Daniel Redfoot

Note to all: Check and make sure that your key actually opens your rear hatch.

I had a dead battery and learned that my key latch didn't work, So TOTALLY locked out of the Car.

I finally got in Thanks to the extremely helpful folks on this site.

The solution was to jack up the passenger side, slide under the car and hook a battery charger to the starter, where the battery cable attaches. I used a volt meter to confirm it was the correct cable. Dead battery was still putting out 4.9 volts.

I learned from Shopdog that there have been other cases of the rear lock not working.
The cause is from assembly, the cable end is not put into the horseshoe shaped seat. See PICS
Its a real simple fix. Remove the two plastic plug clips on the inside rear panel and pull the panel forward.

This was no big deal for me, my car was in my garage-
But what a PITA for anyone out and about

Please note: If you test yours, be ready with the FOB to turn off the alarm, it will go off if the hatch opens.

Pics Before and after fix

prs62

Good info. Thanks for the heads-up.

VET4LES

not08crmanymore

Went and checked mine last night after reading about the dead battery thing and it works so good,I set off the ALARM!!

double eagle

Fastronaut

Excellent Post with a good warning

Boozman

Thanks I checked and it's working fine.

mikesul

Another benefit of Museum delivery was going through the ways of getting into the car with a dead battery. Made sure the trunk key worked.

a_drogan

One of the things I checked when going over the operation of the car with Dave at Kerbeck.

Would have never thought to check except I just wanted to know where the lock was. From all the pictures and literature I read before picking up the car I was not really sure where the lock was.

Just another thing everyone needs to add to their checklist when picking up the car.

6spdC6

When I picked up the car the first thing I did was check the key/fob( 1 KEY)

I guess I will go downstairs and check the other fob & key just to be on the safe side

1yy07vette

thanks for the info ! i wonder how many out there have actually
tried using their key ? i admit it, i haven't.

Lowlead

Quick question.... I tried pulling the rear panel forward after removing the two plastic clips, but the panel was still hanging-up on the targa top storage brackets.

It looked like if I forced the panel over the brackets it would damage or deform the panel's thu-holes around the brackets.

How did you get around the brackets?

Thanks for the info

Dan

Zarfen

First car I looked at at my dealership had dead battery. Salesman didn't know how to open to door with the key in the rear! It was quite funny......

emergencybreak

yeah...the saleman who sold me the car wanted me to show how to open the trunk when the battery dies on me. he could not open it with the key so he had to have one of his tech guy check it out and found out the same problem u had..how embarrassing....so i told the sales person to give me other vette.

Daniel Redfoot

I didn't pull it out past those storage brackets.
I removed to two plug clips-
Its tucked in under the trim up at the top, so pop it out from there and gently bend it back. You don't need much room.

You definitely need a flashlight though.
Obviously be careful, yours may be a bit different than mine.

I used a bent piece of coat hanger wire to grab the horse shoe seat part .

Those pictures might be a bit deceiving. I didn't have much room at all, I have a small camera and I sort of stuck it down in and took a bunch of pics. Found two that worked

Is yours not connected as well?, curious to know how many are not.

Lowlead

Thanks for the info.

No, mine is connected, I just wanted to get at the antenna modules (my AM reception s#cks).

Shortly after getting my car in Feb 05, I remember at least 4 or 5 people reporting that they had the same hatch key problem you've described, but very few reports after that.

kgelliott

I went out and tried my key yesterday after reading this thread. When I opened it, the alarm came on, disturbing the neighborhood! I quickly pushed the alarm button on the FOB. Did I have something set wrong to cause this? Or, is it supposed to sound the alarm when opening the hatch with the key?

vettematic

The alarm does not disarm itself when you open the hatch with a key.

Daniel Redfoot

Ironically, I heard that it would set off the alarm, and thats why I never opened (tested) mine in the past.
Not that the alarm is a big deal if you expect it, but I never guessed the silly latch wouldn't work.

I edited the top to warn others...

HLH

This is THE reason I keep checking this forum! Great 1st post plus funny and helpful replies!

I'm glad I read it from start to finish, since after reading the first note with pics, I figured I'd check mine this morning before leaving for work - at 0 dark 30, the neighbors wouldn't have appreciated my test of the key lock AND ALARM!

Thanks all!