Help!!! Rear hatch won't open.

[go_cubbies22]

I have an 05 4Runner and the rear hatch stopped working yesterday. The door seems like it is halfway shut, it is not fully closed and the door open light is on the dash. I cannot get the door to fully close or to open. When I try to open it with the door pad nothing happens, the motor doesn't try to open it. Same thing when I try to push to close it, the motor won't activate. Any ideas? I'm hoping I don't have to replace the motor. Thanks for the help.

 

[scw1991]

Last month I posted some pics of the rear hatch switch. Not much to it really but for those with gummed up rubber pads, it may be useful.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-g...tch-mechanism-frozen-during-cold-weather.html

 

[blackoutt]

You'll have to pull the rear panel from the inside and open it up with the release, then recommend lubing the latch mechanism in the hatch and try again. Be ready to re-release it from the back hatch. Also if you've had the motor unplugged with the hatch open it won't run until it relearns its position. Close hatch, unhook battery for 5 mins, try again. You'll have to relearn all window positions and such too.

 

[go_cubbies22]

You'll have to pull the rear panel from the inside and open it up with the release, then recommend lubing the latch mechanism in the hatch and try again. Be ready to re-release it from the back hatch. Also if you've had the motor unplugged with the hatch open it won't run until it relearns its position. Close hatch, unhook battery for 5 mins, try again. You'll have to relearn all window positions and such too.

Thanks, do I need to pull the entire panel from the inside or just the small square cutout panel in the center (appears to be in the general vicinity of the latch)?

 

[blackoutt]

Thanks, do I need to pull the entire panel from the inside or just the small square cutout panel in the center (appears to be in the general vicinity of the latch)?

I don't know if you can do it through the small panel, I pulled the whole panel because I didn't want to cut the plastic behind it, I peeled the plastic back (it's stuck on around the opening with some kind of butyl rubber type sealer strip) then stuck the plastic back on when I was done. It's only the screw from the pull handle and maybe one more then it pops straight off.

 

[Maillette]

Lock actuator - toyota (69110-35090)

I took my Toyota to the dealership and was told what was needed is the LOCK ACTUATOR - TOYOTA (69110-35090).

 

[Muskoka4runner]

as members have mentioned before, check on eBay/amazon etc. the dealer will charge you an outrageous amount of money for the lock actuator. i was quoted over $500 (CAD) for the lock mechanism, i went on eBay and got one for $175.

 

[miner_dan]

Why mine failed

Before mine failed I thought the air-shock hatch-supports were failing/weak...Wrong. I do hundreds of miles of dirt roads every month, commuting to a gold mine and fine dust was getting by the window scraper, which had failed. The rubber seal that contacts the glass (squeegee thing).
I had 25 lbs of wet, fine dirt in the bottom of the hatch that had encapsulated the actuator. That was why the door had gotten so heavy. Piles of muck.

:toilet:

As discussed- an easy fix for the actuator.

 

[TowMeOut]

You guys made me paranoid..... Yesterday I scrubbed the latch as much as I could from the outside with an old toothbrush and compressed air then soaked it with silicone spray. It wasn't having problems before but hopefully a little preemptive maintenance will keep it from getting stuck down the road.

 

[TuckinFypo]

Mine broke yesterday too!

My issue seems to be slightly different though. I have reset the ECU, pulled the power from the while tuck and let it set but no change. When I press the switch on the back of the hatch, you can hear the switch click but that's it. No switching sound from the ECU, no motor, nothing. I can release the hatch manfully. When I close the hatch, it will close on it's own, the motor kicks on and pulls the hatch closed. If I press the switch on the hatch right after it closes (before the hatch goes into "locked" position) the the motor will kick back on and release the hatch. So mechanically everything appears to be working. If I close the hatch and wait a few seconds, the hatch locks and it will not open again. It almost seems like the hatch can't tell the truck is unlocked. Does anyone know if there is a lock sensor on the hatch or is that controlled by the ECU?

Here is a link to a short video of the issue:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Fc-quHllk0dGpCN2wtRDNHdkE/view?usp=sharing

 

[greatape]

Had the same happen on my 4th Gen w/260K miles on it..tried to fix it without ripping a bunch of stuff apart but I was in the market for a 5th so I traded it...Good luck

 

[jimichu]

My issue seems to be slightly different though. I have reset the ECU, pulled the power from the while tuck and let it set but no change. When I press the switch on the back of the hatch, you can hear the switch click but that's it. No switching sound from the ECU, no motor, nothing. I can release the hatch manfully. When I close the hatch, it will close on it's own, the motor kicks on and pulls the hatch closed. If I press the switch on the hatch right after it closes (before the hatch goes into "locked" position) the the motor will kick back on and release the hatch. So mechanically everything appears to be working. If I close the hatch and wait a few seconds, the hatch locks and it will not open again. It almost seems like the hatch can't tell the truck is unlocked. Does anyone know if there is a lock sensor on the hatch or is that controlled by the ECU?

