Estate tailgate won`t shut!

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cavmad
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Estate tailgate won`t shut!

Post by cavmad »

Noticed a couple of days ago that my estate tailgate won`t close and lock properly. Being a bit busy I`ve only just had a chance to look at it. Played about with the catch mechanism and liberally coated with WD40 but it won`t blinking will have it.
Any ideas please?
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Oscar
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Post by Oscar »

The catch is securely attached to the body of the car? My mate had this on his Xant - we looked at the lock, sprayed it, jammed screwdrivers into it etc. etc. all the while failing to notice that the catch was loose on its bolts and would simply ride back when the lock descended on it, and not engage.
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cavmad
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Post by cavmad »

Thanks, and thanks also to Ken for the p.m. The bolts were a little lose so I tightened them up but it`s still not perfect and tailgate won`t shut :(
Operating the button which opens the catch does make it move yet it still won`t connect so I`m left wondering if the bar which is fixed to the boot has moved out of position slightly. I have tried belting it with a hammer into various positions with no avail.
Does anyone possess a photo of the bar I could look at so I can try and work out roughly where it should be please?
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ken newbold
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Post by ken newbold »

I think if you take the inner panel off the tailgate, you'll find 2 bolts at the bottom of the catch and 2 near the top. If you loosen them and set the mechanism mid position in its slots then tighten the bolts it should work, you may need to adjust the catch on the car until best position is achived.

Did the bottom 2 bolts tighten? usually they have pulled out of the fibreglass and need drilling and longer screws putting back in.
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Post by Stewart (oily!) »

I had a tailgate problem once when parked on uneven ground in my old MK1 BX, the thing just wouldnt catch??? when I moved it on to flat ground it closed normally again, the tailgate is quite structural, i can remember hillman rally imps bonding their glass tailgates shut to improve stiffness.
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