Rauhbatz

The plastic liftgate handle on the rear door is really starting to stick. To the point where I use a flat blade to put it back so the gate latch will lock. Likely the result of Ohio winters throwing crud up into the license plate area.

I have sprayed it w PB Blaster, carb cleaner as a few other things trying to get it to spring back...no luck

My daughter used the handle, left the liftgate ajar and caused the battery to run down...even after I told her to use the key fob or the left door switch that triggers the lift gate...college kids... :o

Was curious if anyone has replaced this plastic liftgate handle or has another remedy to get it to spring back

Maj. Dundee

Please UPDATE YOUR PROFILE in USER CP to include the year and model of your truck and where you live.

Then post your full vin# as the correct handle depends on the chassis number.

Rauhbatz

Done! VIN entered in CP....

Maj. Dundee

Check the vin # again. It is supposed to be 17 characters. I think you left out the G....4JGBB

Where you live.

Maj. Dundee

According to you DATA Card, you have auto tailgate open and close. Why have you not mentioned this?

Why does you daughter use the outside door handle when she could use the remote?

Rauhbatz

Too early of a flight today...yes I left out that elusive G.....all good now

Rauhbatz

It was one of her fellow college students and her that used the lift gate handle thinking it was just like another liftgate.

Me I use the interior left door control and the remote

Maj. Dundee

Well what happens when you use the remote to open and use the button on the door to close?

Do you still want to change the handle?

kombifan

Rauhbatz

Both work well...its just natural to put your hand on the liftgate to acutate it

bha

Mine started sticking a few years ago. Not as bad as yours, but once in a while you couldn't shut the hatch because it thought someone was holding the handle open.

Took off the panel inside and lubed it with heavy silicone grease. Found out that you can actually lube it better from the outside than inside.

I would spray it clean (brake cleaner etc) then put a thick coating of silicone grease on it. Keep working the handle and reapplying till it stops sticking. Then wipe off. After a week do it again and leave a very thin coating on at the end (to protect from water/salt/etc.

It may start working again.

If not, you'll need to remove the interior panel (not hard) and replace the handle. If I recall correctly the handle just had two bolts and then unhooked from the linkage easily. Most of the work was removing the interior panels etc.

Rauhbatz

Im going to try the brake cleaner then silicone process..see how that goes.

Rauhbatz

Lift gate handle works great

thanks for the tips!