Rebel Tailgate Occasionally Stuck Closed

[ST4T1ST1C]

On occasion, my tailgate gets stuck and won't open. I need to apply "upward", pressure in order to release the latch, basically lifting the tailgate up ever so slightly. It is not a dirt/debris issue as far as I can see as the truck is relatively clean (other threads referenced dirt/debris). Just curious if anyone else has ever experienced this. Perhaps remove the loosen the tailgate, attempt to reposition, then torque back down? It only happens every now and again, I can't cause it to happen every time.

 

[Trooper4]

On occasion, my tailgate gets stuck and won't open. I need to apply "upward", pressure in order to release the latch, basically lifting the tailgate up ever so slightly. It is not a dirt/debris issue as far as I can see as the truck is relatively clean (other threads referenced dirt/debris). Just curious if anyone else has ever experienced this. Perhaps remove the loosen the tailgate, attempt to reposition, then torque back down? It only happens every now and again, I can't cause it to happen every time.

Quite a few have or have had similar issues. Some have cured it with a minor adjustment to the latching stud.

 

[ST4T1ST1C]

More or less what I am planning on doing. I am not about to goto the dealer and have them have the truck for hours only to tell me they can't duplicate the issue.

 

[Trooper4]

More or less what I am planning on doing. I am not about to goto the dealer and have them have the truck for hours only to tell me they can't duplicate the issue.

All the new group of mechanics and dealers can do is what the computer tells them to do when they plug it in and replace the parts. They really can't FIX anything.

 

[kliffy77]

I remember going camping with my Rebel, The bed was full of my camping gear when I arrived the tailgate wouldn’t open i tried doing everything its just stuck then i started pushing it hard forward direction and suddenly it opened.

 

[Dragonmaster13]

If the stud adjustment doesn’t do it, go to a body shop over the dealer. They have more experience with adjustments like this and may have some tricks up their sleeve. They may even do it while you wait for something like this.

 

[Zeeya]

Every once in a while, I will attempt to unlatch and it will not open. A slight push forward and it pops open. 2019 with a little over 50,000 miles.

 

[ST4T1ST1C]

I appreciate everyone's responses. Pushing the tailgate slightly forward while releasing the latch seems to do the trick.

 

[bobgnarley]

Mine does it constantly, but a little forward pressure always gets it to release on the first try. Pretty sure the right-side latching stud is the culprit, but I've been too lazy to fuss with it. I'll go adjust it now and report back after I'm done.

 

[bobgnarley]

There's a plastic sleeve that "floats" around the stud and the right side had more abrasion/gnarls than the left. I took a rasp to it and reduced the circumference by ~1mm and that seems to have done the trick – it released 20 times without a hitch. I'll give it a couple weeks and report back to see if that truly solved the problem.

 

[bobgnarley]

Welp, that "sleeve fix" didn't stick, but I did use a T40 torx bit to adjust the stud outward ever so slightly and that seems to have solved the problem.