Liftgate will NOT open

turtlecrxsi · #1 01-22-2007, 10:19 AM

Well, the hatch/liftgate problems continue. Not only did my rear wiper stop working again and the bottom part of the hatch strut busted on the one side, but now my hatch/liftgate will not open at all. How can I get it open? This happened once before when my wife closed the netting in the lock. We cut a hole in the netting and it came open. There is no netting stuck in the lock this time. It just will not open. Can somebody help me out here?

turtlecrxsi · #2 01-24-2007, 03:28 PM

So nobody has ever had their rear hatch get stuck shut?

I have to be the oddballl...

Bob D. · #3 01-25-2007, 07:28 AM

You're definitely not the only one. I've seen stuck hatches here before on the early model Grands and the cure was somewhat unorthodox...something like open the latch and forcing it open. But wait until someone who has actually done it replies before you try to muscle it open.

turtlecrxsi · #4 01-25-2007, 10:07 AM

Thanks. I'm definitely not going to force it open. That may be how it got stuck to begin with. I'm thinking the lock tumbler may be jammed. Even with the keyless remote it will make a sound as if unlocking, but when I put the key in to the lock it doesn't quite turn completely a full 90* clockwise.

legalfee · #5 01-25-2007, 10:53 AM

Here's a post from Maui Dave that may help you:

Well I scanned around this site and it seems nobody came up with this fix. I just wanted to post it for the next poor soul that has to go through this....

When I bought the 98 GC limited the liftgate didn't open. Simple fix I figured!

Welllll, maybe not.

After the three hour job and a few new cracks in the liftgate panel, I got the gate open. I removed the bolts to the striker under neath the body right above the bumper. Pretty easy to get to. It made getting all but two of the screws accessible. Two screws on the upper sides were practically impossible to get even with the gate slightly opened.

Turns out that the mechanism that releases the striker was so corroded that it wouldn't release. About 30 minutes of TLC and Liquid Wrench fixed the problem. I lubed it up with marine grease and I attached a wire to the latch arm and fed it through the interior panel so that if it ever happens again I have a backup emergency system in place.

Now, to make it easier for everybody else. I figured out (unfortunately after the fact

) that I could have removed the interior body panel, on the interior roof next to the rear courtesy light, to access the bolts for the two hinges for the liftgate. Since I already removed the striker bolts, the liftgate would have come out as one unit. Remember two things: 1. disconnect the liftgate pistons (easy - just pop out the clips on the bottom) and very important #2 - have someone else on the outside so that when the hinge bolts are removed the liftgate doesn't come crashing down. As far as the striker is concerned, I was worried that I would have to readjust the striker after I removed it but the dirt around the washers made that problem go away. I just matched it up and it worked fine. You may want to mark the bolts for the hinges. Didn't do it so I don't know, might not hurt.

Remember, I didn't try this but after the fact I realized that this would be a hell of a lot easier and less damage to the liftgate panel. This way you can access all the screws with the liftgate off. Most of all I figure this would reduce the time and especially the frustration level.

If someone tries this fix, send me an email to see if it was easier.
I just don't want anybody else to go through what myself and others have.

Good Luck - Dave

turtlecrxsi · #6 01-25-2007, 12:44 PM

Well that sure sounds like a pita. Maybe I'll just have my wife's nephew screw with it... Mr. Head-Dodge-Tech...

mamalee · #7 04-04-2007, 08:45 PM

well I had the same problem few months back. I pushed the lift gate in and kept trying to open the gate until it opened. After opening I adjusted the bolts with the bumpers on each side of the liftgate. I turned them in. Don't turn them out this will force the gate out. you need to loosen the gate not push it out any further. if so the gate will not open, you'll have a hard time trying to open the gate again.

turtlecrxsi · #8 04-05-2007, 09:44 AM

My wife's nephew fixed it. Turned out the handle rod came disconnected and it locked in place. I took most of it apart myself but couldn't get all of the plastic removed to actually see where the rod was disconnected to reconnect it and pop it open. Apparently, this happens a lot.

mr_jones71 · #9 04-05-2007, 12:13 PM

i had a similar problem not too long ago. what happend to mine was that the connecting rod that went from the latch to the pull handle came loose. the way to tell is if you can lift the handle all the way up and nothing happens then you are most likely disconnected. i took it to the shop but i beilive the way you go about fixng it is you have to pop the inner pannel out from the inside which is a pain but thats the only real way to get in there.

turtlecrxsi · #10 04-05-2007, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr_jones71

i had a similar problem not too long ago. what happend to mine was that the connecting rod that went from the latch to the pull handle came loose. the way to tell is if you can lift the handle all the way up and nothing happens then you are most likely disconnected. i took it to the shop but i beilive the way you go about fixng it is you have to pop the inner pannel out from the inside which is a pain but thats the only real way to get in there.

Yeah, that's what happened to mine. I had most of the paneling apart inside but since the hatch wouldn't open, I couldn't get some of the plastic pieces to loosen up and I didn't want to damage them. That's why I let my wife's nephew fix it. I got new hatch struts installed and everything at a discounted rate and chalked it up to being stupid and swore to not slam the hatch when I get mad.

Every vehicle I've owned with a hatch has messed up somehow at some point and/or hit me on the head.

susan1017 · #11 04-09-2007, 08:22 AM

What about just the Liftglass? Does anyone have a solution for just getting the liftglass unstuck? This 98 jeep GC is new to me and I have seen it open but now that it has visited the shop for some work I cannot get it opened!

Thank you,

Sue

mahingun · #12 09-16-2007, 03:23 AM

well obviously you got your liftgate working again.. sooo... here it goes... i got a 2001 grand jeep(heap) laredo and you guessed it the liftgate will not open. at first it made a bbrrrr sound then nothing... i guess what im trying to ask is ... how alike are the models pre and post 2000?

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