Tailgate not opening.. Freelander1

Ok, quick question if I can.
If you manually lower the rear tailgate window,should the door activate so it can be opened.

My Freelander has just started doing exactly the same thing as last year. Window dropping an inch (not enough,) and tailgate will not open.
Previously fitted a new motor and all was sorted, till now.

Tailgate not opening.

Only quickly tried the recallibration process, so this may work. Just wish I'd bought the cheaper kit off eBay as the £40 one has 12 month warranty, where the £90 doesn't.

Yes, if you lower the window either with the internal switch or the long press on the key fob you can then open the rear tailgate, ask me how I know

Ok, so does that mean the micro switch in my handle is faulty, as window lowers fully via the fob/switch but door will still not open.

gadgetgricey1971 said:

Ok, so does that mean the micro switch in my handle is faulty, as window lowers fully via the fob/switch but door will still not open.

Click to expand...

Do you have single point entry on your vehicle? i.e. you have to press the fob twice to unlock all doors?

If you do, you'll have to unlock twice and then this will unlock the rear door too.

If that still doesn't work, you say you have quickly tried the recalibration.....as far as I know there is no shortcut to the calibration process, although there is a more 'thorough' one.

Here is the recalibration procedure:

1. Disarm the alarm system.
2. Disconnect your Freelander battery.
3. Wait for 5 seconds. (I'd wait atleast 10 seconds in my mind!)
4. Reconnect your battery.
5. The tailgate window will automatically go down completely.
6. Put your key in the ignition and turn to the ‘ignition’ position.
7. Using the tailgate window control on the dashboard, press and hold until the tailgate window is fully up.
8. If you get a warning buzzer then the calibration has failed, otherwise that’s it, your tailgate window is recalibrated.

If the standard recalibration of your Freelander 1 tailgate window does not work then check out the procedure in this bulletin:

TAIL DOOR GLASS OPENS AUTOMATICALLY IMMEDIATELY AFTER CLOSING
Bulletin Number – 0104
Issue – 1
Date – 28.08.2002
Model – Freelander
Affected Range – All derivatives
Re-Issue Information

Problem
TAIL DOOR GLASS OPENS AUTOMATICALLY IMMEDIATELY AFTER CLOSING

Cause
Tail door glass calibration incorrectly set within the Central Control Unit (CCU).

Action
Where a complaint of the above is confirmed, follow the calibration procedure below to reset the tail door glass.

Calibration procedure
1. Disconnect the battery earth lead. Refer to Workshop Manual, General Information, Electrical Precautions, Battery disconnection.
NOTE: Allow ten seconds to elapse between disconnection and connection to erase the stored calibration value.
2. Connect the battery earth lead.
NOTE: The tail door glass will drop approximately 2 seconds after the battery has been connected.
3. Start engine.
4. Ensure that all electrical loads, i.e. lights, heater etc. are turned off.
5. Increase the engine speed to 1500 rev/min for 10 seconds, after 10 seconds and whilst maintaining 1500 rev/min, carry out the following operations:
Close the tail door glass to calibrate the CCU.
Fully open the tail door glass.
Fully close the tail door glass.
If the tail door glass remains closed the calibration procedure is complete, refer to step 6.
If the tail door glass opens then repeat the calibration procedure from step 1.
6. Allow engine to idle then switch off engine.

If after all that it still fails to open - it could indeed be the microswitch in the handle.

Thanks for ^^^^^^^ that. Will try again the weekend.
What's always confused me (and it does not take much) is the fact that the window does drop when the handle is used, just not enough.

However did not realise that the door should open if you manually lower the window.

Will report back after further testing.

Ours does the same - it drops about half and inch, but whilst the rear door then unlatches, you can't open it due to the glass still being in the top seal....this is due to slack in the window cables.

So to open our rear door, we either open the window on the internal button or using the key fob, then we can open the rear door. Then close either using the key in the lock or the internal button - this is until I can be arsed to change the cable assembly!

The only thing the CCU (Central(?) Control Unit) is looking for is the motor having done a minimum number of X amount of revolutions so it knows the motor has lowered the window far enough to allow it to open - it cares not if that command came from the exterior handle switch, the internal switch or the key fob - it just looks to ensure the motor has done the required minimum X revolutions....

Good luck and lets us know how you get on!

First an answer to original OP question.
On My TD4 Freelander 51 plate you have to press the fob twice to open the tailgate. Once only allows you to open drivers door. My Tailgate window goes down by holding the fob for a period of time and goes up on the key inserted into the tailgate key hole. Dash switch works up and down both ways. Down you can stop half way, but up is only one whole lift can't stop half way otherwise it will just drop down again.
To open tailgate you need to double activate fob then double pull tailgate boot latch. One pull drops window second pull opens door latching mechanism.
Hope this helps.

My problem is tailgate window will drop on first pull , but second pull doesn't release opening mechanism. Agent has said actuator fault needing new mechanism (expensive). Biggest problem is can't open door to get at mechanism because inside panel can't be removed to get at it because you need to remove 4 fixing panel screws on underside of tailgate trim panel inside , but you can't do it unless the door is open !!
How stupid is that !!
Any Idea on options other than disc cutting the panel off?

New panel is nearly £200.00 so reluctant to cut it off.

Philbee said:

Any Idea on options other than disc cutting the panel off?

Click to expand...

You can use a "slim jim" to pop the lock from the inside, without cutting the door panel off.

