I recently acquired a 1988 SR5 3.slow automatic and for the most part it’s solid. I have two pressing problems that I haven’t quite been able to find the solutions to online.

1. When I got the car, I rolled the back window down and tried to open the tailgate but couldn’t. I tried pulling up the lock on the inside but it did not move. When I went to roll the window up, I had to push the tailgate closed while someone pressed the switch inside the cabin. About an hour later, the REAR DOOR light appeared on the dash but the tailgate is closed. Any tips for being able to open the tailgate and fix the issue?

2. The lights in the shifter have never come on but once since I’ve had the car. They briefly came on once a few days after I got it and I haven’t had any luck since. Could this be a faulty bulb, wiring issue, or a fuse? Also how can I remove the shifter bezel without destroying it or the center console?

Anyway, sorry for the lengthy post and thank you in advance for any pointers or solutions! If anyone has links to threads on these topics that I may have missed please send them my way. Thanks!

It's been a while since I had my '88. One thing I used to do to clean the rear window was to run the window down, drop the tailgate, close both tailgate latches with a screwdriver, then CAREFULLY run the window up with the key, BUT NOT ALL THE WAY. So the latches both needed to be fully closed, as I recall. Also, the tailgate lock is "cammed" down by the regulator in some way, it's not a typical push-pull lock. As the window reaches the fully-down position, the lock is able to be pulled up, but not before. If you can't pull it up, the window (or at least the regulator) isn't fully down. Maybe when the window is most of the way down, you could get a thin piece of wood and 'help' the window go all the way down by pushing the glass downward, while using the key or while someone is pushing the switch. If you're ever able to get the tailgate to open, you can remove the inside cover and protective plastic, and maybe examine the regulator. You could also observe the movement if you're able to get that far. Maybe some foreign object inside the tailgate is preventing the regulator from going all the way down. Whatever you do, though, be careful not to break the glass, as it's nearly impossible to find nowadays.

On that truck, you have the tailgate latches, window position switch, key switch, and wipers on/off that all affect the operation of the tailgate window. Let us know if you get it figured out!

So... this 1st gen noob finally got an evening (outside) that was above freezing so I decided to replace the pass side headlight assembly. My tools were in the back of the runner.

I dropped the rear window what I thought was good enough. It wasn't. The rear hatch lock would not release until I dropped the window the last 1/4". WOrked like a charm.

What this tells a thoughtful noob is that there is a sensor in there detecting the window position (at least not fully down).

Food for your thoughts.

Its mechanical. There is a link tied to the regulator that will not let you unlock the tailgate until the window is all the way down. I had to remove the inspection plate on mine and replace the plastic retaining clip that held this link in place. My rear window now has a scratch down the center of it from the PO rolling the window up and down as the loose linkage rubbed on the glass. And I believe it also locks the gate as the window is rolled back into the closed position