Tailgate won't drop

[ElGuano]

I can hear/feel that the right side latch isn't being activated when I try to drop the tail. I have a service appointment but it is a couple of weeks out.

Is there an easy way to reach or manually pull the latch in the meantime?

Sponsored

 

[BCondrey]

I had the same problem, and my bed cover was engaged, so I couldn't access the bed. Try pushing in on the tailgate and hitting the release, incase it is hanging up due to too tight a fit. DO NOT hit the entrapment button. It won't help, and you cannot reset it until you drop the tailgate. It will chime and alert you forever until the tailgate is fixed. You can try all the normal resets too.

 

[SwaziCAR]

I can hear/feel that the right side latch isn't being activated when I try to drop the tail. I have a service appointment but it is a couple of weeks out.

Is there an easy way to reach or manually pull the latch in the meantime?

I'm no help in fixing the issue but, if you're near a Service Center, my suggestion is you drive there first thing tomorrow morning and ask that they escalate the fix, particularly invoking the word "safety." The second time my latches failed, I was able to get them replaced the same day using that tactic (rather than waiting weeks for the scheduled appointment). Assuming they have latches on hand, it's a quick fix. YMMV, of course.

(By the way, if you get the gate to open, you may not be able to get it to close again, so think about which scenario--stuck open or stuck closed--is worse for your situation.)

 

[ElGuano]

(By the way, if get the gate to open, you may not be able to get it to close again, so think about which scenario--stuck open or stuck closed--is worse for your situation.)

That's a very good point. I'd much rather have it stuck shut than fall open or stay open on the road I guess

 

[SwaziCAR]

That's a very good point. I'd much rather have it stuck shut than fall open or stay open on the road I guess

Either way, you can pitch it as a safety issue: stuck open is bad for driving, while stuck closed is bad for replacing a flat when you're out of cell range in West Virginia.

My nearest Service Center seemingly has always done what they could regardless of how many hoops the call center tries to make me jump through; the Service Center knows the centralized, gatekeeper system is terrible. Or, that's how it seems to me, at least.

 

[frostpine_82]

I'm no help in fixing the issue but, if you're near a Service Center, my suggestion is you drive there first thing tomorrow morning and ask that they escalate the fix, particularly invoking the word "safety." The second time my latches failed, I was able to get them replaced the same day using that tactic (rather than waiting weeks for the scheduled appointment). Assuming they have latches on hand, it's a quick fix. YMMV, of course.

(By the way, if you get the gate to open, you may not be able to get it to close again, so think about which scenario--stuck open or stuck closed--is worse for your situation.)

I had my tailgate latch replaced as well, it wouldnt hold and the caralways thought it was open so it would mess up the parking sensors. One workaround to make it stay closed is to close it and hold it for a good 10 ish seconds with both hands on the far left and far right side and it SHOULD hold.

 

[Yikes98]

On both sides of the truck bed behind the plastic wall, there is a separate manual release string for L & R. That would at least get it open. I’m sure you can figure out something from there until you get to the service center.

 

[ElGuano]

Mobile service came by and fixed it on Monday. Took 30 minutes and I'm back in business!

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Mobile service came by and fixed it on Monday. Took 30 minutes and I'm back in business!

Both of my latches were replaced at start of this year, after falsely and incessantly reporting possibly "person or animal" being in the bed when it was just air. Two weekends ago, during a heatwave in SoCal, the tailgate failed to drop. At first I thought the latches did not release. But soon realized they released, the taillgate just didn't drop on its own. So... just FYI, this may not be finished business. I'm almost tempted to install one of those aftermarket spring loaded door poppers that hot rodders and modders install once they've shaved their door handles. Or, opposing stick-on magnets.

Sponsored