the gate on my 98 wont open no matter what i try... is it easy to take off the panel if its closed???
and this had to happen today! the day im moving... arghh

 

I had the same problem. I noticed that the little system that opens the gate was old and deteriorated. I sprayed some lube in there and it worked. Now everytime i open the gate, it remains in the open mode. I have to force it closed. Maybe this helps? Its going to be a PITA without that gate being in the open position. I think its just a bunch of clips

 

yup, ive had that same problem for the past 2 years. i have to force it open and closed, maybe it totally failed?

 

thats a possibility. Do you know whether or not it just slipped off the lever thing...sorry for the lack of technical words.

 

to answer your question... no, it isn't easy, but YES, it can be done.

you have to remove the cloth hand loop bolt before you remove the panel. after that, you have to remove the metal access panel to get access to the internal latching mechanism. after that's exposed, then you can get a friend to pull on the handle outside and you stay inside and see if you can locate where the linkage came apart. make sure to lube everything before you put it back together.

 

yes but will the whole panel come off by just taking that one bolt off?

 

Basically, yes. Take the plastic cover off, remove the bolt. Now the easiest way to get it off is to put something (the socket wreck you just used or a screwdriver) in the opening, pointing it downward, and pry the cover back toward you. This should remove one or possibly two clips. Then just pull back all the way around to pop the other clips. Pull vertically on the panel and viola!

 

I had the same problem on my 98. It turns out the metal plate behind tailgate handle was badly rusted, it prevented the handle from going back another quarter of an inch.
I ordered a tailgate handle from the dealer for $65 plus tax. After replacing the handle, it was good as new.

I did exactly this to open the panel.

And yes, you need a friend to pull on the handle and you see what is happening inside. This was how I was able to determine that the handle was the culprit. I looked inside and didn't see any loose parts and was able to push the latched open from the inside.

Your problem could be a loose part from inside but do check the tailgate handle first for rust. Let us know what you find.

Kev

 

oh, and you'll need a flashlight to see what's going on inside the door...