Member Since: 11 Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
Posts: 118
Tailgate not opening............NOT THE USUAL.
Gents, 6 months ago I had the cable end snap and replaced this to fix, today I have a different issue.
The upper tailgate opens but not with the usual amount of gusto, if you press the button several times the actuator gradually decreases in power to the point it does nowt. If left for a while it will then operate. If you listen to the outer handle you can here the microswitch acting, so I suspect the actuator is weak.
Maybe it is the switch not passing enough volts/current.............any ideas?
26th Jun 2011 10:17 pm
Mike767
Member Since: 15 Oct 2008
Location: Congleton, Cheshire.
Posts: 138
From experience, the contact plate in the switch mechanism is probably dirty/corroded. You can remove the soft rubber cover to check. Mine had suffered water ingress and looked like it needed replacing. Trouble is, you have to buy the whole switch/handle/number plate light assembly and case.
Gave mine a good blast with brake cleaner followed by WD40 and hey presto!
3rd Jul 2011 12:41 am
Andy Foster
Member Since: 27 Dec 2009
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 6551
Had mine repaired under warranty a few weeks back. Guess what happened today yeah the tailgate won't open. Can hear it working but won't open. Will be calling the dealer on Monday
Andy
3rd Jul 2011 12:51 am
Mike767
Member Since: 15 Oct 2008
Location: Congleton, Cheshire.
Posts: 138
Been there as well Andy! Your's sounds like the cable end failure...easy to fix, parts about £20.
qwerty. Try the "emergency release" method. You need to hold down both the car lock and unlock switches on the upper centre console at the same time. I think you have to hold them for about 3 seconds (it's in the owners manual) before the actuator kicks in. Have somebody ready to lift the upper tailgate when it unlocks as you cannot do it on your own.
If it works as normal, then the actuator is OK and the tailgate wiring/switch is your likely suspect.
3rd Jul 2011 1:12 am
qwerty
Member Since: 11 Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
Posts: 118
Cheers for the replies, appears to be working fine at the moment. Apparently the Solenoid is gradually depleted in power, if repeatedley pressed, to stop it overheating. I have lubricated the actual catch as I think sand from a trip to the beach had stopped it returning properly, I have also oredered a Switch/handle just in case.
TTFN back soon for sure...............
3rd Jul 2011 8:29 am
zig
Member Since: 09 Sep 2005
Location: Scotland
Posts: 638
My vehicle has just developed a similar problem with the upper tailgate external release button not working.
If a manual override is performed, by pressing and holding both the lock and unlock buttons on the dash, and upper tailgate is pulled back as the latch clicks the the upper tailgate can be opened.
From earlier posts in this thread it seems that it is likely to be the switch mechanism that is probably dirty/corroded. To check if this is the problem can the rubber cover be removed without removing the exterior handle assembly?
If the exterior handle assembly has to be removed what is the procedure for removing it?
5th Jul 2011 10:05 pm
Mike767
Member Since: 15 Oct 2008
Location: Congleton, Cheshire.
Posts: 138
You can remove the rubber switch cover without removing the entire handle assembly. If you need to remove the whole thing, open the boot lid and the bolts will be on the underside.
6th Jul 2011 8:37 am
Roel
Member Since: 16 Aug 2008
Location: home
Posts: 1215
I had the same problem early 2009. It took a while to find but it was a shafed wire under the drivers seat (LHD)
That caused the rear door not wanting to open sometimes and an occasional airbag light.
Electronics Roel
1997 Camel Trophy Disco ex-P101JWK (traded it for a Britains 42101)
1984 90 TD5
2005 G4 Disco 3 BN55WPT
Also member of club MTR
and Club Faultmate
Interested in my 4x4 history see my website: www.mudmachine.webklik.nl
Sorry it's in Dutch and with google translator it gets funny.
6th Jul 2011 9:20 am
zig
Member Since: 09 Sep 2005
Location: Scotland
Posts: 638
Thanks Mike767 for advising that the rubber switch assembly can be removed without removing handle assembly. Does it just pull out or do I have to disassemble something (with the handle assembly still attached to the tailgate)?
6th Jul 2011 11:30 am
Mike767
Member Since: 15 Oct 2008
Location: Congleton, Cheshire.
Posts: 138
I think you can just pull it off from the edges. It seems to self seal, the rubber fits into a channel. I used some glue when I refitted to stop any more water getting in.
6th Jul 2011 1:24 pm
zig
Member Since: 09 Sep 2005
Location: Scotland
Posts: 638
Pulled the rubber cover off and found that the contact plate under the rubber cover, that operates the microswitch was stuck. Cleaned out the muck and the microswitch started to work again.
The problem then was how to refit the rubber cover so I removed the switch assembly (without the rubber cover it is a loose fit), it is pushed in and held with plastic barbs at the two ends, refitted the rubber cover and pushed it in again. With the vehicle locked the click of the microswitch can now be heard as the rubber cover is pushed.
It had been mentioned earlier in the thread that you have to buy the whole switch/handle/number plate light assembly and case. However, I noted the numbers on it YUZ500020 and YUZ500030 and on doing an internet search found that the switch assembly is available.
Last edited by zig on 7th Jul 2011 12:10 pm. Edited 1 time in total
6th Jul 2011 11:04 pm
randalls
Member Since: 02 Mar 2006
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 703
I have the same problem with the switch & upper tailgate (done the lower tailgate cable latch cable replacement already) thanks for the info here on fault finding - should make it easier ! 2007 TDV6 HSE 'Silver Lady'. With 'free' privacy glass LOL.
Taking the greenpi$$ is: Green taxing your citizens more & using some of the money to buy nukes.
7th Jul 2011 9:20 am
zig
Member Since: 09 Sep 2005
Location: Scotland
Posts: 638
Found these images at rrsport.co.uk which show a faulty switch and the nature of the problem:
On the RRSport this seems to have been a real saga. In one case as the as the mating connector to the door release switch had been damaged by corrosion and as the wiring harness was on back order, the only way to repair was to replace the whole upper tailgate. The finger has also been pointed at a faulty switch as being the cause of the battery going flat. To read the whole RRSport saga go to http://www.rrsport.co.uk/forum/topic17072.html
Will the RRSport part fit the LR3? I lost the metal plate to mine (yes, I'm an idiot) and am looking for a replacement.
My tailgate is working intermittently. I've got it broken into so I can open it if it stops again, just waiting for that point to finally determine if it's the solenoid going bad or the switch...2005 Zambezi V8 SE
7th Jan 2013 7:00 pm
Mark B
Member Since: 06 Jan 2009
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 24
I know this is an old thread but the great thing about this forum is finding someone has already discussed the problem you are currently experiencing.
I can confirm that the RRS part YUZ500020 will replace the existing upper tailgate release switch
The upper tailgate was proving difficult to open and the switch felt stiff, especially if it had stood for a while. The the last service Stealer said that it was normal and not to worry. Suddenly yesterday it wouldn't operate at all. No actuator sound - nothing.
Having searched on here for tailgate problems I found it was probably the microswitch so I pulled the rubber cover off to find that the metal plate that depresses the microswitch had more or less dissolved and had broken into several pieces
The microswitch itself is fine and operating ok but without the metal plate you can't operate it with the rubber cover re-installed.
I popped the switch out of the handle housing and confirmed the part no. (as per Zig's post above) and headed off to the local Stealer parts dept. Bought the RRS part (YUZ500020), cut off the old switch, cut the connector from the new switch and joined the wires up.
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2007 TDV6 HSE 'Silver Lady'. With 'free' privacy glass LOL.
