It's fixing screw day

I'm the original owner of my 1985 GSL-SE. For about as long as I can remember the rear hatch latch has been loose. It works; it seems to keep the hatch water tight but when I lift the hatch the hatch latch plate slides around. The screws are tightened down as tight as I care to try. They are bottoming out in the base plate threads.

After 26 years I thought I would get to the bottom of this . I see three possibilities....

1. The screws in my hatch are just slightly too long. likely the wrong screws - somehow.

2. The top and/or bottom gaskets have compressed/deteriorated over the years.

3. That's just the way it is.

I'd be curious to hear if this is a common problem (#3). Or, if not, maybe someone could measure the length of a hatch screw so I can compare to mine. My screws measure 13.5mm long, end to end.

I guess the easiest solution is to just pile on some lock washers to take up the slack? Or maybe grind 'em down? But if my gaskets are overly compressed I think I should deal with that too.

 

Its a common problem with all the ones my brother owned. We've never got to the bottom of it either. Sorry for not much help lol but it does make me wonder now....

 

more than likely the issue is with the gasket (it's almost 30 years old). when mine started doing what you're describing, i think i just went out and got some new bolts. up to the last time i drove the car (a few years ago), it was still good.

 

Diabolical, that fitting has been sloppy loose as long as I can remember, and probably from the day I drove the car off the dealer lot in 1985. That's why I don't think it's a gasket issue unless my memory is faulty on the timeline (which is possible).

One possibility is that Mazda, in it's wisdom, did not want to provide an opportunity for an assembly worker, dealer mechanic or end user to over-tighten those bolts, which would result in cracking the rear window (at some point). Or maybe I think too hard. I've been accused of that before

At least now we know it's a common problem, at least 26 years down the road... I think I'll leave my bolts stock and try a lock washer or two. Or maybe leave it alone since it isn't the cause of my window rattles- it's that sunroof latch!

 

If you find a solution to this problem, please share the wisdom! I have this exact same problem as well. Mine is actually to the point that they actually rattle lose when I use the latch. I have to route around my trunk every so often trying to find them.

Godspeed sir.