Tailgate locking mechanism

[slowcoach65]

My tailgate actuator seems to have failed with the boot no longer being closed by the motorised mechanism. I now have to slam it shut. I'm taking it in to get sorted under warranty but has anyone else had similar issues?

Cheers,

Andy

 

[Hotel California]

Thats not so good , all those electric stuff are nice as long they are working fine...
Can't help you i'm affraid , but i'm very intresed in the cause and the solution for it...
The sliding door has sort of the same function , find it a bit overkill and totaly unnessecary.
Did you try and push the remote while the boot was open , unlockbutton on the driversdoor ...?
Take a look at the system itself on the boothdoor ....see if anythings not normal?

 

[motacyclist]

Try resetting it by switching the ignition on and off while the tailgate is open. This seems to work on the side door when that has the same fault.

 

[Hotel California]

Try resetting it by switching the ignition on and off while the tailgate is open. This seems to work on the side door when that has the same fault.

....is it ...?
Good to know just in case , tkx!

 

[motacyclist]

If you ever watched "The IT Crowd" you will know that switching most techie stuff off and on again fixes the problem

 

[slowcoach65]

Thank you all, I will try the various reset solutions you suggest and let you know how I get on.

Andy


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[vmaxkiddy]

I had the same problem. The seal on the tailgate was letting rain water in and corroded the contacts, check the chair stowage and see if it's damp, also had a stain on the rear blind. New seal and blind fitted under warranty.

 

[fractalmania]

I have the same problem. I removed the motorised unit and when I applied power to it from a battery charger it works. When I checked the connector on the wiring loom with a multimeter there was no power being supplied even when activating the central locking. I assume there is a fuse to protect the unit but as of yet I cannot find it.

Martin

 

[snowy55]

I have the same problem. I removed the motorised unit and when I applied power to it from a battery charger it works. When I checked the connector on the wiring loom with a multimeter there was no power being supplied even when activating the central locking. I assume there is a fuse to protect the unit but as of yet I cannot find it.

Martin

Is there a break in the wire going to the tailgate in the black rubber tube?

 

[fractalmania]

I haven't examined it closely but it looks ok. I will check it in the morning, thanks for the suggestion and post result on here.

Martin

 

[calicasas]

My tailgate actuator seems to have failed with the boot no longer being closed by the motorised mechanism. I now have to slam it shut. I'm taking it in to get sorted under warranty but has anyone else had similar issues?

Cheers,

Andy

Spookily enough ours is starting to intermittently fail (on our 2011)l over the last two weeks. Waiting for complete failure before looking to get fixed...

 

[fractalmania]

I have checked the black rubber tube and wiring all appear to be ok. The motorised unit is in the floor of the cali not the tailgate. Today I took my cali to my local dealer and spoke to a technician. Apparently there is a microswitch on the lock assembly in the tailgate and this is the cause of my problem. It seems the micro switch is failing.When he fiddled with the switch the unit in the floor activated. Of course the switch cannot be replaced on its own its built into the lock so the whole lock has to be replaced. As we are going on holiday with the cali shortly I don't have time to do it myself so I have booked it in to be sorted. Hope this info is of use to someone who has a similar problem.

 

[andrew bazeley]

Mine's just stopped working too (after 10 years!). In the grand scheme of things, it's not a big deal, but it does seem to rattle a bit more than it used to. I really would have thought there was a fuse connected to the motor circuit, but I can't find a refeence to it anywhere.

 

[andrew bazeley]

Mine's just packed up on my 10-year old Cali. It's going in for a service soon, so I think I'll ask them to have a look. They're not really used to Cali's though, so I need to give them some clues as to where to look. I gather from these posts that the motor is part of the lock/catch mechanism in the taligate itself. I still can't believe there isn't a fuse somewhere though.

 

[WelshGas]

Mine's just packed up on my 10-year old Cali. It's going in for a service soon, so I think I'll ask them to have a look. They're not really used to Cali's though, so I need to give them some clues as to where to look. I gather from these posts that the motor is part of the lock/catch mechanism in the taligate itself. I still can't believe there isn't a fuse somewhere though.

Remember the California Base Vehicle is a T5 van with a Tailgate. Plenty commercial variants with a Tailgate.

 

[bassbikemike]

Just wondering if anyone got to the bottom of the tailgate servo power issue?

