My 98 CRV Glass Hatch Won't Latch Closed
 

As of today my glass hatch will no longer latch closed.

It goes into the latch far enough to strike the small rubber bumper, but the hatch hoop doesn't push the plated latch in far enough to cause the latch to click closed.

I noticed the movable part has a dovetail (see photo) and the only way it can go in far enough appears to be if the dovetail held a plastic or nylon insert the hoop depresses the metal part farther.

The second photo shows the latch locked (I used a screwdriver), and the back side of the latch appears to be in the correct position to hold the hoop so the window can't open unless unlocked.

Could someone check to see if his dovetail holds an insert mine is missing?


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/hondafo...e3638c1219.jpg

The right side of the dovetail mentioned is hidden by the black metal cover in this photo.<br/>To close the latch, the dovetail has to be pushed beyond the balck metal cover (which the window's hoop cannot do).

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/hondafo...291a29540f.jpg

Latch Closed using a screw driver, shows the back side of the latch in proper position to hold the hatch closed.

SOLVED

The plastic insert evidently broke, and this prevented the glass latch hoop from depressing the catch far enough to latch.

I MIG welded a bit of 1/8" wire to the dovetail pictured so the hoop pushes the catch far enough to latch and it works perfectly again. The metal substitutes for the missing plastic and works like new.

Unfortunately, the only other alternative is a new $65 latch, and the repair only took 45min once I figured out what I needed to do.