Tailgate lock not unlocking

[ScarbSaab]

2004 estate, I've tweaked the rod before to fix the lock problem. Thought, okay, time to do it again... only it didn't work! I can see the locking bar bounce back when it tries to engage, but I can push it across by hand. Made sure it was lining up when the handle wasn't being held. Dismantled the tailgate, liberal sprays of lithium grease into the lock mechanism, replaced the locking solenoid, all to no avail. Every once in a while she will unlock...

I am coming to the conclusion there is a fault inside the latch body. Unfortunately, this appears to be a riveted unit, and without a spare, am loath to dismantle the only means of keeping the tailgate shut.

This may be a crazy idea, but they seem to be non-existent in this country and I'm not spending £60+ for one that looks in worse external condition than what I have. Does anyone know if I can use a 13188852 (06-10) latch in place of 5360847 (02-10)? I can see obvious differences like a single bolt hole each side, and I can't see if there is a drive for the locking mechanism or if this is like the 08 saloon latch.

[sgould]

I don't think that the later lock will work.  The wiring diagram shows the lock connects to different pins on the TWICE.  The lock on my 2007 car jammed and I could unbolt the lock cover plate and reset the latch position. 

[ScarbSaab]

Thank you Will. It was a wild idea, but I guess the newer estate triggers a release, not an unlock. I would have to close the boot again every time I unlocked the car.

I think it might be possible if I wanted to play around with a shim to 'lock/unlock' and a push button for the boot release, assuming the latch is simply fed power to release. I would need a permanent live (for the release), a latching solenoid and a couple of microswitches in series. Power from the car actuates the solenoid (lock/unlock) to press or release one microswitch, the boot release lever acts on the other. Power to the lock releases the latch. I will mull it over.

[carrera]

The bounce back for me has always been the signal for a tweak of the rods. They seem to bend over time

The other tell tale is that when unlocked you don't encounter resistance as the handle is pulled towards you

As a 2004 car you don't have the key release do you ?

Always helpful experimenting with the rear trim off  Just in case

[ScarbSaab]

Thank you David. That's where I started, bending the rods - I've fixed this a couple of times before. This time it didn't seem successful. I got it to unlock several times in a row, put it all back together, then a couple of days later it refused to open at all.

After trying to fix it again, I simply couldn't get the lock to engage reliably. But your comment about the resistance is interesting, because it did feel different to how it has before. I will go back into it and have another go.

Yes, it is missing the helpful lock behind the plastic cover. If it had that, I would probably have ignored the problem for now.

I left the trim off for a week until I thought it was sorted, only for it to play up again. Perhaps I should have left it off permanently!

[carrera]

When he tailgate won't open when unlocked, the handle will go through almost the full movement before resistance in encountered.

Adjusted, there's only a couple of mm and then the mechanism starts to move

Hope that helps

[ScarbSaab]

I've bought an older lock and after a slight modification, it fits and works. The latch release rod is almost straight, which she's never had before. This would have caused the original to fail to unlock. When I've adjusted the rod before it was a fine line between the unlock working and the latch release working.

The original latch sticks and can be hard to unlatch even off the car, so I think something inside is jamming or it's worn. Now I have the boot secure, I can investigate.

Thank you both for your help.

[ScarbSaab]

I spoke too soon! A couple of days later, she again refused to unlock... I've waited until now to make sure it stays fixed.

I discovered that pressing down on the tailgate allowed it to unlock, so we did that for a few days until I could look at it again. I realised the strike plate was very low compared to the plastic trim, so I moved it up a bit. (Perhaps it has shifted over the years?) First go made no difference, so I moved it a bit more. Now she unlocks and unlatches perfectly. I still need to chalk up the seal and check it is mating all the way round. However, we were able to use the boot on our trip away and up to now.