Freelander 1 Tailgate problems. SOLVED

Hi All. I know this has been discussed on numerous occasions but no amount of searching has solved my problem so apologies for raising this issue again.
The springs in the tailgate handle went some time ago but I was able to continue using the tailgate without any problems, moving the handle into the correct position manually, so the door opened and closed and the tailgate window operated properly.
However, the tailgate will now not open and the window won't drop it's usual 20mm or so. It won't operate using the cabin switch or the key in tailgate lock. When I operate the external tailgate switch, I can hear the micro switch clicking, so I assume that means the switch is OK and bridging the switch wires would be pointless?
Is there a way to get to the actuator without destroying the door card and even if I could, I don't think the tailgate will open without the glass dropping?
Any suggestions gratefully received, thanks in advance.

If you are brave, you can pull the door and bend the glass down to clear the cover.

It cringingly worked for me, sort of by mistake.

However, I don't know what the likelyhood of it smashing is - probably quite high. You may like to make sure you can get replacement glass, as well as a regulator, before doing it.

Not sure if you'll get any less drastic answers.

GrumpyGel said:

If you are brave, you can pull the door and bend the glass down to clear the cover.

It cringingly worked for me, sort of by mistake.

However, I don't know what the likelyhood of it smashing is - probably quite high. You may like to make sure you can get replacement glass, as well as a regulator, before doing it.

Not sure if you'll get any less drastic answers.

Click to expand...

Thanks GrumpyGel, but before that I'm not sure how to get to the actuator to manually operate it to open the tailgate. The door card is still on.

Try a battery disconnect. Wait 30 seconds and reconnect. With any luck the window will drop.

andyfreelandy said:

Try a battery disconnect. Wait 30 seconds and reconnect. With any luck the window will drop.

Click to expand...

Thanks Andy, just done a just done a battery disconnect. The external switch and actuator are working now but the window still won't drop, so I still can't open the tailgate. Also now when I use the centre console switch, the window doesn't move but I get a series of 4 beeps.

So the door catch now releases ?
If so the glass may push down By hand or carefully ease it under the trim as you open the door. If the cables have broken (most likely) then the window should slide down with force.

Y

andyfreelandy said:

So the door catch now releases ?
If so the glass may push down By hand or carefully ease it under the trim as you open the door. If the cables have broken (most likely) then the window should slide down with force.

Click to expand...

Yes, the door now releases. I'll try push the glass down by hand. Cheers.

Solved, but don't ask me how! It's a 3 door so I lifted the roof a little to open the tailgate. Door card off, all looked good, just caked in dust so a good clean down, relifted the roof, closed the tailgate and the window went down. Raised it with the key in the lock and all has been good so far. I think I'll leave the door card off for the next few days, just to be sure! Thanks for the advice.

Worth pulling the connector off the window motor and cleaning contacts in that case. If it doesn't move or motor and it's not jammed with bad cables it must be a high resistance somewhere in the circuit.

andyfreelandy said:

Worth pulling the connector off the window motor and cleaning contacts in that case. If it doesn't move or motor and it's not jammed with bad cables it must be a high resistance somewhere in the circuit.

Click to expand...

I did that, it was as clean as a whistle!