[hilldo]

I had a friend yank on the tailgate latch without first opening the pop up rear window and therefore my tailgate has been stuck since June.

Tonight, I finally made an effort to fix it.

After dismantling the rear tailgate panel and then also unbolting the panel securing the latch mechanism I found a really shoddy latch mechanism that had disengaged from the release mechanism.

I am really disappointed by the high potential for failure for this latch system.

It was easy enough to repair but I found the lack of a bolt securing the latch release connection a gross oversight.

I used a simple metal twist-tie to secure the connection before closing up the rear panel after numerous tests of the tailgate release... It was a simple failsafe effort so I can avoid doing the same repair again.

All is good now and while I am happy not to pay labor for such an un-necessary repair, I thought I'd share my experience with any other 99- 00 drivers with a frozen rear tailgate door.

If you need any more info you can email me at [email protected].

 

[2000Escalade]

Thank you

Im glad you took care of everything...and its good to see that
ppl are helpful and offer there help....I do not have that problem
but in future u never know.,..again thanks for offering your help...

and thats how i am i try to fix my own problems ...f paying the dealer $160 for 4 screws to change an bulb thats out in the taillight...

some ppl cant afford that or its jusst stupit paying for somting that u can do yourself....

 

[slimm44]

i'm geussing your friend didn't know you had to open the window before you could put the gate down. when i first got my truck (off a car carrier from TX) i was scared that the back door was broken because i couldn't open it, lol.

 

[hilldo]

Man, you said it... he torqued on it a few times before I could say "hey wait..." and it was too late.

It was a bit of sweat shed by nothing out of my wallet.

Gotta love that.

 

[slk230mb]

Man, you said it... he torqued on it a few times before I could say "hey wait..." and it was too late.

It was a bit of sweat shed by nothing out of my wallet.

Gotta love that.

Yea, anything is better than paying the dealership when you can take care of it yourself.