Hello folks.

The tailgate release has suddenly stopped working. I can here the mirco-switch behind the push button operating.

I have had the door card off and checked that the electrical plugs are securely fitted to the latch.

As I understand it, the earth path from the boot release switch passes through the drivers door latch. Can anyone tell me which pin on the multiplug is the connection from the tailgate button? My intention is to hot wire that cable straight to earth and try the button to see if the fault is at the door latch or with the button.

Thanks for any help,

Smiler.

The connection from the tailgate button splices into the loom between the outstation and the latch on the wire for the CDL microswitch.

The wire colour in the vehicle loom is Green/Red. You can also test the latch switches with the downloadable door latch test sheet in my post in this part of the forum - which will tell you if the CDL switch is faulty in the latch.

But if you temporarily ground the Green/Red wire in the drivers door then it will provide the ground path to the tailgate. If locking/unlocking the drivers door with the key triggers all of the other doors to lock/unlock the the CDL switch is probably OK, and I'd start by looking at the connector in the bodywork (just behind the rubber grommet where the door loom joins the bodywork) as the wire to the tailgate also goes through these connectors and could have corrosion on it which is stopping it from working properly.

Marty

Cheers Marty,

The central locking was all working from the key last time I try'd it but that may have been before the tailgate stopped opening. I'll confirm later. I take it that CDL is Central Dead Locking? Is this microswitch the single wire plug on the lock?

Thanks,

Smiler.

Central Door Locking, the single wire is the ground for the latch via the door outstation, the one you want is one of the ones in the multi plug. If the ground was missing on the single black wire due to a bad connection or a failed outstation (very rare), none of the switches would do anything. Easy check for that is if the courtesy lights come on when you open the door, then it's not missing.

The earth feed comes from the door latch directly to the pushbutton on the tailgate but all wires to the tailgate are white to make it difficult for someone to pull them out and ground the correct wire. There's a 12 way black connector behind the trim panel on the right hand side of the boot where the green/red wire changes to white.

Gilbertd wrote:

There's a 12 way black connector behind the trim panel on the right hand side of the boot where the green/red wire changes to white.

From there you can make a toggle-switched wire to ground as an emergency entry, hidden behind the bumper.

I was thinking that.

Fixed! I try'd the earth but made no difference. I did however discover the cause of the clanging when shutting the door with the window open. As suspected the glass is wobbling about in one of the guides. In this case it's the forward guide. I'm guessing that there should be a nylon block of some sort clamped around the front edge of the glass.

Back to the boot, climbing in from the front I was able to remove the inner trim panel and manually operate the latch. Then wobbling the plug whilst pressing the button had it working instantly. Just loose connections between the button and the plug. So I have splayed the pins slightly and put a dab of copper grease on for good measure. It's now working with a strong positive action so I've confidently put the trim panel back on.

Smiler wrote:

Fixed! I try'd the earth but made no difference. I did however discover the cause of the clanging when shutting the door with the window open. As suspected the glass is wobbling about in one of the guides. In this case it's the forward guide. I'm guessing that there should be a nylon block of some sort clamped around the front edge of the glass.

There's a length of rubber that eventually falls off and will be found lurking in the bottom of the door.

Ah, that sounds easier to fit. Bottom of the door is empty (now) but as the friendly specialist has been waving his magic wand in there he may have already removed it and put it safe with all missing bolts that were holding the radiators in place up front.