hi guys my tailgate actuator needs replacing i have the actuator and have removed the plastic panel and can see the actuator can anyone tell me how i go about getting the actuator out now any help would be really grateful guys i have a 1999 ml 320

 

Remove the tailgate molding. You will find bolts underneat. Remove these & the actuator with the handle will come off

 

hi art thanks for this but the screws on the outer have some kind of locking bolt in they just keep turning and one wil not budge ????

 

The screws on the tailgate handle molding or the ones under the molding?

 

OK..........Folow these steps. Credit to Gene Horr.
1) Obtain replacement "christmas tree" clips. At least 5 but better yet 10. Some will break when you remove them. I used some generic clips from NAPA. They worked but the OEM are much better.

2) Remove the center brakelight cover. You squeeze in on the top sides to pop it out. See picture.

3) Remove the inside door latch trim cover. The screw is obvious. See picture. After remove the one screw you may need to pry on the trim to pop it out.

4) Pull off the inside door cover. A trim tool prybar is helpful. Those clips hold on so well that many of them will break rather than pull loose. At the top of cover where it slopes up around the window frame there are two pins. You can try removing them first. I just popped the cover out of the bottom attachments then pulled the pins out. See picture of pins.

5) Remove the trim cover over the license plate that holds the license plate lights. There are two screws outside and then two nuts on the inside that hold it on. You'll probably need to pry the light plugs off with a flat head screwdriver. Those things were a pain to take off.

6) Inspect where the cover touches the door. In my case it had worn through the paint and there was a bit of surface rust. See picture.

7) Remove the inside latch handle. There is one screw holding it in place. You'll need to pull the latch out as if opening the door to reach the screw. The handle assembly has two clips that slide onto the door. This is also pretty tight and you may need to pry a little to get it off.

8) Remove the actuature assembly by unscrewing the two screws on the outside next to the handle. These screws were covered by the cover mentioned in #5.

9) Unplug the wires to the actuator. These things were also a pain to remove and you may need a third hand to hold things. Note which plug goes where and the orientation.

10) The actuator is snapped onto the rod which goes down to open the door. This rod just snaps off easily. You can now remove the actuator.

PS. Degforce you might be able to fix the actuator.....Normaly there is a clip which breaks. Let me know when it is out & post a pic

 

hi art its the screws on the outside of the handle and the clip on the plunger has broken off the screws wont budge at all and one is just spinng when i put a spanner on the nut at the back the screw wont budge once again thanks for the help

 

Use 2 screwdrivers. Use 1 to unscrew & the other one to get under the "head " of the screw to apply some pressure.
The clip is possible to fix.....with a same size small bolt .......

 

ill try that art thanks very much will let you know how it goes

 

Thanks Art, for posting these instructions! My actuator needs fixing, but I stalled halfway through the job and just lock it from the inside, having removed the trim panel and the inside handle part. I'd come across the instructions for mending the broken plastic bit, but couldn't find it again... With my actuator, it is the bit that pulls to lock that is broken, so should be easy to fix; I'd broken one of the outside screws that was seized - the head snapped off before it would budge! Time for another go!

Cheers, Steve.

 

About the actuator "clip"...You can use a screw/bolt same size instead of the broken clip on the plunger. I have done it, it works. You have to take your time & drill the plunger & insert the screw/bolt. Make sure the size of the drill bit matches the size of the srew/bolt so you dont crack the plunger