98 4runner rear door issues

[flappn]

Hello all, I searched the forum for information on the rear door lock or trunk lock and couldn't really find what I was looking for.

I have a 98 4runner and the rear door or trunk door does not open or close regularly with out issues. Upon trying to open it, the handle goes flat and will not open the lock. After a few flicks of the handle and playing with the lock button a few times it eventually opens. When trying to close, some times it doesn't close meaning the lock does not grab.

I have tried lubricating the lock, however after a few open's and closes it goes back to it's old finicky self..seems to me the lock is getting stuck open.

Does this indicate to anyone the requirement to replace the lock or locking mechanism? Has anyone else had similar issue and opened up the back and lubricated? I have tried but with the roll down window and all it's guts, I can't seem to get at the mechanism very well.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated?

On another note, I had my clutch replaced at 402KM and man am I loving the new clutch. Drives like a dream again.....I actually have been just driving around because it's so nice.

 

[flappn]

Come on 36 views and no one has any comments?

 

[nixrsix]

bump from the dead.....I have this same problem

 

[wc11]

There's a, previous thread on this.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/160146-rear-hatch-door-handle-not-working.html

 

[TheDurk]

In Toyota speak, rear doors are the ones by the back seat. The liftgate is the 'back door', then Back-door ECU, Back-door latch, etc. Keeping the verbiage straight improves searching for both you and others so it is worth doing.

 

[nixrsix]

Mahalos wc11 !!!

 

[busmup808]

Bradda don't know wat Mahaloz iz. Lol

 

[SR5Runner97]

Mine probably wasn't as bad as yours, but I read somewhere that if you push it in while opening the handle it works. So I put my foot up under the handle pushing in(not really hard just a good amount) and then pulled the handle and it worked for me. Did that twice about 2 months ago and nothing since.. Goodluck.

 

[Grenvilleter]

I had to remove my rear hatch latch as well and compltely clean it with de-greaser and then relubed it with Nevr-seize.
All my bolts were sized in and I had to drill them out and replaced the hardware with stainless.
I have not had a lick of problems since then in a fairly harsh environment.

On my '98 donor truck the same latch seized completely and was unsalvage-able.
Unfortunately, this coming summer I'm going to have to replace my '97 DD hatch door completely for the '98 one as it is more sound in the rust dept.