Philbee said:

First an answer to original OP question.
On My TD4 Freelander 51 plate you have to press the fob twice to open the tailgate. Once only allows you to open drivers door. My Tailgate window goes down by holding the fob for a period of time and goes up on the key inserted into the tailgate key hole. Dash switch works up and down both ways. Down you can stop half way, but up is only one whole lift can't stop half way otherwise it will just drop down again.
To open tailgate you need to double activate fob then double pull tailgate boot latch. One pull drops window second pull opens door latching mechanism.
Hope this helps..............

Click to expand...

I made mention to single point entry in post #4

Saint.V8 said:

I made mention to single point entry in post #4

Click to expand...

Nodge68 said:

You can use a "slim jim" to pop the lock from the inside, without cutting the door panel off.

Click to expand...

Hi Nodge68

Can you explain what a ' Slim Jim ' is please or even a picture?

Sounds like just what I need as I'm getting desperate to get the tailgate open now.

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Hi Saint.V8

Sorry didn't mean to duplicate your advice just merely running through the opening procedures as I saw it with all the explanations in the hope it might help the guy.
.

Philbee said:

Hi Nodge68

Can you explain what a ' Slim Jim ' is please or even a picture?

Sounds like just what I need as I'm getting desperate to get the tailgate open now.

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Hi Saint.V8

Sorry didn't mean to duplicate your advice just merely running through the opening procedures as I saw it with all the explanations in the hope it might help the guy.
.

Click to expand...

It would probs be best to not post a picture of a slim jim on a public forum - google for it....it is a slim metal 'shank' used by the greater unwashed (and the RAC/AA/et al) to break into locked cars!

or sit in the back grabe the door panel-plastic and with a shaft pull pull the top off and lower too the floor.
then pull plastic sheet off move your hand to the lock and after a bit you can pull a leaver and open the door.
well thats how i did it

Saint.V8 said:

It would probs be best to not post a picture of a slim jim on a public forum - google for it....it is a slim metal 'shank' used by the greater unwashed (and the RAC/AA/et al) to break into locked cars!

Click to expand...

Oh I see, I think I have seen them used in films.
I thought it was something I could actually use to get into my Freelander to open the tailgate while it was still locked.
Didn't realise it was a wind up.

Philbee said:

Oh I see, I think I have seen them used in films.
I thought it was something I could actually use to get into my Freelander to open the tailgate while it was still locked.
Didn't realise it was a wind up.

Click to expand...

It's not a wind up - it is a well known tool used by the nefarious to break into cars.....

Have you seen the film Twins? Danny DeVito uses one to break into the Cadilac in the parking garage.....

It is a long tin metal shank that is slipped into the door and used to hook the latch mech.....I am not going to post a picture up of one as they have a certain shape of notches cut into the end for hooking the internal locking rods etc....and I don't want anyone to copy it.

Philbee said:

Didn't realise it was a wind up.

Click to expand...

It's not a wind up. You can actually pop the boot lock with a slim jim. It's only possible to do it from the inside with the window in the up position, which means you need to have access to the inside of the car first.

Ok, now totally confused (Aware it does not take much)

Non of the reset/calibration process worked today.
Window does drop slightly when tailgate handle is used, but tailgate does not then open.

Window can be dropped manually via keyfob, or switch so fully down but when tailgate handle used nothing happens.

I'm back to the exact position I was last June when I fitted the new motor mechanism.

Can it be the door handle switch, even though it "works" and triggers the window to drop when the window is fully up??

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Cheers

Sounds very similar to the problem I had.
Window would work fob and switch, could hear latch working still couldn't open door. Following advise on here managed to get the Inner door lining off even with tailgate shut ( thanks Chaps for the advise of how to do this) enabling me to open door. Managed to unscrewed bottom rear torque screw on lock mechanism black plastic cover, and bent case up to expose solenoid actuator. Then pulled bent wire clip which is supposed to be in solenoid hole, and actually managed to open door with someone outside working the latch switch. You need to operate the latch switch to drop the window to clear top plastic trim to open the door.
Once the door was open I could unscrew the four bottom screws holding the inner trim panel on. Then you can release the two torque screws and two pozi screws in the open side of the tailgate to remove the latch mechanism.
Having found a video on the internet I found my problems was the same as this guy. This was my problem and could possibly be yours ?
The hole in the solenoid switch is about 10mm in Dia and the hook clip is only 4mm. There is a brass grommet which takes up the difference but is susceptible to coming out of the solenoid hole!! Once this happens the solenoid will work but the clip doesn't pull the latch release mechanism, so the window goes down you can hear the latch working from outside but the solenoid isn't activating the latch to open the door.

Hope this works for you as it sorted my problem out once I had worked out how to make sure the clip couldn't come out of the solenoid hole.

gadgetgricey1971 said:

Ok, now totally confused (Aware it does not take much)

Non of the reset/calibration process worked today.
Window does drop slightly when tailgate handle is used, but tailgate does not then open.

Window can be dropped manually via keyfob, or switch so fully down but when tailgate handle used nothing happens.

I'm back to the exact position I was last June when I fitted the new motor mechanism.

Can it be the door handle switch, even though it "works" and triggers the window to drop when the window is fully up??

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Cheers

Click to expand...

If the window is dropping, but the latch isn't popping, then the latch release solenoid isn't working, or the latch it's self is faulty.

Hello to everyone. I am new here.
My Free's tailgate doesn't open. The window doesn't drop, it doesn't open by the internal switch too. All started yesterday. But when I push the switch to open the window I can see that the command is taken, because the interior lights change color. The same thing happens when i try to open the tailgate.
So, I suppose it is not a wiring problem.
Can anyone say what to do? How to start looking for the problem?
Thanks in advance.

Colour change in lights, dimming? That would suggest the window is getting power but unable to open. Very possible is the cables have failed. Replacement isn't too hard.