Has anyone experienced this???????

Goose · Apr 4, 2015

Something broke in the liftgate latch on the rear of my Dodge Grand Caravan with the liftgate shut.

It's the power liftgate, and when you hit the remote to open it, the electric mechanism will cycle, but the liftgate won't unlock. Same when you press the electric button over the license plate or the button on the overhead panel.

I called our local Chrysler dealer, and the Service Manager seemed to never have heard of it before but said something probably broke. He said he was sure they could fix it.

I'm not even sure how to get the trim panel off of the inside with the liftgate shut.

Has this ever happened to anyone else?

Greg1959 · Apr 4, 2015

Maybe this link will help...BTW, read all posts, especially the last one...

HTH
Poke here

notjustair · Apr 4, 2015

My brother had the same thing with a Toyota Sequoia. The dealer wanted $600 to fix it. He watched a YouTube video and fixed it with a $45 part in about an hour.

When I was young my aunt and uncle lived in Denver with their three kids. They had a Buick Park Avenue - the ones that were the size of a Chevy Celebrity. Their trunk latch broke and no one could seem to figure it out. They drove 8 hours to visit us and they all had to hold their bags on their laps. It was pretty symbolic of their process for doing everything.

ShadetreeRet · Apr 4, 2015

I noticed in the replies that Greg posted a link to, one of them mentioned a plug to remove. Most mechanisms such as that require an access hole, generally covered with a push in plug or hidden by upholstery, otherwise it would be nearly impossible to make repairs. One just has to know where to look.
Whenever I buy a vehicle model that I have not previously owned, I invest in a Haynes repair manual. They aren't factory manuals by any means, but they sure will help in a situation such as this.

Goose · Apr 4, 2015

I pulled the plug, but I can't see inside to see how to unlatch it, even with a flashlight. And my Chilton manual isn't any help.

There's a long narrow trim panel that goes across the floor with just an opening for the striker plate. It looks like if you pulled that piece off you could unbolt the striker and open the liftgate, striker and all. Then it should be easy to pull the main panel off.

BTW, my wife drives a Chrysler T&C with the same setup so I can open that one at will to get a better look at things.

Thanks for the responses.

Greg1959 · Apr 4, 2015

Goose- Here is a exploded diagram of the door/locking mechanism...

Goose · Apr 4, 2015

Wrong door.

MeAnthony · Apr 5, 2015

Can you unbolt the piece that the latch locks around? Had the same thing happen on a Jeep Cherokee, was able to reach up behind the rear bumper and remove nuts from two studs that held latch plate.

CKain(MI) · Apr 5, 2015

Did you try to search on you-tube, 'rear hatch repair' ?

Has anyone experienced this???????

Goose

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Greg1959

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notjustair

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ShadetreeRet

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Goose

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Greg1959

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Goose

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MeAnthony

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CKain(MI)

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