Help!!! Rear hatch won't open.

[The Conqueror]

So this happened to me a few years back and the dealership opened it up for us while it was in for other issues. WD40ed it up and problem solved. Maintained it with regular WD40 lubes and then moved to the pacific nw from the high desert of MT. Solution no longer works. Maybe it just needs more frequent lubricant but it's been stuck shut for nearly a year now and we have just 'dealed' Today I started with simple and detached the battery following up with 'normalizing' the windows and doors (see your owners manual for instructions). No luck so I pulled off the door panel and detached the blue electrical connections. Still stuck shut. I don't know what I am looking at as far as what to try cleaning and squirting with WD40. (I just sprayed the latch from the exterior before, never went as far as to remove the panel). Is the latch inside the white plastic box at the base of the door? How do I access this without breaking it?

 

[Blacklabs]

There is a small plastic cover on the side that comes off by pulling up and to the left. There are two levers under it the one to the back of the vehicle is the lever pull up to open.

The small plastic cover is attached to the side of the large cover.

 

[Phlem]

I've got the same problem, ordered a new motor for the door and went to change it. Should be a straight forward fix, but I can't get the door open even from the inside. Pulling the lever attached to the motor does nothing. I can't get the door open to unbolt the motor to change it. I've tried WD40 in the unit to no avail.. Anyone have this happen yet?

 

[dkyleb]

I've got the same problem, ordered a new motor for the door and went to change it. Should be a straight forward fix, but I can't get the door open even from the inside. Pulling the lever attached to the motor does nothing. I can't get the door open to unbolt the motor to change it. I've tried WD40 in the unit to no avail.. Anyone have this happen yet?

 

[JD914]

Are you guys hearing the whirring of the motor when you pull the latch still? When mine had this problem, I found that pushing (actually, leaning all my weight) against the door while I pulled the latch would allow the tailgate to open. After running like this for a while, I finally got frustrated, bought a new motor and replaced it.
Not sure if this is the same problem you're having though.

 

[Phlem]

The whirring was happening but it wasn't doing anything, so I thought the motor was just getting shitty..I've tried pushing all my weight on the door, tried pulling the levers hard from inside, tried WD40 in the unit. The thing won't budge.. I may have to go the route dklyeb went and destroy the thing to get it off. Any info on how you went about that? There's not exactly much room to get at it to pry it off or anything

 

[dkyleb]

The whirring was happening but it wasn't doing anything, so I thought the motor was just getting shitty..I've tried pushing all my weight on the door, tried pulling the levers hard from inside, tried WD40 in the unit. The thing won't budge.. I may have to go the route dklyeb went and destroy the thing to get it off. Any info on how you went about that? There's not exactly much room to get at it to pry it off or anything

Don't bother destroying it like I did. Yours probably isn't nearly as bad as mine was.


So, you've already got the panel off and have access to the mechanism. Stop spraying WD40 in there, and get a spray lube such as TKX or something like that. Get it nice and lubed up.

Next, take off the panel on the floor with the 6 Phillips screws. This will give you access to where the floor and the door meet up. Now, you'll need to get a large pry bar between the door and the floor. It took a lot of force to get mine open. I thought I was gonna break something. But it opened.

Anyways, you'll probably have to replace the hatch mechanism. They're about $250.

 

[dkyleb]

Here's the part number 69110-35062

 

[FI460]

This is where I got mine:

2003 09 4Runner Rear Door Lift Gate Latch w Motor 69110 35090 Priority Shipping | eBay

Price has gone down since I ordered even.

 

[Ratubbs]

Are you guys hearing the whirring of the motor when you pull the latch still? When mine had this problem, I found that pushing (actually, leaning all my weight) against the door while I pulled the latch would allow the tailgate to open. After running like this for a while, I finally got frustrated, bought a new motor and replaced it.
Not sure if this is the same problem you're having though.

I'm at this exact stage, push towards the front of the vehicle while hitting button works about half the time. Did you notice that while it was doing this kind of half way latching thing that a frustrating and annoying rattle developed from the rear cargo area???

