LR4 Tailgate not opening

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SHS4

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Replacement solenoid from a Ford Fiesta seems to be a cheaper fix.

 

SHS4

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My tailgate failed on me and so went thru the steps to install new parts today. I used the procedures outlined previously but when it came to installing a manual latch I used a simpler method. I bought $15 in bicycle brake cable and cable housing from my local bike shop. Routed about 15” of both to the corner. Drilled a hole in the tailgate cover and used a grommet to get the cable to the right place. Need to get a cable crimp to make a smaller loop. But it works great! See attached photos for important cable routing points.
 

ryanjl

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Bumping a pre-existing thread.

I'm having an issue where the switch above my license tag isn't working that well to open my tailgate, but the button on my remote works okay.

Still the actuator in the tailgate? Or is it more of a switch problem?

Thing is, I can't find the part number for the exterior switch. Is it LR015457? All the ones I can easily find online look like questionable aftermarket versions. Looks like the switch is easy enough to remove, so I may just pop it off and look inside to see what's happening. Maybe spray some DeOxit around.

EDIT: After scouring the the forums some more, it probably is the actuator. Which is good because I already have one. May still open up the switch to see if there is any dirt, but will replace the actuator too. If it still doesn't work right, I'll replace the switch.
 
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ryanjl

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So I'm apparently one of the few where this was actually an issue with the switch and not a malfunctioning actuator.


Again, my symptoms were:

Pushing in the switch above the license tag does nothing. However, pushing the rear hatch switch on my keyfob worked fine, every time. Symptoms started in early May, so I ordered the actuator kit. After that early May incident, however, everything started working great again until around a week ago, when the switch stopped working altogether.

What I did:

Replaced the actuator tonight, and the problem was still there with no change at all.

I then pried out the switch from the liftgate more or less like this, removed the external rubber part, and the internal paddle portion just fell out with it. (The paddle in the video was aluminum, but mine was plastic.)

I pushed on the button a few times and nothing worked. I then sprayed the bejesus out of it with some DeOxit spray (from back when I was restoring vintage stereo equipment as a hobby) and the button started working again. Put the paddle back in correctly, put the rubber back on, and it all works fine now.

I'll keep an eye on it, but think I'll probably wind up replacing the switch as the paddle just doesn't seem like it's going to stay in place. Thing is, I still can't really figure out the part number. All the standard online Land Rover dealership parts suppliers seem like they want you to buy the whole entire liftgate assembly. Nearest I can tell, it's either LR015457, which only turns up knockoffs, or LR071910, which turns up no supplier stateside.
 

ryanjl

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Got the new switch today. Ordered the one I linked above. There isn't a matching connector inside the rear liftgate so you are required to cut and splice.

And after all that, it does not work.

No idea what's going on. It's the correct, official Land Rover switch.

The rear liftgate still works 100% of the time when I hit the liftgate button on my keyfob. It just does not work when I pull on the switch in the liftgate. Could be a proximity sensor, but then (1) the switch worked for a little bit a few weeks ago when I sprayed cleaner in it, and (2) all my other doors work via proximity sensor, and I'd have to think it's the same one.

Any ideas? Looked inside the liftgate trim and all the wiring looks good as new. No idea.
 

ryanjl

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I should add that when the new switch did not work, I took it off. Thinking the switch just creates continuity between two wires, I then touched the stripped end of the two liftgate wires together (the ones that used to go to the old switch) to see if it did anything. And no, it did not. I would think that would actuate the liftgate if the switch just creates continuity.

Seems like I've probably got a wiring issue somewhere?
 

greiswig

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one.

Any ideas? Looked inside the liftgate trim and all the wiring looks good as new. No idea.
Totally spitballing here, but...is it possible the switch body of the original grounds to the door frame somehow, and the new one does not? I doubt it, as most switches have plastic bodies, but like I said, spitballing.

One thing you might try is putting a volt/ohm meter on the exposed leads. Measure resistance to ground on both, to see if one really is ground. Then measure voltage at both as well, and try actuating via the fob to see which one gets energized. Might help narrow down what's happening.
 

ryanjl

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The switches are all plastic, so I don't think they ground anywhere themselves. That, and te new switch is the exact same as the old one. The only exception is the wires seem to be a slightly thicker gauge on the newer one, and the wires on the new one wound up in a connector that isn't in the LR4 (which I knew beforehand, but bought knowing I was going to cut and splice).

This is the new switch:

discovery_204_20conector_20tailgate_20release.jpg


And the old one looks more like the Amazon link I posted last night--the only difference being the wiring harness. Regardless, the stamp marks on the back of the new switch are the exact same as the switch I took out, so I'm pretty confident it's the exact same.

I do have a feeling I'm going to be taking a voltmeter to this. I searched a lot last night, though, and found some people with similar problems who got odd results on their voltmeter. A few of them wound up finding some wiring issues near the driver-side floorboard. Neat. My one source of optimism is that I had it working back on June 17 by just spray cleaning the old switch. So I'm thinking it has to be something local to the switch area. It's shocking that this new switch did not work, so maybe I'll open it up and make sure it's the exact same.
 

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