I went to open my rear hatch yesterday and the handle has no tension
and won't open my rear door (yes it's unlocked.) I cant even get to
the mechanism cuz...don't you need the hatch open to remove the door
panel inside and get to the gutz.. God only knows how much the dealer
will want to fix this..Any suggestions by the yotatechies..

 

Wow that is a perdicament. First I would look at an FSM and see how the actuator is routed. Then try and unlock it through the window slot (while rolled down. (The window may prevent you from reaching the actuator with a hanger or slim jim.) If that doesn't work you will have to try and carefully pry the door cover back enough to get your hand in and actuate the latch. If you can find a replacement panel at a junk yard you could just rip it off.

I really can't think of too many good options here.

Oh make sure you look at the handle really well to make sure there isn't something under there broken that could allow you to still open the door.

 

Considering the cost of rear panels, and body shop should be able to get the panel off rather easly, even closed.

 

Mine does the exact same thing and the only thing that seems to work is to use the key to roll down the back window and then use the handle to open the hatch door, close the door again and then roll the window back up. Sometime just using the power locks will make it work again but the window always seems to work. I have never bothered to take it apart and find out why this happens but maybe this summer I will give it a look.

 

Panel Removal
Get in the back of your Runner. Take off the small square panel around the strap with a screw driver. Get a 10 or 12mm (forgot) socket and take that bolt off along with the strap. Now put the screw driver in the opening and carefully but firmly pry the door panel toward you. That should remove at least one snap. Now just put your hand between the panel and the metal and pull back all the way around until all the snaps are off. Lastly, pull vertically on the panel and it comes off.

Problem Solving
If you can, take a picture of the guts, mainly just to the driver's side of the center. There is a small, white plastic part that can become airborne if your actuator is just a little off. The plastic part slides onto a thin plastic strip and it has a little nipple that catches on a brass(?) doo-hickie. I ended up turning the actuator itself downward because my plastic piece went too far up (airborne) and didn't go far enough down (didn't catch to open the door).

A picture is definitely a plus if you can swing it.

Jim

 

try pushing the handle forward, unlock the doors again, and then try to open it. i have the same problem. i think it is the mechanism that causes the handle to spring back to its normal position. it gets stuck in the open position and then it will not unlock. hope this helps. anybody out there have a permanent solution for this?

 

wow, a lot of good ideas, phisherman: sounds like youve been through this a few times.. I'm gonna go down right now and try and get that panel off, when I do I'll have the digicam handy...thanks everyone.

 

Yeah I had a problem with mine that kept getting worse and worse until it just didn't work. Andy (bamachem) helped me a lot in figuring out how it's supposed to work. I couldn't figure it out at all. We took it apart and it worked maybe twice then back to normal, but when I got back in town I took it apart again and it took maybe 10 min. to find the easy solution. It was at least 6 months ago and it still works perfectly, haven't even thought about it since.

 

definately have to monitor this thread. mine has become worse and worse and at times, when i close the hatch it just bounces back at me so i have to push the handle forward and then close it...thanks again guys

 

Definately post a pic if you tear into the hatch!

 

mine does the same thing....

it has zero tension... however if u squeeze it to where it feels like its been squeezed all the way, then give it one more good squeeze it'll pop open.

 

Mine is the same way every once and a while

 

FIXED!!! It was really quite easy...the bracket that holds the mechanism to the door itself came undone...one of the nuts came off, and sure enough it was in the bottom of the door..put it back on, tightened the other one, which was also loose and voila...back in business. I did take a pic of the inside that shows that bracket but I don't know how to post a pic..I'd be glad to email it to anyone who can post it up...let me know..And thanks for all the responses.

 

send me the pic, I will host it

mrlude2001@yahoo.com

 

Thanks Rob, You have mail.

 

 

Beautiful.....thanks for taking the pic!!!
Might be good to throw some loctite on there just for good measure if you still have it apart.

 

Doesn't it feel good to save about $60 and an afternoon at the dealership? Good job.

 

It sure does!! As an added bonus I discovered while running an errand that my "mystery rattle" when my bazooka hit it now gone, that baby must have been working it's way loose for a while now.

 

I have same problem with rear hatch not opening on my 2004 4runner. I can hear it trying to work. I found a tip on one of these forums that works for me. Press hard on the outside of where the latch release is. While pressing, pull latch and voila, it opened. Now the question is "What does that mean is wrong !! ??"

I'd appreciate feedback.

Thanks