Tailgate Latch

Hello,
Recently I had a rear window replaced after it shattered. Then, the tailgate stopped automatically locking down. What could be going on here?

 

You may need a new motor/locking system...I tried an Amazon/Chinesium version and had success...its been used everyday for the last couple years and holding strong...I had intermittent working of it until it crapped out...

 

$41 Tailgate Lock Latch Actuator Assembly Compatible with 2003-2009 Toyota 4Runner Replace 69110-35090 69110-35062 69110-35060

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GPHYCKN

 

The annoying thing is that I just replaced it in October of 2024, and now it might be cooked. What is happening is that when it does open, I get a mechanical sound, then 3ish seconds later I get another one. How it worked before this madness was the first sound, then I would get the second one when I lifted the gate away from the car. Now, the first sound occurs, then the second sound occurs irrespective of the position of the gate.

 

Pull the 10-Amp ECU-B fuse in the main fuse box....wait 15 seconds and reinstall. Had the same thing happen to me after the rear hatch glass was replaced recently. Worked great.

 

I did that. It didn’t change anything. I'll attach a video of what I am talking about.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VDH_trw9xhFrfBebS5oLNMbYiiZDCqKI/view?usp=sharing

 

That's a wierd one...it almost seems like something is loose...what about the actual "switch" that's in the hatch? Or the handle that acts as a switch? How's that? Not worn through?

 

No. What is happening is that it is getting half-latched, and is not locked down, hence the shaking. Hence why I think the suck-down mechanic isn’t working, along with the simple fact that there isn’t a motor sound.

 

Try to normalize everything first. Rear window all the way down, then all the way up holding for a couple seconds once up.

There’s a trick with the door locks too. Something like lock, unlock, lock, unlock, lock, unlock (3 times total) and hold unlock for a couple seconds at the end.

If those don’t work then pull the negative cable from your battery for about 1 minute, reconnect and try again. Make sure to normalize everything after.

I had that happen to me after I added sound deadening to the hatch after I disassembled it, and had disconnected my motor plugs in the hatch. My latch motor wouldn’t work, wouldn’t unlatch, and of course would only half latch because that’s mechanical.

There’s also normalizing the sunroof for auto, normalizing the windows for auto but neither of those should affect it.

Not the same as your situation to the hatch motor, but another odd one I experienced. My battery had died a while back and when I got it charged my rear wiper and rear washer fluid motor didn’t work. Checked fuses, and stuff but, nothing. I normalized the rear window and was functioning again lol.

Having to normalize a lot of different things for a very quirky ECU system is pretty goofy on these and frustrating.

 

I guess never mind in my last response lol. I can barely see the small video (won’t let me maximize) and didn’t hear any motor sounds last night but sounds like it’s unlatching with the push of an button and and making some motor sounds.

 

I’ll still try it!