 

[Ratubbs]

...?...


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[dkyleb]

...?...


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Pull the latch assembly from the rear gate, clean it out really well and lubricate it. If that doesn't fix it, start saving for a replacement. They're cheap on eBay sometimes, that's where I got mine.

 

[rlawton59]

2007 4Runner Hatch Manual Release wont work

Yes. Pop off the rear panel access door or just go ahead and remove the whole rear panel from the inside. Just off center towards the bottom you will see a mechanism with what looks like 2 levers. The one closes to the back of the vehicle will open the tail gate. You need to pull the lever up to actuate it while pushing the lift gate to open.

I've found my way to the manual release lever but pulling it up and pushing on door doesn't open rear hatch. Is there anything else that needs to be done? I've WD-40d the heck out of it too and still no luck.

Thanks!

 

[dkyleb]

I've found my way to the manual release lever but pulling it up and pushing on door doesn't open rear hatch. Is there anything else that needs to be done? I've WD-40d the heck out of it too and still no luck.

Thanks!

I'm pretty sure you need to push down on the lever.

Also, use a penetrative fluid, not WD40. You may need to do what I did, and stick a really large pry bar between the door and the floor and give it some good force. You will likely dent the door, but it'll be covered by the panel when you're done anyways.

Also, you're going to need a new hatch mechanism. They're about $200 online.

Here is the part number: 69110-35090

 

[rlawton59]

Thanks! I'll give that a try,

 

[RanchoRunner]

My liftgate stopped opening, as well, but in my case, you can't even hear the motor when you push the release switch. Thought it was the switch (hoping it would be the "cheap" fix), so I bought a new one, but when I hooked it up, it still didn't work, so I reinstalled the old one. Unplugged the two plugs from the liftgate ECU, and I was able to open the liftgate twice, then it stopped working again. Does this point to the ECU being bad? Or should I buy a new latch motor and hope that fixes it? I'm going to try disconnecting the battery for 10 minutes as a last ditch effort, but if that doesn't work, what should be my next step?? TIA for any advice...

 

[blackoutt]

My liftgate stopped opening, as well, but in my case, you can't even hear the motor when you push the release switch. Thought it was the switch (hoping it would be the "cheap" fix), so I bought a new one, but when I hooked it up, it still didn't work, so I reinstalled the old one. Unplugged the two plugs from the liftgate ECU, and I was able to open the liftgate twice, then it stopped working again. Does this point to the ECU being bad? Or should I buy a new latch motor and hope that fixes it? I'm going to try disconnecting the battery for 10 minutes as a last ditch effort, but if that doesn't work, what should be my next step?? TIA for any advice...

I just unplugged my latch motor while the hatch was open and installing a light in the rear hatch. When I put it all back together, same symptom as you with I couldn't hear the motor run when I tried to open it. I couldn't trick it into learning it's position again with anything other than unhook battery for 10 mins then hook back up and cycle lock/unlock from driver door 3 times. For sure try that first.

 

[RanchoRunner]

Well, I disconnected negative battery terminal for 10 minutes, reconnected it, and did the lock/unlock cycle 3 times, and the door opened once, closed it and wouldn't open a second time. Is there a chance the ECU is bad, or should I just buy the motor??

 

[blackoutt]

Well, I disconnected negative battery terminal for 10 minutes, reconnected it, and did the lock/unlock cycle 3 times, and the door opened once, closed it and wouldn't open a second time. Is there a chance the ECU is bad, or should I just buy the motor??

You can jumper the motor with 12v to test it if runs. I would suggest wiring checks too before going after a control module unless they are cheaper than your time to do some resistance and pin to pin checks.

 

[keepcalmand4runner]

Hey everyone,
So I know this is an older post, however, I have a 05 4runner and the back hatch just out of the blue stopped working. The window works and using the back door key hole, the doors unlock, but when opening the door from the hatch itself, there is no click or release or anything. It sounds a lot like what 03yota4r experienced. What was the outcome and how was it resolved? Thanks!