hatch will not unlock

[Toythom]

My rear hatch quit working after the last time I locked it this morning, now can't get in, actuator maybe? At the same time my drivers door will not lock or unlock with either switch inside. Are the 2 of them tied together? Rear driver passenger door is working but button does no retract all the way but it locks. Passenger side having no issues. Coincidence all 3 acting up? At least window works in the rear but that's a pain. Appreciate any thoughts on this

 

[SgtAbn]

My rear hatch quit working after the last time I locked it this morning, now can't get in, actuator maybe? At the same time my drivers door will not lock or unlock with either switch inside. Are the 2 of them tied together? Rear driver passenger door is working but button does no retract all the way but it locks. Passenger side having no issues. Coincidence all 3 acting up? At least window works in the rear but that's a pain. Appreciate any thoughts on this

What turned out to be your problem please? I have a issue where my rear hatch wont unlock sometimes and then after I hit the master lock/unlock button it will let me open it - on a irregular basis. Any thoughts?

 

[pavelvoivoda]

As far as I know, you should be able to use the key to unlock your rear hatch.
The keylock is mechanical to the latch. If you use your back door keylock a lot, they usually brake after while of use and start wiggling around inside and might get in the way of the mechanism of the lock motor in a sense...

The electrical part is a different story. You may have a bad relay somewhere in the controller in the...forgot where it was for the back door, (driver's side fuse box or the back door controller inside the back door). I think all doors are controlled from the driver's fuse box controller.

Hope this helps

 

[dogtail]

What turned out to be your problem please? I have a issue where my rear hatch wont unlock sometimes and then after I hit the master lock/unlock button it will let me open it - on a irregular basis. Any thoughts?

I know the hatch lock issues on these 3rd gens pretty good. I'm opening my hatch several times a day.
2 most common things I've found is the small white clip comes off of the rod end, but because of the black plastic block mechanism at the key area has the screw hole end break off causing the whole thing to shift position. (Easy fix, zip tie it in place so it cant swivel)
Make sure all the latches and cables are lubed up.
But 1st you need to get the hatch open. Take the strap bolt off and pry the inside cover back. Take all the bolts off for the access cover and pull the latch cable and the hatch will open. Look for the white plastic clip on the rod end, if it fell off it will be in bottom of door.
Up near key area you'll see a black plastic block thing, see if it swivels, and screw end is broken off, if it does, you can zip tie it in place, it will never move again, not enough bulk where screw is so it breaks, no sense in replacing it, just mod it to make it better.

 

[spartacus]

.

As far as I know, you should be able to use the key to unlock your rear hatch.
The keylock is mechanical to the latch. If you use your back door keylock a lot, they usually brake after while of use and start wiggling around inside and might get in the way of the mechanism of the lock motor in a sense...

The electrical part is a different story. You may have a bad relay somewhere in the controller in the...forgot where it was for the back door, (driver's side fuse box or the back door controller inside the back door). I think all doors are controlled from the driver's fuse box controller.
Hope this helps[/QUOTE

the back lock switch is connected to a electronic control unit in the rear hatch which operates the power window motor and the door lock actuator.
[MENTION=45579]SgtAbn[/MENTION]
What turned out to be your problem please? I have a issue where my rear hatch wont unlock sometimes and then after I hit the master lock/unlock button it will let me open it - on a irregular basis. Any thoughts?

If you take the rear door card off you'll see the wires going from the rear lock to the ecu unit sometimes with opening and closing they can get loose also while you are in there you can use a multimeter and check the functionalty of lock by checking the continuity on the connector terminals.

 

[spartacus]

how test the back door lock switch

 

[pavelvoivoda]

If we are talking about a 3rd gen, and you unplug the car battery and take the key and insert it and turn it in the rear hatch door key lock to unlock position, it will unlock the door. So it's a mechanical connection that doesn't need power (there is a small lever to unlock the door latch). If it doesn't, then it there is something mechanical not in place.

Anyway...
But if the problem is when you press the lock/unlock master switch on the driver's door or the remote, then then it is probably in the circuit that opens the rear hatch.

Not sure what year 3gen the OP has, but here is a picture of the wiring diagram (diagram without wireless door lock control) of where the motor takes power to lock/unlock the rear hatch.

The command comes from the driver's cowl junction/fuse box (Toyota names this box on the diagrams - BODY ECU which can be confusing, because the actual body ecu engine controller stays under the passenger airbag, but this door issue is in the junction box on the driver's side).

Inside there are a pair of small relays that usually fail on these Runners and have to be replaced. If you notice that the driver door's manual lock levers don't move up/down when you press the master lock switch, then the problem is in that fuse box's relays.

There are a few threads on this subject. Easiest way to fix this problem is to replace the junction box preferably with new as used one can have the reach the same problem sooner. It takes about 30-60 minutes to install.

here is one thread - http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/236735-doors-wont-lock-write-up.html

and this one is with pictures - http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/44772-power-locks-2.html

 

[spartacus]

If we are talking about a 3rd gen, and you unplug the car battery and take the key and insert it and turn it in the rear hatch door key lock to unlock position, it will unlock the door. So it's a mechanical connection that doesn't need power (there is a small lever to unlock the door latch). If it doesn't, then it there is something mechanical not in place.

I use my key fob almost exclusively and have never had key issue. you are correct and the back door lock is same as rest of the locks then if the key doesn't unlock the back latch then there has to be a mechanical issue with the bell crank and connecting lever that unhook the latch.