Rear Hatch Key lock problem on '99 T4R

[Rock Slide]

My key will not lock or unlock my back hatch on my '99 T4R. I have to walk around to the front and unlock it by pressing the "unlock button" on the driverside door or using the keyless entry. The key will only roll the window up and down at the lock, it will not lock or unlock the door. Do I have a bad switch or you think it's something that's just come loose?

Never having taken the panel off the rear hatch, is it easy to do and get in there?

 

[lee]

i have the same problem except mine wont roll the window up and down either

 

[Rock Slide]

yeah it sucks, b/c my '00 switch works great. It'll do both. Unlock and lock the tailgate, and roll the window up and down. I guess this weekend, I'll dig around in there and see what I can find.

When you shut the tailgate, it sounds like something is loose in there, so I'm hoping my problem is an easy fix. We'll see anyway.

 

[Rock Slide]

Well, to answer my own question from above, it was easy to fix the problem w/ the key not unlocking or locking the rear hatch. It only took about 15 mins. I simply removed the panel covering the hatch and then removed a piece of sheet metal to expose the guts of the rear hatch. Upon looking around inside the hatch, I noticed a small "L-shaped" rod that appeared to have come loose from a plastic piece that should lock onto it. I simply reached in, snapped the rod back into the plastic holder and that solved it. Bolted the sheet metal back in, popped the trim panel back in, and that was it. Now my key will not only raise and lower the window, but will actually unlock and lock the tailgate!

And Lee, if yours will not roll up or down, check inside the panel. A buddy of mine said his had the same problem and he took his panel apart and noticed a wire that had come unplugged so he plugged it back in, and now his window rolls up and down. Could be a cheap fix for ya.