Tailgate issue

[socketjockey]

Hi guys,

I'm new to the LR3 scene, but have owned my share of Rovers.

Anyhow, I picked up this one for a fair steal knowing it had a couple fairly minors obstacles to get over. The biggest being that when you try to open the upper tailgate, you hear the latch actuator doing its thing, but yet the tailgate remains stuck as if it were still locked.

Not sure if this is a fairly common thing or if this is new, but if anyone has any insight, I would be thrilled to hear it.

Thanks for the help!

Lucas :cheers:

 

[hell pie]

I had the same problem. To fix the issue, the dealer "had to break open panel to access latch and open by hand. Replaced tailgate latch and actuator with updated parts". Ouch. Apparently there is an alternative way to open the lift gate that might work. Press both the lock and unlock buttons at the same time on the center console and hold them for a few seconds. It didn't work for me, which is why I took the car in to the dealer.

 

[D Chapman]

Get it open, take it apart, see what's broken or loose or needs adjustment.

Take pics and post em.

 

[socketjockey]

I took it to the dealer to ask around and see if they had experienced it today. They said that the actuator sounds fine, it might be the cable got loose or disconnected on one side. That said, if I have some free time in the evenings I will try to gently coerce the upper lift gate interior panel off and have a look. The difficult part will be the panel because it is overlapped by the lower gate.

Anyone have a manual on the LR3 yet?

I'll keep you posted.

 

[Robert Page]

You might want to check out disco3.co.uk for this issue. Be sure to post back with the fix, pictures, parts of the manual, etc.! They have a big jump on us with D3s and maintenance! atriot:

No manual available. You have to subscribe to LRs web based manual. If you do, print everything to pdf and save it for others.

Enjoy your new Truck. These are really nice off/on road machines, but have their quirks!

 

[jwest]

the tunnel of a panel comes off fairly easy, just take care because the way it's held on is by little plastic tabs that once bent out of whack, are useless.

I have a nifty little interior release button that allows escape via the inside - as long as the tire carrier isn't closed.

It's great to think that without power, the LR3 is pretty much locked up and you can't do much at all including release or engage parking brake, etc.

 

[Robert Page]

Look in your manual, you can release the parking brake manually. There is a pull cable in the right side of the console under the oval storage area opposite of the parking brake switch.

I am working on a manual parking brake lever solution that will look good also. The parking brakes are cable activated by the unreliable POS motor. I want to eliminate the motor, and have a manual lever like a DII or P38a.

 

[socketjockey]

Where might I find this lovely release button? I was told by the dealer that they have to basically destroy the panel on the upper door to get to the actuator because the door is closed and then order a new one. I can do the work myself, but destroying the door panel seemed a bit obsurd.

Let me know.

Thanks!

the tunnel of a panel comes off fairly easy, just take care because the way it's held on is by little plastic tabs that once bent out of whack, are useless.

I have a nifty little interior release button that allows escape via the inside - as long as the tire carrier isn't closed.

It's great to think that without power, the LR3 is pretty much locked up and you can't do much at all including release or engage parking brake, etc.

 

[jwest]

um, we installed the button. you don't have one.

isn't it under warranty? if they have to destroy whatever to get to something that failed under warranty, they replace it!

 

[socketjockey]

Unfortunately no, my 3 is over the mileage mark, so it will be my $500 to replace the panel, actuator and cable and for them to do the labor. Does anyone know if the LR GTR site has assembly drawings? If I know exactly where it is and how the assembly works, I'll just do it myself.

Thx!

 

[jwest]

yeah well, my freakin drivers side window fell down a day ago - plastic tabs inside are broken - slamed the door a couple times before but shouldn't have broken stuff!

at an exit in kansas, pulled the door interior panel, then speaker and was able to bring window back up through, held in place by passenger until i taped up a holding "frame" around the edges. pain in the butt but worked great.

 

[socketjockey]

Well, I finally fixed the tailgate. I ended up doing it myself and I'm glad I did. The dealer wanted $172 for labor on top of the $225 in parts. I ended up getting the parts myself and was able to knock it out in less than an hour.

Turns out that the upper liftgate latch mechanism connects to an actuator via a steel cable. At the end of the cable there is a metal fitting shaped like an L that clips into the actuator and that L fitting is what broke and removed itself from the actuator.

The fix:

Start out by locating the shorter half of the lower tailgate. Use your cutting tool of choice (Dremel w/cutting wheel in my instance) to cut a rectangular opening in that half of the tailgate trim panel ($125). Behind the trim panel you find a water seal which needs to also be destroyed and replaced ($14). Find dislocated latch cable and pull to release the latch. Open the upper liftgate. Lower tailgate. Remove tailgate support cables by removing or pulling out on the clips that secure them to the balljoints. Unscrew the balljoints. Remove covers and unscrew fastners of tailgate lip trim panel. Yank off the destroyed tailgate trim panel and you have access to the actuator and liftgate latch. Remove actuator ($42) by removing two screws that are securing it to two slots on the tailgate (don't forget to unclip the electrical connection to it). Remove bad latch ($47) by unscrewing 3 torx screws on upper side of tailgate and remove electrical cable for latch sensor.

To reinstall, install latch assembly. Secure new latch cable to new actuator and reinstall actuator. Fasten new trim panel and then old upper trim panel. Reinstall balljoints and cables. Test. Crack open beer and enjoy the money you just saved yourself by doing it yourself!

I will post pics and assembly drawings that I downloaded from GTR in the next few days. Feel free to hit me up with questions.

Thanks for watching!

Lucas :beer:

 

[Robert Page]

Could a piece of steel leader be rigged to the release and left in a position that it could be pulled if the latch fails? Sort of a preemptive repair!

 

[MonLand]

I will post pics and assembly drawings that I downloaded from GTR in the next few days. Feel free to hit me up with questions.

If you need help (i.e. "time") to download more diagrams/drawings/etc from GTR, give me a shoot! I'd be happy to generate as many PDFs as possible.
My LR3 is under (extended) warranty, so I will (hopefully!) not need this, but this is an investment for the future!

 

[b-rad]

glad to hear you fixed it but there is a tech note about this that dealer should have found on GTR you need to install a cable tie on the new latch.good luck

 

[socketjockey]

Where is the cable tie supposed to be connected? At the latch side or actuator side?

 

[lionvt]

I have the same problem on my '05 (still just barely within warranty). I've heard there might be a TSB on this. Any one know if its true or what the number is? I've talked to the local dealership but they are both dumb and good at playing dumb so they said they were unaware of it. In the past, I have had to tell them about TSBs to get the proper work done. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[nwoods]

Lionvt, you can find this info, and MUCH more, on www.disco3.co.uk.

Cheers!

 

[lionvt]

btw, I brought the dealership this info but they didn't believe that they would have to destroy the panel. Just picked the LR3 up -- and sure enough, the panel has a big hole in it and now I'm waiting (again) for the part.

I have to say, this is a terrible design in that 1) no interior release and 2) you must destroy the panel to get into the door?! I can't imagine what they were thinking.

 

[sideview]

2) you must destroy the panel to get into the door?! I can't imagine what they were thinking.

Lovely, the interior trim can be pulled away enough to reach the release with a little patience and small hands As long as they replace it I guess...