Here is a link to a short video of the issue:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Fc-quHllk0dGpCN2wtRDNHdkE/view?usp=sharing

I think I have the same issue on mine too.

 

[CommanderZol]

What a pain...

So I have the same problem.
The mechanism makes a whining sound as if trying to open but nothing opens.
The truck registers it as open and I cant lock the truck with the keys, I have to do it manually now...

I tried opening it manually from the inside by oopening the access panel and pulling on the levers but nothing budges...

Its clean as a whistle in there and still malfunctions!!?
I've bought a new motor latch assembly off amazon for 225$ and find out I cant install it without opening the damn hatch...

WELL GEE!! How am I supposed to install the new part if I cant even open the gate to access the bolts to remove the old part?

To make things worse, I live out of my truck and its been great so far but I cant exactly leave it overnight at the stealership or risk it getting stuck open on me with michigan winter looming up.
Help?

 

[fayewong]

What a pain...

So I have the same problem.
The mechanism makes a whining sound as if trying to open but nothing opens.
The truck registers it as open and I cant lock the truck with the keys, I have to do it manually now...

I tried opening it manually from the inside by oopening the access panel and pulling on the levers but nothing budges...

Its clean as a whistle in there and still malfunctions!!?
I've bought a new motor latch assembly off amazon for 225$ and find out I cant install it without opening the damn hatch...

WELL GEE!! How am I supposed to install the new part if I cant even open the gate to access the bolts to remove the old part?

To make things worse, I live out of my truck and its been great so far but I cant exactly leave it overnight at the stealership or risk it getting stuck open on me with michigan winter looming up.
Help?

Well, I didnt youtube it or used the forums like I should. So i was like a monkey learning how to do it.

You open up the hatch panel. take the screw off the white housing. start breaking the white cover for the motor with a chisel till you can get the whole thing off. Make sure you don't damage the nearby wires on the right of the motor. Once that white plastic housing is off, on your left bottom side of the motor, you should be able to reach and pull a lever on it upwards. There was two of them, but just keep playing with it and pulling it up (or both levers at the same time) and it should pop right open (sounds so dirty..) . Once open, unplug it, take the three screws on the bottom off. Reverse order for reassembly, don't forget the screw for the white housing.

Once you put the new motor in, pull the power off the battery terminal and reset it after waiting a 15-20 seconds. Bam, now you got a new smooth motor working.

 

[CommanderZol]

Well, I didnt youtube it or used the forums like I should. So i was like a monkey learning how to do it.

You open up the hatch panel. take the screw off the white housing. start breaking the white cover for the motor with a chisel till you can get the whole thing off. Make sure you don't damage the nearby wires on the right of the motor. Once that white plastic housing is off, on your left bottom side of the motor, you should be able to reach and pull a lever on it upwards. There was two of them, but just keep playing with it and pulling it up (or both levers at the same time) and it should pop right open (sounds so dirty..) . Once open, unplug it, take the three screws on the bottom off. Reverse order for reassembly, don't forget the screw for the white housing.

Once you put the new motor in, pull the power off the battery terminal and reset it after waiting a 15-20 seconds. Bam, now you got a new smooth motor working.

Yeah theres a youtube video woth that exact procedure but my levers wont open the gate so I cant access the outside bolts under the hatch itself.
The hatch rattles but is stuck in place.

I'm sitting here with the rear panel off trying to force those levers up but no amount of wd40 helps.

 

[AuSeeker]

Have you tried having someone pushing in on the hatch to reduce the tension on the catch while you do the levers?

I know I have read of a couple of others that couldn't get it to release and they had to totally dismantle the latch by force, .i.e. chisels, hammers, sawzall, dynamite etc.

Good Luck, let us know how you get it open!

 

[CommanderZol]

Never mind I managed to pry open the hatch!
Just took a lot of angry tugging on the lower lip.

The rest went smoothely following a youtube video.

New motor works like a charm, way faster than the okd one.
I guess that means if it starts getting slow i Know it needs to be replaced!

Thanks for the support!

 

[fayewong]

Never mind I managed to pry open the hatch!
Just took a lot of angry tugging on the lower lip.

The rest went smoothely following a youtube video.

New motor works like a charm, way faster than the okd one.
I guess that means if it starts getting slow i Know it needs to be replaced!

Thanks for the support!

Well, I am glad you got that solved and good thing that angry pulling didn't make the hatch door fly open.

 

[05goldielox]

I have an 05 4Runner and the rear hatch stopped working yesterday. The door seems like it is halfway shut, it is not fully closed and the door open light is on the dash. I cannot get the door to fully close or to open. When I try to open it with the door pad nothing happens, the motor doesn't try to open it. Same thing when I try to push to close it, the motor won't activate. Any ideas? I'm hoping I don't have to replace the motor. Thanks for the help.

What did you figure out here? I’m having the same problem.

 

[watdog]

Need help with same problem

I can only get my 2003 rear hatch to open when I use the procedure listed above to initialize the back door. Opens and closes fine until I lock the doors or turn the engine off or on, then have to do the initialization again to get it to open. ECU needs replaced??