Why won't my back window lock?

[sandyf43935]

I just bought a 95 Rodeo, automatic, four-wheel drive. Pretty sweet deal too...61,000 original miles, very clean inside, just a few dings outside. I traded in a Sunfire of all things for it..dealer wanted $3,900 for it, which I thought was a sweet deal in itself. I got it for $1,350 (tax, title and all) with my trade. And yes, my mechanic checked it over and told me "you'd be a fool not to buy this." Pretty sweet!

Ok, but here's my question. I've never had a vehicle like this one before so I may be back often to ask more silly questions.

Anyway, my back window isn't locking. It was when I bought it, but I opened the tailgate with my key rather than the tailgate open button, and now the window and the tailgate won't lock again.

What did I do wrong? And is there something simple I should be doing to get it to lock again that I'm not doing or do I need to have someone look at it?

Other than that, I'm perfectly happy with my new toy!

[anthonyn]

If I'm not misunderstanding your problem, you just need to put the key in the tailgate keyhole and turn it so that the key slot is horizontal. Don't push in when you're turning the key.

[sandyf43935]

Should I turn it clockwise or counter clockwise?

I hope this is all...and if it is..thank you so much. I felt really silly posting my post...but I couldn't find the answer in the manual and I really didn't want to go to the dealer and act like a silly twit.

[anthonyn]

Turn the key clockwise. Hope it turns out to be that simple. You aren't the first to ask this question, BTW.

[sandyf43935]

Oh, I don't want to wait until tomorrow...heading out to the garage...I'll let you know...

And really, I'm not the first to ask that? Wow, I sure do feel better now. Just wait until I'm confused over the whole folding down the back seat thing...just kidding.

[sandyf43935]

Nope, didn't work. The keyhole was vertical when I went out there...and I thought, YAY! My problem is solved. But when I made the key hole horizontal, the window did not lock. And at first, I had a hard time getting it to GO horizontal. But then it did, and I went back and forth with the key...no solution.Thanks for trying, anyway.

Anyone else with ideas on this?

[anthonyn]

Maybe I still don't understand what you mean by it not locking. So, let me just describe how it works on my 1995.5 rodeo. When the keyhole on the tailgate is vertical then you're able to push in the keyhole cylinder with your thumb which opens the rear window. When you turn the keyhole to the horizontal position, the keyhole cylinder cannot be pushed in - which effectively locks the rear window and tailgate. The button on the dash will always open the rear window regardless. If, on the other hand, you close the rear window and it does not latch(you can still pull the rear window open), then you probably are not slamming it hard enough....or indeed there is a problem with the latch.

[sandyf43935]

I'll try that again tomorrow..it's really cold tonight! But it really does not feel like the window is catching in the latch like it should be...

[anthonyn]

If it's not latching then I'm placing my bet that you're not slamming the window hard enough -- especially since its a new car and all

[sandyf43935]

I guess I AM pretty timid about it...I'm coming from a little Sunfire and all. I don't want to break the window! I know, I know, don't baby the SUV. I'm still new enough to it that I got a kick today at being as high up as the McDonald's drive-through girl.

[hshawn31]

I have the same problem with my '95. Go ahead and press the tailgate button and then slam the rear window shut. It 'should' latch then. If not spray some WD40 in the latch mechanism...it may be froze from lack of use, then repeat. Good luck

[sandyf43935]

I love these forums. Everyone's so helpful, even with newbies like me. I'll try that today.

[LXA]

Don't know about the 95's but on my 93, the latch bar attached to the window is adjustable. Mine was off a bit and I had the same problem. I loosend the screws, move the bar up/down til it latched and voila, no more problems! And that was after I soaked all the parts with WD40 figuring something was stuck. Before that I slammed the window until I thought it would break. Then got the bright idea of looking at how the mechanism worked.

The button on the dash will always open the rear window regardless.
This is true, if the gear/motor in the tailgate work right. I can latch and lock my window and tailgate manually and also release it from the dash button. But let me unlock it once from the dash, the gear doesn't reset right and I have to fiddle around to get the lock reset. Manually, it works fine (after the adjustment I mentioned above), but I'm waiting for warmer weather to figure out the auto release problem.

[sandyf43935]

Well, I slammed the door and I pushed the buttons and I did the soaking with the WD40 and everything else but waving a chicken bone at it...so I'll try that latch thing tomorrow...if it's warm enough out.

[Ramblin Fever]

On my '97 Rodeo, there's a push button on the left side of the dash by the steering wheel - it lights up if the back glass is open. Check to see if you have that same button, chances are it will be lit (red), see if it's stuck as well. Or just push it a couple of times, and then try to reclose the hatch.

If that doesn't work, what else it could be, is your tailgate itself may not be closed all of the way either. I've had this happen when someone else got groceries out and what not, when they close the tailgate it's not quite locked.

And, it could be something as simple as lack of use - keep working and playing with it.

That's a mighty fine deal for sure on that rig!

If you haven't already, get your fluids changed though, especially that auto tranny.