Did anyone identify a blown fuse? A break in the wire anywhere? The terminals supplying the lock servo mechanism in the van floor are dead on my 2006 Cali - it packed up last year and I've been managing since, but am getting tired of having to slam the tailgate to get it to close properly. From memory there were 3 terminals/conductors feeding the lock... why 3 I wonder? One will have a +12V supply, perhaps another is ground, though this could just be picked up from the bolts into the bodywork, so at least one/may be two of the cables I can't identify. When I tried my lock on a separate 12V supply it worked OK, so it's definitely the supply rather than the lock that is the issue in my situation. TIA

 

[Skewif]

Just wondering if anyone got to the bottom of the tailgate servo power issue?

Did anyone identify a blown fuse? A break in the wire anywhere? The terminals supplying the lock servo mechanism in the van floor are dead on my 2006 Cali - it packed up last year and I've been managing since, but am getting tired of having to slam the tailgate to get it to close properly. From memory there were 3 terminals/conductors feeding the lock... why 3 I wonder? One will have a +12V supply, perhaps another is ground, though this could just be picked up from the bolts into the bodywork, so at least one/may be two of the cables I can't identify. When I tried my lock on a separate 12V supply it worked OK, so it's definitely the supply rather than the lock that is the issue in my situation. TIA

If yours is the same as the 5.1 then it might be worth looking at the latch in the tailgate. From what I remember when I fitted a button on the inside to open the door there is a contact in the latch that triggers the soft close motor. It might have something to do with the problem and would be easy to test it if you can access it (not easy). I would expect a permanent feed to the SC unit though. Just an idea.

 

[Emil Silenhag]

fractalmania has the anser in post #12. The micro switch in the tailgate...
Had the same issue...
There’s some pictures in the link. The first two pictures is the unit in the floor which isn’t working (but the unit is alraight). Picture 3 and 4 and so on is the unit in the tailgate that has the micro switch in it. You can se green corroding in the contacts that is the source of the problem.
http://www.vwbus.no/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=29981&p=342361&hilit=Bakluke#p342361

 

[Loz]

There are a couple of tests you can easily do.
Open the tailgate and check that the door display shows the door is open, then use a screwdriver to flick the catch close, if the microswitch is working 2 things will happen, the motor that pulls the door in will operate and the display will change to door closed.

Use the release button to release the lock and repeat.

If the display works as expected the microswitch in the lock is fine.

 

[JamesBell]

I'm having this very problem now with my T6 Cali. Will try the switching the ignition on and off with the tailgate up, failing that I'll have to visit VW to get it sorted. Noticed a water stain on my mattress recently directly under the centre of the boot. Wondering of the seal has gone and water is getting in to cause some damage.

 

[Emil Silenhag]

I'm having this very problem now with my T6 Cali. Will try the switching the ignition on and off with the tailgate up, failing that I'll have to visit VW to get it sorted. Noticed a water stain on my mattress recently directly under the centre of the boot. Wondering of the seal has gone and water is getting in to cause some damage.

Regarding water ingress inn the tail gate. Standard fault is the high sitting break light. Inspect it, make sure it’s not lose/ poking out a bit /not sitting flush.

 

[andrew bazeley]

I had this problem with my 2008 SE a couple of years ago. My local VW fixer sorted it out within a couple of days, at very little cost - just replaced the little motor, I gather.

 

[Deskman]

There are some electronics involved but most of the time it is the microswitch in the tailgate. This is part of the lock and hard to replace while you have to remove complete tailgate inner panel. It is a very flimsy switch with hair-thick wiring and when it gets wet (by condensation, leaking rubbers, leaking license plate screws, tail wiper or any other hole in the backside) the contacts will corrode and fail at any moment in time. A new lock is about € 35,- but if you have to pay for the replacement... I have replaced mine and used a glue-gun to protect it (and myself) from having to do it ever again.

 

[JamesBell]

Regarding water ingress inn the tail gate. Standard fault is the high sitting break light. Inspect it, make sure it’s not lose/ poking out a bit /not sitting flush.

Tail light up high looks fine to me, its say nice and flush and tight. thanks

 

[JamesBell]

I had this problem with my 2008 SE a couple of years ago. My local VW fixer sorted it out within a couple of days, at very little cost - just replaced the little motor, I gather.

Thanks. I'll call them tomorrow and see what they say. Its just out of warranty so typical of my luck. Interior lights have stopped working now too but fuse looks fine.