A vehicle latch has a housing with a detent and a stop. A lever is pivotally connected to the housing and movable from an install position engaging the housing to an active position pivoted away from the housing. A spring extends from the lever to the housing applying a biasing force to the lever urging the lever to the install position. The spring has a tail portion, a coil section and an opposite end. The opposite end engages the lever. The tail end is moveable to engage either the stop or detent. In the install position, the tail end engages the detent and also engages the lever. In this position, the spring increases the biasing force holding the lever in the install position. The tail end is removable from the detent to engage the stop when the lever is first pivoted away from the install position. This disengages the tail end from the lever and also reduces the biasing force on the lever.