Could Install of Trailer Hitch Cause Rear Hatch Latch to Not Connect

Updated 09/21/2023 | Published 09/20/2023

Question:

Hi, I recently bought a C13406 Curt Trailer Hitch for a 2016 Toyota Rav4 hybrid. I took my car to a mechanic shop that specializes in installing hitches to get it installed but now my trunk wont open, it feels like the latch was pushed upward and is now misaligned, preventing the powered trunk to open. The mechanics are saying they did nothing wrong but I dont believe them. Im looking for advice on how to handle this situation because they insist that it wasnt their mistake. Is there any extra step they forgot to follow when installing the hitch, I think they pushed the rear jack point when installing, so Im asking if there was something they missed and I could mention next time I bring my car to their shop so they can correct it.

asked by: Nivali M

Expert Reply:

If they torqued the install hardware of the hitch without having the weight of the vehicle on the suspension of the vehicle it could have bound up the chassis a bit and cause the latch to stop aligning. You could loosen the hitch hardware and test this pretty easily.

expert reply by: Jameson C