Back tailgate lock won't open

More then likely the lock latch release rod has come off due to a failed attaching clip.

Your going to need a long needle nose pliers to reach the cable and pull it and it should release the tailgate

Press door unlock switch in car or on remote to release the lower tailgate, even if the hatch is open.

there's a plastic actuator inside the tailgate that probably broke or at least came loose. You have to crawl into the back and release it. I ended up having to cut a little piece of carpet in the middle on the top of the tailgate area. Right where it fastens. You can manually release the glass with a screwdriver at that point. To replace the actuator, you need to take off the entire tailgate trim and metal underneath that to get to it. It sounds like a pain but trust me, not having the back glass be able to open or the tailgate area is much worse. It takes about 45 minutes to fix. The actuators are less than $10

Remove the trim panel from inside the car and release the push rod that works the lock and you can manualy open it.

Rear Hatch Release/Lock Failure: How To Open The Glass
google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad); After a while, the mechanism (actuator) that unlocks and releases the rear glass hatch in
your Blazer or Jimmy will eventually burn out. when it does, there is really no way to open
the glass and lower the tailgate. The dash push button won't work, the rear key lock will
not work, the inside tailgat handle will not work, and you can not remove the interior
tailgate panel to access the mechanism because the screws can only be reach when
the tailgate is down (awesome GM design feature). The only way to replace the burnt
out actuator is to open the tailgate which you can't because the actuator is burnt out.

I've read stories that even the dealers don't know what to do, some have even cut up the
back panel to reach the so-called manuel release. Others said they pulled back the glued
on carpet to search for it also.

Well if you don't want to hack up the tailgate panel or rip out your carpet,
here's the easy way to open the glass:

You just pull back the interior tailgate panel right above the bump in the middle
where the latch is. There are no screws or bolts in that area, you can safely pull it back
about 2 inches. Then you'll have to stuck your finger in and push down the release bar.
See the 2 pictures below:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...z/IM000658.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...z/IM000664.jpg
(No pictures allowed in this forum , oh well, click the links then)
The first pic is of the latch, it's the gold section.
The second pic shows what you need to push downward.
When you get your finger back there, you should be able to feel for the part that need to
be pushed down. When that part is pushed down, the glass has been unlocked.


Now that the glass is unlocked, it and the tailgate can be opened. Now you can remove the
interior tailgate panel, it has one screw on each side and easily lifts off.

The actuator that needs to be replaced costs $58 from the dealer, so if you don't want
to replace it yet, but still want to open the back, you can leave the panel off and just puch the
manuel release level. Here's the pic of the tailgate:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...z/IM000669.jpg
It's in the open section right below the latch, hows my fingure pushing it:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...z/IM000668.jpg

I haven't replaced my actuator yet, still trying to find it for cheaper than the dealer wants,
but hardly any part store guys know what the hell an actuator is

Try checking that the handle in the tailgate returns to the 'open' postion. Once in a while, usually during/after the winter, the tailgate handle gets stuck in the 'pressed in' postion. I have to use WD-40 or some other lubricant to get the handle working again, which allows me to unlock and open the tailgate.

right where the carpet meets the plastic on the tailgate there is small opening pretty buch right on the other side of the button if you get a flat head screw driver in there there is a saftey slider latch in there move it over and its open

The problem I have found many times is the Handle on outside not returning all the way. That makes the lock not release. Check to make sure you push the handle all the way back to the closed position. I have to spray lube on the edges of the hndle every couple months to free it for my wife. Good Luck and have a great day.

There is a small plate on the tailgate door about center and a little to the right about2x3 inches. remove it and with your finger reach in through the insulation and you will feel a lever. that is the manual release. if it will not move the control motor is broken in the locked position. To change that you need to remove the panel on the door and the insulation mat covering it. It will cost about 90.00 bucks from jeep