Member Since: 09 Oct 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 16
Lower Tailgate - Lower Tail Door Won't Actuate - Wiring???
Hi all.
I searched and searched and keep on finding stuff on the upper, but not the lower.....
I went ahead and fixed the upper 6 mos ago as a preventative.
This week the lower stopped working (Murphy's law)
Anybody know if simultaneously pushing the lock/unlock button on the dash is supposed to operate the lower portion? It unlocks the top fine, but I don't hear anything from the bottom.
Any fuses to check for the bottom tailgate, only?
Is it simply the switch? Do I need to pull the panel to get the switch out, or can I work it out from the top after taking the rubber cover off?
I don't want to pull the panel off the bottom until I can verify that it might be the switch, i.e., the double push on the dash has nothing to do with the lower tail gate.
Thanks for any help!
TC2006 LR3 HSE
Last edited by DenverTopCat on 20th Nov 2015 3:26 pm. Edited 1 time in total
12th Sep 2015 3:31 pm
Iceman08
Member Since: 22 Sep 2014
Location: Hereford
Posts: 2284
I'm 99% sure pushing the lock/unlock button is only supposed to release the top half of the tailgate.
12th Sep 2015 5:00 pm
Dolpants
Member Since: 15 Mar 2014
Location: Cambridge
Posts: 395
I had the problem with the lower tailgate this week where I'd push the button and it did nothing. No actuator noise or anything. But if I pushed the button loads of times it would adventurally open. Took the top plastic trim off and removed the switch to find the switch corroded away.
Ordered and new switch but in the mean time I just bridged the 2 pins in the switch plug to unlatch the lower tailgate with a small piece of wire.Tonga Green D3
Raptored 19" HSE wheels
General Grabber X3s
EGR blanked
BAS remap
Rock / Tree Sliders
Prospeed compressor guard
Prospeed ladder Raptored
Prospeed roof rack Raptored
CB Radio
4 x LF140 in front grill
LR sump guard
RAI
Defender mud flaps
13th Sep 2015 3:16 am
DenverTopCat
Member Since: 09 Oct 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 16
Tried that last night.... Is it the actuator? Fuse?
Thanks for the information. You answered a question I had - is the switch a simple make/break circuit switch? Answer: Yes.
Took the switch out last night; in pieces. When I finally removed it, saw the two pins that insert into the plug. Used a screwdriver to make the connection between the pins.
Nothing.
My switch isn't corroded and it simply popped apart when I removed it. I reassembled it and don't need to purchase a new one. I'm going to look for a fuse that may have blown, which would indicate a failing actuator, but at lease it saves me $35 on a switch I don't need.
Anybody else run into a problem with the actuator?2006 LR3 HSE
14th Sep 2015 4:17 pm
Dolpants
Member Since: 15 Mar 2014
Location: Cambridge
Posts: 395
There are 2 actuators that release the lower tailgate. One of each latch. So it would be strange that they would both fail. Normally one side fails and the other one works.Tonga Green D3
Raptored 19" HSE wheels
General Grabber X3s
EGR blanked
BAS remap
Rock / Tree Sliders
Prospeed compressor guard
Prospeed ladder Raptored
Prospeed roof rack Raptored
CB Radio
4 x LF140 in front grill
LR sump guard
RAI
Defender mud flaps
14th Sep 2015 5:39 pm
DenverTopCat
Member Since: 09 Oct 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 16
Switch is okay; no fuse. Confused computer?
Thanks to Dolpants and Iceman08
So the switch is perfectly fine, the owner's manual doesn't indicate a fuse for the actuators, and it's unlikely that two actuators would simultaneously fail, so I'm at a loss.
Next try will be to unhook the battery for 15 minutes and see if something resets and corrects itself (unlikely) and then I guess I'll start tracing down the wiring.
Anybody have any troubleshooting recommendations?
Thanks,
TC2006 LR3 HSE
15th Sep 2015 2:00 am
DenverTopCat
Member Since: 09 Oct 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 16
**bump**2006 LR3 HSE
17th Sep 2015 12:47 pm
DenverTopCat
Member Since: 09 Oct 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 16
Any suggestions?
**bump**
Still haven't figured this out. Any ideas, forum?2006 LR3 HSE
19th Sep 2015 1:00 pm
Discoed
Member Since: 16 Jun 2010
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 1020
Dolpants wrote:
I had the problem with the lower tailgate this week where I'd push the button and it did nothing. No actuator noise or anything. But if I pushed the button loads of times it would adventurally open. Took the top plastic trim off and removed the switch to find the switch corroded away.
Ordered and new switch but in the mean time I just bridged the 2 pins in the switch plug to unlatch the lower tailgate with a small piece of wire.
I have this job to do as I'm currently playing the frustrating (for me and the dogs) game of waiting for the button to respond to various pushes and stabs - handy post cheers
18th Oct 2015 12:21 am
DenverTopCat
Member Since: 09 Oct 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 16
Broken wires?
Bump
Nobody else has had this problem? I think there must be a broken wire, but with a toddler, a preschooler and a falling apart house I have only a little time right now to do the hunt. I'm hoping somebody sees this and can direct me to a connector or a portion of the wiring harness to examine.
I've read about the poor splices from the factory and how they mess up communications and throw codes, but haven't seen anything related to this issue.... a lower taildoor that doesn't get power to the actuators (I understand there are two, but haven't be able to verify.
