If there is anything just even slightly hanging over the back hatch when it is closed it will not release (open). A recent incident occurred when I had a piece of cardboard from a clothes hanger hanging over the edge of where the back hatch closes. It would not reopen. I took it to the dealer and they couldn't get it open. I finally pulled the cardboard out, piece by piece, and then the hatch would open. It has done this with clothing -- shirt sleeve, blanket, pencil, etc. If something is on the edge of the door hatch floor, and gets stuck in the hatch, the hatch will not open. From a safety aspect, if a child or someone else's finger got slammed shut into the hatch, you would not be able to open the hatch to get the finger out!!!! it does not have to be something thick, nor does it have to be by the latch -- in fact it is never by the latch because the latch is on the sides. The cardboard from the hanger was the circumference of a finger. No one could get it open -- the cardboard had to be ripped out from under the hatch.

- Medina, OH, USA