Hi there,

A few months ago I had my fit latch "fixed" by a local mechanic for $180. It worked fine until one day within 2 months and I used a screwdriver and WD40. It is not working again and nothing I try is working. I cannot even open it.

Any suggesions?

(Note: The local mechanic forgot to put the oil cap on during one of my oil changes so I do not want to go back to his shop.)

 

Try more WD (or Tri Flow, which I like better) and work the handle back and forth. It should free up.

 

broken handle actuator?

 

No oil cap ! That's absolutely crazy...

The problem you are having is because the pin on which the handle rotates is rusty. Unfortunately, WD40 is often a bad idea for any door or lock mechanism because dust can accumulate in the oil which will retain it in the mechanism. I recommend white lithium grease. It comes in a spray can You can and you buy it anywhere. You can even use it to protect your battery terminals from corrosion.

The mechanism is a simple bicycle style cable that is pulled by the handle. What happens is that the handle stays stuck in the open position so when you use the unlock button on the key fob, it doesn't unlock. It's like when you try and unlock the doors and someone is holding the handle open. You must first push the handle in to the position it would be before pulling and hit the unlock. Then it will unlock and you will be able to open the tailgate. If all else fails, there is a circular plug on the tailgate plastic cover located in the middle of the tailgate, a few inches from where it latches. You can pry this off with a screwdriver from inside the car and it will expose a little metal lever you can use to open the tailgate.

The trick is to try and spray some lithium grease on either side of the hinge where the pin rotates and then move it back and forth to try and lubricate the hinge. Mine jams about twice a year and needs to be replaced really.

Best of luck.