Rear Hatch barely opening and closing?

[mizak82]

Hey guys, kind of strange the other day i went to open up the rear door, i hit the button on the outside and i barely hear the motor kick in, but it releases the latch.. when i go to shut the door, it grabs and closes the hatch but sounds like its a struggle.. but if i try to reopen it, it won't... I then have to hit my unlock button on my FOB to open it again.. also when i hit the switch my license plate bulb flashes.. kind of crazy.. battery is new..

has this happened to anyone?

it is the switch, the latching mechanism, or the key battery getting low as a warning?

 

[TowMeOut]

When you say "hit the switch" are you talking hitting the release switch on the tailgate or lock/unlock on the key FOB (not that it really matters)? I haven't heard of this but I hope someone else has.

Generally....if it sounds like it's struggling to open or close then perhaps some cleaning and lubrication is in order? An old toothbrush and/or solvent brush and a can of engine degreaser will get rid of a lot of the buildup crud in the mechanism. A quick rinse with some water and let it dry. Then re-lubricate with your product of choice (some like silicone while others go for white lithium grease).

Another possibility for all the electrical shenanigans could be a bad ground. I don't remember where the main one is on the tailgate but I'd bet there's a screw with a ground lug attached somewhere close by. Maybe it's worked loose and starving the motor of the much needed current. That's a stretch though.