2023 RT Side Luggage won't open any hints/help please?

[Windsortenor]

A friend has a 2023 RT Limited and the side luggage compartment will not open. It is not locked but the cable (probably) is so tight that she can’t even move the latch to open it. Help please?!

Explain like I know nothing about any kind of mechanics (because I barely know how to use a screwdriver). Thank you in advance. If necessary, she will ride it to the nearest dealer to get it fixed if we can’t do it ourselves.

 

[Mrwikaa]

A friend has a 2023 RT Limited and the side luggage compartment will not open. It is not locked but the cable (probably) is so tight that she can’t even move the latch to open it. Help please. Explain like I know nothing about any kind of mechanics (because I barely know how to use a screwdriver). Thank you in advance. If necessary she will ride it to the nearest dealer to get it fixed if we can’t do it ourselves.

Try loosening the cable by turning the adjuster (usually a small plastic or metal piece) counterclockwise. If that doesn't work, you may need to remove the compartment's trim panel to access the cable and latch mechanism.

 

[baxter]

Try pushing in at area where lock is while pulling open on latch handle to take pressure off of cable system. may work.

 

[Snowbelt Spyder]

A friend has a 2023 RT Limited and the side luggage compartment will not open. It is not locked but the cable (probably) is so tight that she can’t even move the latch to open it. Help please?!

Explain like I know nothing about any kind of mechanics (because I barely know how to use a screwdriver). Thank you in advance. If necessary, she will ride it to the nearest dealer to get it fixed if we can’t do it ourselves.

If the latch lever lifts up, but feels as though it reaches the end of travel before the door unlatches, then yes, it's just a cable adjustment. You won't even need a screwdriver. Lay down on the floor and look up unto that open area behind the latch. The cable adjuster is up in there. See Pic. Works like any other cable adjuster. Unscrew the larger locking nut, adjust the adjuster to take the slack out of the cable. You turn the adjuster to make the outer sheath longer, thus taking the slack out of the inner cable, and it will act as though it is shorter. Go about two turns and try it then. Repeat as required. I had to do both sides on my 2023 the first year.

 

[Mikey]

When loading the side bags some people have been known to over stuff it, so that the things inside are pushing ageist the latch too hard to let it release the latch! Take your knee and put it against the door and push in while pulling on the latch at the same time, it may take a couple of tries! When you finely get it open, take some stuff out and try opening it with nothing obstructing it, if it doesn't open then without the knee, then use the great instructions Snowbelt gave you! Good Luck! If the thing's not opening until you get to the end of the pull on the handle, that's the sign the cable needs adjusting, the cable has stretched! What you don't want to do is get it to the point where it's a hair trigger and opens the minute you pull the handle a touch, because that may cause the bag to open going over a bump by itself, and you don't want that.

 

[blacklightning]

I have had both of mine adjusted and ended up having them both replaced on my 2021 RTL. This is the worst design that I have seen. It appears that they tried to mimic the latches on the F3T and F3L. But I have owned 2 F3T's and a 2016 F3L and had no issues. They are problematic, to the point that I use my trunk and frunk for the things that I 100% definitely need access to. I also keep 2 bungee cords inside the saddle bags because they are known to come open also. The really bad thing is that they are not covered under the extended warranty.

 

[Arion]

If the latch lever lifts up, but feels as though it reaches the end of travel before the door unlatches, then yes, it's just a cable adjustment. You won't even need a screwdriver. Lay down on the floor and look up unto that open area behind the latch. The cable adjuster is up in there. See Pic. Works like any other cable adjuster. Unscrew the larger locking nut, adjust the adjuster to take the slack out of the cable. You turn the adjuster to make the outer sheath longer, thus taking the slack out of the inner cable, and it will act as though it is shorter. Go about two turns and try it then. Repeat as required. I had to do both sides on my 2023 the first year.

View attachment 212453

A very well explained and the photo is, as many say, worth a thousand words. Occam's razor is alive and well it appears. Sorry, I couldn't resist an obscure reference.

 

[KansasCrow]

A friend has a 2023 RT Limited and the side luggage compartment will not open. It is not locked but the cable (probably) is so tight that she can’t even move the latch to open it. Help please?!

Explain like I know nothing about any kind of mechanics (because I barely know how to use a screwdriver). Thank you in advance. If necessary, she will ride it to the nearest dealer to get it fixed if we can’t do it ourselves.

Mine does that too. If you put pressure on the door while opening, it will usually work. I just press my thigh into it while operating the latch and it opens right up.

 

[sduskin]

A friend has a 2023 RT Limited and the side luggage compartment will not open. It is not locked but the cable (probably) is so tight that she can’t even move the latch to open it. Help please?!

Explain like I know nothing about any kind of mechanics (because I barely know how to use a screwdriver). Thank you in advance. If necessary, she will ride it to the nearest dealer to get it fixed if we can’t do it ourselves.

Lay on the ground and reach up between the luggage and rear tire. My cable was kinda towards the front of the side compartment and I could feel the cable adjustment. Then I had a friend gently lift on the latch while I was turning the adjustment. When the compartment opened, I turned the adjustment back a couple turns. No problems since.