Quote:
Originally Posted by doucettedave
Just wondering how you got the liftgate open if the motor had died?
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Bumping an old thread since I couldn't find the answer to this and if someone is Googling this problem in the future I'd like them to find an answer.
The best way would be to get the panel off the inside of the hatch, but that'd be a tough job without the door open. You might be able to do it though. If you get the panel off, remove the thick Saran wrap like stuff. It's put on with some tarry substance that comes off pretty easily with a little help from a plastic spatula. Next remove the little whitish/clearish cover off the passenger side of the lock motor. There'll be two levers. Pull up on the smaller of the two that's towards the bottom of the door.
There might be another way to do it if you can't get the inside panel off. There's a little plastic cover about 3" on a side near the bottom center of the inside panel. You can reach is from outside with the window down. Pry it out with a screwdriver and you'll see some thick yellowish Saran wrap like stuff. Cut a hole in this. Next you'll have to get the little cover off the side of the latch motor which is below the hole, towards the bottom of the hatch. I suspect this will be pretty tough to reach. Once the cover is off you can reach in and down pull up on the smaller lever nearest the bottom it'll unlock the hatch.
My door latch is intermittent so when I finally got it open with the key I removed the back panel, removed the Saran wrap, removed the cover over the levers then put the panel back on (without the Saran wrap). Now I can reach through that hole and unlatch the door until I get a new latch motor ordered and installed. I suggest anyone with an intermittent latch do the same if you manage to get the door open - it'll make your life a lot easier if the latch finally dies for good. You could even leave the plastic panel off, but the top of it acts as a guide for the rear window so it doesn't rub on the metal so I don't recommend it.