recently my handle on the hatch door started not working frequently....sometimes it opens on the first try and other times i pull 5 million times and it wont open.......feels and sounds like the latch isnt even trying sometimes....any ideas? replace it? smash it? grease?

 

Worth at least taking a look at the innards - take off the rear hatch interior cover and you should be able to see what is going on. Cuold just be a worn linkage not moving far enough. They ar $30 or so on ebay in case you want to just replace the whole thing.

 

i was thinking maybe just get a swing out hatch instead of the raised one....ok if its that easy to get at ill have to give it a look