2003 Aviator lift gate won't unlatch

[Grey]

I can open the lift gate window, but the electric release for the lift gate will not open when I push the switch. (No power to the release solenoid.) I know there is a relay in the back that might be defective/unplugged.

How do I open the lift gate (there is no handle outside)?

Where are the relays in the rear compartment?

What else should I check?

Thanks for your help.

 

[rrgone]

Welcome aboard. We don't get many Aviator questions in here - which may be an indication of their reliability. I am not familiar at all with the Aviators but don't they have a release handle above the rear license plate like the Explorers/Mountaineers do? Seems they must have some kind of manual latch release on the liftgate door for safety reasons.

If they work like the Explorers and Mountys there is an electric actuator in the door itself that is triggered by the door lock switches, the keypad, and the Security Module when signaled from a fob. No relays involved except those contained in the SM. I would guess you've got a damaged wire in the harness to the liftgate, probably in the conduit between the liftgate and chassis above it. You need to liftgate open to get to it though.

 

[Grey]

Nope - no latch handle. The fob only opens the glass.

Hope a tech has run into this situation and has some suggestions. If it were a fuse, I would think something else would be on that circuit. The owner's manual does not call out a fuse for lift gate solenoid, but there might be one???

 

[Albino 94LTD]

Use your key, in the key hole, bottom left corner of the liscense plate area.

Turn and lift the tailgate up while holding the kety turned.

Edit; As for the electirc release, dunno. The actuator might be jammed/confused as to its position.

 

[Grey]

Vehicle back in town (week on the Carolina coast) so tried to open with the key and nothing releases. No resistance when turning the key at all. Pushed from the inside trying to get it to open but it would not budge with the key turned. I can open the glass portion of the liftgate (it has power), but can't get the lower latch to respond to anything. Any other suggestions, short of a pry bar?

 

[Albino 94LTD]

Sounds like the whole mechanism is in question. Only way to tell is pull in liner off the inside, of course that'd be easier if you could open the damn thing

Wife has ours at work right now or I'd go out and check.

 

[Grey]

Don't hit me. When my son got back with the Aviator, he said the cigar lighter was not working either. Duh!!!

Guilty of overanalyzing. It is the 15 amp mini-fuse in slot 16.

Thanks for checking (I know you assumed I had done this part of the diagnosis already).

Have a great day - I'm having a better one.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

Does the key work now? It should've worked witha blown fuse. I'll have to remove that fuse and try ours

 

[vice305]

Check obo II connection and front cig lighter plug in beacuse those are all in one with the lift gate. There is a relay in the right rear panel but u have to remover the whole panel to get to it

 

[Liserv]

Liftgate problem - different cause

I also can't get my liftgate open (glass portion works fine) but this is a mechanical problem caused by a bonehead move of mine. To protect the carpet in the cargo area i through in a cloth painter's tarp. Works great, except last night after loading a big box into the cargo area I closed the liftgate with some of the cloth over the latch. Now when I hit the button to open the latch it unlocks then immediately locks again. I presume this is a reaction to the lock bumping into the cloth. I have removed as much cloth as I can but there is still some wedged in the latch mechanism. There is no key lock near the licence plate to manually unlock and there is no manual release on the inside of the lift either. I'm stuck.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

I also can't get my liftgate open (glass portion works fine) but this is a mechanical problem caused by a bonehead move of mine. To protect the carpet in the cargo area i through in a cloth painter's tarp. Works great, except last night after loading a big box into the cargo area I closed the liftgate with some of the cloth over the latch. Now when I hit the button to open the latch it unlocks then immediately locks again. I presume this is a reaction to the lock bumping into the cloth. I have removed as much cloth as I can but there is still some wedged in the latch mechanism. There is no key lock near the licence plate to manually unlock and there is no manual release on the inside of the lift either. I'm stuck.

The latch will only unlatch for a fraction of a second. You have to pull up on the lift gate quickly.

I find it hard to believe there is no key hole but mine is an 03