2003 TD4 TAILGATE PROBLEM.

Hi all,
Have a problem opening the tailgate. I"ve looked at the Forums and there doesn"t seem to be one the same as my problem. There doesn"t seem to be any give when I press the Tailgate Handle so the window doesn"t open neither does the door. I can open the window using the dash button so is there some means of opening the Tail Gate through the open window.
I"m sure the fault must be with the handle so do I have to remove the inner panel to get to it and how can I do that if I can"t open the door? I"ve got a slight disability which means I can"t go clambering over the seats.
Help and Advice please.

It sounds like the handle switch has failed, or the springs are jamming the handle.

You can remove the door open switch, simply by undoing the screws which hold it to the handle. Once the switch is out, you simply bridge the 2 wires, and the door should release.

Hi Nodge, Do you mean I can do that from outside the car?

Hi, yes, 2 small cross head screws under the rear tailgate door pull.

It may be the switch, could be the door solenoid but try bridging the door switch wires first!! Hope it is an easy one!!

Thanks for the advice. If it"s not raining Wednesday will give it a go otherwise what else can I do. I"ve tried disconnecting the battery and waiting for 5 minutes. The window opened but the door refused to open. Tried putting the key in the tailgate lock and locking and unlocking with the Fob but nothing. If I get in the back is there anyway I can get the Tailgate door panel off or will the screws along the bottom be inaccessable.I desperately need to be able to open the tailgate. I just hope bridging the wires will unlock the door.
cheers

The tailgate is a bad design I am afraid.
The inner trim panel is held by 4 screws at the base which you can't remove from inside.
If the panel is pulled off from the inside it is usually destroyed.
If the window drops OK it may be that a stiff wire with a hook could be used to put down the window channel and hook the rod that pulls the boot release. This is normally done by a solenoid. Not done it but it may be possible!!!

Hope the switch is your problem as it is an easy fix.
The key on the boot only operates the window, not the lock. Most people never use it.

Thanks again Andy. I"ve been looking at your Sport For Sale and if it was an Auto I"d be interested, probably so would a lot of other punters. If the stiff wire fails and I have to resort to brute force and pull the panel off will it affect anything else, such as the window not working? Somebody else on L/Z mentioned how to do that with the key!!

mudinuri said:

If the stiff wire fails and I have to resort to brute force and pull the panel off will it affect anything else, such as the window not working? Somebody else on L/Z mentioned how to do that with the key!!

Click to expand...

Why not simply remove the 2 screws holding the switch to the underside of the handle. It's no more difficult than changing the number plate light bulb.
You said it doesn't feel right, so that's where to start.

There's no pulling the inner door trim off or damaging anything.

No messaging with batteries unnecessarily either.

Start with the simply stuff first, which simply requires a Pozidrive screwdriver.

The door key hole, is simply for putting the tail door window back up, nothing more.

Thanks for the obvious answer Nodge68. As soon as it stops raining!!! I"ll be out there.

Hi again Nodge68. Did as you suggested and removed the number plate light housing and bridged the two wires and I was able to open the door but not fully as the window didn"t drop far enough. Cut to the chase I did manage to open the door and remove the inner panel intact but the Bulbs from the No Plate are both blown plus the Rear Window Demister/Heater doesn"t work (It was earlier this morning) and the offside rear light doesn"t work. I checked the fuses but they all seem to be ok. When I took off the inner rear panel I couldn"t see any means of opening the Tailgate from inside, no rod or if there is I can"t see it! There was a fair amount of moisture, rusty water inside the Tailgate handle area and I think the previous owner must have had the inner panel off before me to fit a Dog cage. Could there be a break in the cable? I"m lost as far as electrics are concerned.Help

Do you need to 're calibrate the back window, not sure of the procedure though. Just that the heated screen won't work if the back window isn't fully up, Nor will the rear wiper. Also the calibration will give the correct drop when opening rear tail gate.
The light not working, is that the one inside the boot area?

mudinuri said:

Did as you suggested and removed the number plate light housing and bridged the two wires and I was able to open the door but not fully as the window didn"t drop far enough.

Click to expand...

I didn't say remove the number plate light. I said remove the door switch, which is no more difficult than changing a number plate bulb, as it's just 2 screws. That's 2 screws for the number plate light and 2 screws for the door switch.

The switch come2 out the handle in the same way the number plate light does.

It's the switch wires you bridge, not the number plate light wires.

Sorry about that, As you can tell I"m not very practical when it comes to mechanical things.
Okay I"m going to go and have another try.

Oh whoops!! Looks like you have shorted the number plate light feed. You will have blown fuse 16 or 17 depending on the year in the fuse box by the drivers knee.

Also, the door opened so you must have operated the lock correctly as well and that suggests the door switch is faulty as suggested. The heated rear will not work if the wind is not fully up.

Replace the fuse to make the lights work again then make sure you have the wires to the door handle switch and connect these. If the door opens buy a new switch.

If not report back.

Thanks for the advice Andy. I"ve got to get the number plate bulbs ordered asap and replace the fuse. Cheers

Bulbs may be OK if fuse has gone!!!

I've used springs from a pen in the past to fix a door handle. Have you tried pulling the handle down before lifting it?
As Nodge said the old springs may have jammed it but if the door opened you probably dislodged the cause.
It's common for the springs to corrode and break.