2008 Z, Rear hatch won't open and sub box is blocking access to release
 

Hello everyone.

Is there an alternative method to get to the emergency hatch release in the strut bar? My sub box is between my rear strut bar and the speaker shelf, and is blocking my access to it.

I have done everything I can to get to it and as soon as I got the little tab loose it retracted even further back into the hole it resides in. I can barely touch it with my fingers and everything I have tried to get it out has failed. I really do not want to pay Nissan to open the flippin' hatch and have it cost me hundreds of dollars that I cant shell out because I'm supposed to go on leave next week.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

well- while not a solution to fixing the problem,
you got leave coming up-

so if i was in your shoes- (if you cant get it fixed in time) pack lightly (go bag small enuff to fit in that box behind passenger seat) and take along as a road tripper- a stripper (one of those strong ones-with no baggage)
- then-
enjoy your leave- go back to popping the pilots out safely- and if you dont get an solution to the problem and you had a good time the first time, go back to same game plan.

you did bring up an interesting point for me to consider- as i also have a sub jammed up under there and a amp board mounted up front/top of it....so if i ever have the same issue.....woooo i am going on vacation with a stripper!!!

looking forward to a solution to this even if it means i have to go on vacation with a stripper with baggage ;)

sounds like you are up shiite creek without a paddle.... i guess the moral of the story is, if you have a sub box...... extend the release

while not a solution to OP's problem, gave me a heads up solution to prevent a situation like OP has......

i mean if the key fob doesnt work, and the button by license plate doesnt work... unless he can shove the box to the rear, he has a problem

I've really never heard of the hatch not opening. Mine's been shut for a few weeks and that's because I took out the actuator. You should always be able to get it open, the latch release has really nothing to "fail" on it. Your remote could have a dead battery or the button itself on your hatch could have failed electronically, but unless they both happened at the same time you should be fine.

Other than that, you can take off the entire section between your headliner and your rear window I believe. See if you can at least pop it off enough to get a look and hit the release from the inside.

Why wont it open? Did you blow a fuse or something? I thought the emergency release was behing the glove box, guess im worthless.

You're kinda right. It's behind the glove box, tucked into the bottom of the strut bar in the hatch.

He has a subwoofer box that is under the strut bar so it is trapping his release cable between it and the bar.

You cant move the sub box? Mine I can move from the inside... But I also made mine... If you can get your finger tips on the release try to get some needle nosed locking pliers on it...