Would somebody please point me to the most likely point for a wiring failure or wiring diagrams that actually show WHERE on the truck the wires for the taildoor are routed? I had a friend shoot a picture of his open taildoor and I know the wire leaves the door and enters the chassis through a rubber 'loom' protector, but where it goes once it enters the vehicle I don't know.... and working back there with the taildoor locked in place isn't easy to say the least.
Guess I'll climb back there this weekend if I get a chance, lift the seats and see if I can remove floor carpeting, etc. and try to find the wiring. I will report back when I find some solutions or additional questions or break down and take it to the dealership, but at $150/hr diagnostic fee, I really don't want to forsake next year's vacation while somebody else hunts down the problem.
Any help in diagnosing this issue would be greatly appreciated!2006 LR3 HSE
26th Oct 2015 5:56 pm
DenverTopCat
Member Since: 09 Oct 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 16
6 months later
After purchasing a latch plate for the right hand side and figuring out how to operate the one on my truck, I got the tail door open and removed the carpet panel. Couldn't find any obvious problems.
Finally got around to pulling the sill plate covers off the wiring on the passenger side (what a bear of a job that was) and started looking for obvious wire breaks. Found a little water and after checking posts on this site, found the sunroof tube drain end piece completely deteriorated and in need of replacement. Since I had to pull the CJB, I started using my ohm meter and checking continuity. Had to find the right wire in the wire loom beside the right-hand side front seat. Snip! Continuity was good from there to the CJB. My 4 y.o. assistant grounded the end of the same wire at the tail door.... nothing.
Found the wire where it turns from the sill plate towards the center of the chassis, right behind the front seat. Snip! With my son's help, check from the switch to this point. Bingo. Continuity. Check other end to the front cut. Dud. Appears to be a junction point in the wiring harness buried next to the B-pillar. Rather than waste time looking for the reason for the disconnect, I ran a new wire, soldered everything and put on the shrink tubing. Tied up the loom with nylon ties. Voila! Works like a charm.
The wire from the actuation switch to the CJB had a break in it, somewhere, and I ended up finding a sunroof leak and in addition, a wire loom bracket behind the battery that was poorly installed and ready to wear through the wires in the loom.
Started out fixing one issue and ended up taking care of three. Hope I can go 6 months without any other issues. Tired of spending my weekends and holidays doing maintenance on this beast.
Hope somebody else can benefit from my adventure!2006 LR3 HSE
25th Apr 2016 1:00 pm
markagj
Member Since: 03 Dec 2015
Location: Wrexham
Posts: 175
Well done and thanks for posting the solution to your problem...will no doubt help somebody in the future.Discovery 4 HSE SDV6
Land Rover series 3 2.5 Petrol
30th Apr 2016 9:14 am
albbu
Member Since: 11 Aug 2015
Location: southampton
Posts: 22
Hi Folks,
Ive got the same problem, lower tailgate only works intermittantly, no fault in switch or actuators, as when
it occassionally works its perfect.
Upper tailgate bits all replaced 6 months ago!!
My thoughts were towards a dodgy contact or perhaps the FET in the control box. The switch just puts an earth on this line to actuate it, as long as the ECM says its " unlocked".
Has anyone had to replace one of these??
No fault codes showing on body control, so i guess its start pulling apart the wiring loom.
Good work to DENVER TOP CAT and his mighty assistant!!!
Will post any deveopments2007 D3 HSE
2006 D3 SE LHD
2006 FreelanderTd4
2002Td5Disco2
1974 109" Daktari
1948 80"
LRSOC Member for years
23rd Apr 2017 11:03 am
albbu
Member Since: 11 Aug 2015
Location: southampton
Posts: 22
Finally got round to repairing tailgate lower latch.
Had the same problems of intermittent working and finally not at all!!
The lower tailgate is supplied by 12v feed from the passenger fuse box (b) which is a FET device plug in.
The 12v was present at the switch, but grounding this would not operate the twin solenoids for the tailgate.
Tried another 12v source and they work fine every time.
Unable to source a replacement FET module, as i suspect mine is defective and unable to supply sufficient
current to operate the solenoids.
Decided to bodge the fix and ran a wire to the offside rear quarter panel behind tail lights via the cable tube between lower tailgate and the car itself, and picked up a 12v source from the trailer power socket.
Hope this is of some help in future
alan2007 D3 HSE
2006 D3 SE LHD
2006 FreelanderTd4
2002Td5Disco2
1974 109" Daktari
1948 80"
LRSOC Member for years
15th Jul 2018 10:25 am
davidedwardmawer
Member Since: 11 Oct 2012
Location: Gironde
Posts: 174
Quick, easy, free solution
My lower tailgate switch started to get intermittent failure and finally stopped working. After investigation, the solution is easy for anyone and free!
1. take off the lower tailgate top trim (4 cross-headed screws) and remove upwards to free two remaining clips.
2. Prise out the switch around its black surround.
3. Unplug the back of the switch taking care not to let the cable drop back into the hole.
4. Open the switch via the two small clips on either side using a very small screwdriver/pointer etc.
5. Use pliers if necessary to remove the two metal spring clips which have held the whole switch in the tailgate door. In fact it is these clips which deform/squash the switch body, stopping the switch from popping up! (Alternatively file the hole larger in the lower tailgate steel).
6. Re-assemble and connect the switch then test the switch operation. Should be ok now.
6. Place the switch back in the hole in the lower tailgate. It will be loose but it doesn't matter. You could glue it in position taking care not to get glue on the moving white part.
7. Test it again then replace the long trim on the top edge of the tailgate.
8. Final test.
Hope yours is this simple! Photos available on request.
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