Tailgate lock query

Hi,

I have a RR 1999 4.6 HSE.

From time-to-time the top section of my tailgate will not shut. It appears to close sufficiently, but "bounces back" slightly and doesn't "lock" in place, and I can re-open it without pressing the button again.

After a while all is OK again.

I think that it's happening just when the tailgate has been in direct sunlight for a while, then all is OK when it cools down again.

If anyone has any suggestions, please drop me a line.

Thanks,
Mark

MarcoRangie said:

Hi,

I have a RR 1999 4.6 HSE.

From time-to-time the top section of my tailgate will not shut. It appears to close sufficiently, but "bounces back" slightly and doesn't "lock" in place, and I can re-open it without pressing the button again.

After a while all is OK again.

I think that it's happening just when the tailgate has been in direct sunlight for a while, then all is OK when it cools down again.

If anyone has any suggestions, please drop me a line.

Thanks,
Mark

Click to expand...

Its a commonish problem and mine does it on ocassions. You can take the latch out and give it a good clean and spray of WD40 but that wont really work that well. To do that open the lower half of the tailgate, lift up the plastic flap thingy and you will see 3 plastic screws - twist them and then lift the carpet up and you will be able to remove it. You can then get at the latch assembly and do what you have to - DONT shut the tailgate back up when the latch is removed, only when its back in place and working shut everything again.

The only real answer is to replace the latch though im afraid. Again this is a very quick and easy job once you have the new latch.

In the mean time one trick I have found that works is to gently shut the tailgate, lower it right down and then gently but firmly give it a good push and it should latch fine, tis annoying though, its even more annoying when your driving and someone gets out, gets something from the boot and then proceeds to slam the boot over and over to try and get it shut, lol

-Wills

it happened with my RR too .. it was under the sunlight all day long .. and I thought like Mark exactly .. but now I'm going to fix it as Wills suggests ..
thanks both of you .