug and up goes the hatch. You can buy new hatch shocks at mazdatrix but they cost way to much for me to actually care http://www.mazdatrix.com/in-hatch.htm
You may be able to buy generic shocks from an auto parts store but i'm not sure...

 

same here

 

...190 for each shock?! wtf

 

ya i think ill pass at that price

 

Exactly. But Mazdatrix is always expensive since it's OEM stuff. You can probably buy aftermarket shocks for a lot cheaper...

 

I am considering this:

http://www.lstechnologies.ca/Recharging.htm

 

i must be one of the only lucky people who's hatch shocks work perfectly haha. my fc is the only one i've ever seen where when i pull the release it opens all the way up, and damn quickly at that.

 

my hatch usually pops all the way up but if it doesn't i just throw my driver's side door closed and the hatch pops right up.

 

I have to pull mine up a little by the wiper but it stays up.
While we're on the topic of hatches...is there a way to adjust the release? When I pull my release sometimes the catch on the passenger side doesn't want to release on the hatch, and then I have to either pop it with the key...or try to play around with the release to get the one side to let go. So can this be adjusted in any way?

 

Mine will stay up, but doesn't pop up. In the summer on hot days it will pop up though.

The bad part is on cold days it wants to stay down. When I had the louvers on my hatch glass the car would sucker punch me sometimes while I was trying to get things out of there.

 

Im glad im not the only one whose hatch does not pop up...my stays up but have to pull on the wiper....Sometimes its stubborn to close too.

Speaking of wipers, my front wipers only work on speed I. If I change it to speed II they stop. If I turn the wipers on then off, they will stop in the middle of the window...anyone else have htis problem*?

*Not trying to thread jack.

 

mine are so stiff i can launch things with it on hot days, but it sucks cus it doesnt close well and i cant get it to latch very well either

 

mine pops up about 6" when it actually releases, when you pull the release sometimes it doesnt unlock the passenger side

 

From the faq...

My wipers only work on low speed
The wiper switch has a relay inside that has failed. It will need to be replaced. There are several people that replace them, or you can do it yourself.

http://www.fc3spro.com/TECH/HOWTO/WIPER/wiper.html

 

i too wish that my hatch would pop up on it's own like my brother's old FC did. unfortunately for me, that's not the case. yet reading through this thread; i feel a bit grateful that my hatch doesn't get stuck like a lot of other guys who've posted here.

when i pull the release or use the key, the hatch just unlatches itself from the car; then i have to pull it up with the rear wiper. it doesn't stay open when i open it to the top...ever. it sucks when i'm getting something out, and i have to hunch into the hatch and rest the glass on my back.

in the end, it doesn't really bother me that much because i rarely transport things with my car; nor does it effect how the car runs.

 

When the cars were new, the hatch when released, would only pop up slightly. Just enough to get your fingers under the glass.

 

I thought the hatch was supposed to pop fully up when new...

Anyway, mine is hit or miss on how fully it opens, depending on how often i've used it recently. If i use it a lot for a few days in a row, then it will open more and more by itself, eventually fully opening by itself. Otherwise it'll pop barely enough for me to get my fingers under it, and it takes a little work to open.

 

My hatch will pop up about 1/2 way, then I just give it a little push and it goes the rest of the way.

I think it's the best like that. When it's 1/2 way it still covers the trunk.

 

Thanks alot amigo. +1 invisible cred point.

 

guys do what i did, hit up auto zone or advance a place like that, and get new shocks, i got some lift masters they are about 1 inch shorter than the stock ones, bolt right on and are 25 bux each, my hatch now opens on its own.

the only problem is they only give you 1 ball joint screw that is the right size and aone that is not, so you just have to go back later and say you didnt have any or return a set later.

 

Mine pops up on warm days, on colder days it sometimes goes up slowly, but it seems to get "stuck" sometimes right at the release point, a little pull and it goes up.

I've read that none of the struts you can get at the parts stores work, they're either not long enough, or they're not strong enough.

Another place that rebuilds them: http://www.strutwise.com/index.php

 

[QUOTE=suijen2]Sometimes I find it annoying when I release my rear hatch and it swings all the way up, like on rainy days. Sometimes I wish it would just release and stay down.../QUOTE]

Try pick and pull for older shocks. I have an s4 with a clear hatch and swapped it out for hatch from an s5. The newer shocks require a lot less energy to close and it will actually swing up if I give it a push. On the other hand, the old shocks take a lot of energy to open and close and would never make the hatch pop open more than half an inch away from the car. I'd sell you mine for cheap if I wasn't already missing my hatch light and planning to swap them back.

 

my is like that except only on hot days, they do stay open like a champ regardless of temp

(only 47000 miles)