Tailgate Lock And High Brake Light Repair With Pictures

[BobNandra]

This post will show how I recently repaired my Rear Tailgate and High Brake Light. There are other Posts with similar detail, but this Post will show how to repair with pictures. Please procedure at your own risk. I expect you to be qualified and have good knowledge and experience in electronics and electrical matters and expect you to observe all safety procedures before proceeding. If you do not have the necessary skills to carry out these procedures, please refer to a qualified and experienced person. That's the legals out of the way..

 

When you lift the tailgate, the bundle of wires which are located at the top right of the tailgate, will flex. Over the years, the flexing of this bundle of wires will result in the fracture and eventual breaking of a number of wires. In my case, the Rear High Brake Light stopped working after 3 years. This weekend, I was working away from home and the tailgate stopped working. With alot of equipment in the back, I resorted to getting it all out by removing the rear seats. Like most other users, I always unlock the rear tailgate using the remote key fob and this led to the rear lock seizing due to lack of use. I was not able to put the key in or turn it. Had I been able to do this, there is a failsafe facility to open the tailgate in case of power loss. This is detailed in the user manual.

 

Ok, here we go;

 

1. Before you can repair the tailgate, you need to open it. You will need to use the Key. If the key will not go in, or will not turn, you will need to use some lubrication such as WD40. It is a good idea to place a cloth under the lock, on the rear bumper, to take up the excess WD40. Spray the WD40 into the Lock Barrel by holding the lock's flap open. Insert key as far as it will go and then use an 'in and out' action repeatedly for a few seconds, (about 10 seconds). Spray more WD40 into the lock and repeat the 'in and out' action until the key is all the way in. Now if your lock was like mine, it would not move left or right. Repeat the WD40 process and then repeatedly try turning the barrel left and right. It will finally start to move and you will be able to lock and unlock the main doors. This took me about 30 minutes.

 

2. Once you have reached this stage, you should be able to try the 'Power Failure Tailgate Opening Procedure'. Turn the key left until it stops. The Doors will unlock and the windows will start to go down. Now, using measured, but Firm pressure, continue turning the key to the left. You should be able to turn the key to 90 degrees. What you are doing is using the barrel to push against the internal locking mechanism which is normally pulled by the solenoid when you lift the tailgate handle, but as there is no power, the solenoid will not energise and pull the locking mechanism. When the key has gone to 90 degrees, hold it there and lift the tailgate. If you feel you can't move it, try loosening the lock again with a left and right movement of the barrel and some more WD40. There should not really be any need to cut the back panel to get at the mechanism.

 

Picture of Key at 45 degrees unlock position and at 90 degrees Emergency Tailgate open Position.

 

These pictures show the locking mechanism from the inside. On the left side is where the barrel is. You should see it has a striking part which when you turn the key left, will touch the locking mechanism. This is the Left 45 Degree position. You need to add more pressure to move the heavy solenoid section so turn the key to 90 Degrees. Remember you are looking at the lock from the inside, so when you turn the key left, looking from inside, the striking part moves from left to right. From the key side it moves from right to left.

 

3. Once you have opened the tailgate, locate the bundle of wires which can be found covered at the top right of the tailgate. Insert a flat screwdriver and pull down. You may need to do this on both sides of this covering to get it loose.

 

 

Once this is open, pull down and you should see the bundle of wires covered in tape. You may even see the broken wires straight away. Cut the insulation tape to get a better look at the wires. You may want to take out the necessary fuses or just disconnect the battery so the fuses don't pop if any of the live wires touch the chassis. Locate both ends of the wire and remove a small part of the wires insulation with a wire trimmer. You may see other wires which are about to break. Cut them and treat them now as you are going to with the other broken wires.

 

 

Add solder to the wires (tinning the wires). Get Sections of new wire, the same colour if possible and cut a small length. Tin the new wire at both ends. Joing the new wire to the old wire as shown;

 

 

Instead of insulation tape, I have used Wire Shrink wrap. This is a long section of tubular rubber, which shrinks when heat is applied either with a hair dryer or the soldering iron.

 

 

Once you have soldered all the necessary wires and added the shrink tubing, heat the tubing so it shrinks to the size of the wire and hey presto, a perfectly insulated wire. Cut more shrink tubing and put onto the wire again. This is necessary to cover the other side of the wire once it has been soldered.

 

 

Reconnect the battery/fuses and test the tailgate or any other part that has malfunctioned. This applies to the Lock, High Brake Light, Rear Wiper unit, other lights. If all is working OK, bind the wires with new insulation tape and reassemble wire covering.

 

It should be noted, there may be more broken wires on the otherside of the wire covering. Open this and check. To get better access to the wires, I had to remove Trim from the back pillar and the tailgate so the bundle of wires could move further and freely. You may get away without doing this.

 

Thanks and keep up the good work. I have found this forum to be the best for information on my Seat Alhambra which is a Clone of the Galaxy and Sharan. I hope my contribution will be helpful and if it is, please leave me a message here or the e-mail contact address below. It is always nice to hear from people this may have helped.

 

Bob. (E-Mail Contact)

 

PS. The replacement wires and Shrink tubing I obtained from Maplins Electronics. Try and get the tubing that fits the wires comfortably so that when it is heated, it shrinks to a tight snug fit and does not move.

Edited June 17, 2008 by BobNandra

[big_kev]

Excellent post Bob.

[gregers]

nik defo needs to be added to faqs.

[fivenecks]

good tip got as far as 10.00 and 2.00 o clock with key cannot get it any further, did pull the remote apart trying....got as far as locking and unlocking the rest of the car etcccc but not the boot so will keep trying to get it to 9.00 o'clock to open..

 

 

thanks

[fivenecks]

sorted finally got it open, sore arms and finger and thumb...lol

 

so i have to use the key all the time as the solinoid is not working....i was told to ask if there is a fuse for it either in the fuse box or in line...does this mean that the solinoid has gone and can this be replaced or should i get another whole catch..

 

 

thankyou everyone

[chrispb123456]

sorted finally got it open, sore arms and finger and thumb...lol

 

so i have to use the key all the time as the solinoid is not working....i was told to ask if there is a fuse for it either in the fuse box or in line...does this mean that the solinoid has gone and can this be replaced or should i get another whole catch..

 

 

thankyou everyone

Have you looked at the wiring as said at the beginning