1997 E320 Estate tailgate lock won't open

[mariner]

My tailgate unlocks from the central locking (I can hear it) but the door will not open past the first few millimeters. As I can't get it open I can't take the interior panelling off. Is there some way of releasing the whole lock from the car body thus allowing me to open the door and then investigate the fault?

 

[Thegemmesabogie]

Have you tried getting inside, holding the manual release lever whilst giving it a nudge (gentle or otherwise).

 

[mariner]

Yes (and I wasn't too gentle after a while) that's assuming you mean the release lever on the inside of the tailgate?

 

[mariner]

I should have added to the last post that I still haven't got it open!

 

[television]

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GA=722.626&CT=F&cat=65S&SID=74&SGR=030&SGN=02

I know it does not help much but is it possible to remove the covering and undo the screws

 

[Thegemmesabogie]

Yes (and I wasn't too gentle after a while) that's assuming you mean the release lever on the inside of the tailgate?

I did mean that, yes. It was only thing I could think of. My experience streches to the W124 estate lock but I'm sure they are similar. I had one of them stick on me once and I was violent with it from the inside and it eventually opened.
I'm not sure where you go from here, even with the inside panel off I'm not convinced that you can reach the sneck although it may be that a link has jumped off and you could see that to replace it. Tough call.

 

[mariner]

Malcolm
Thanks for the diagram. It will help when I do eventually get this door open.

Thegemmesabogie. I also have a W124 and I suspect you are right. I just have a suspicion this is an electro mechanical problem rather than just mechanical. But thanks for the sympathy.
If I manage to get it open I'll post the solution here!

Guy

 

[Thegemmesabogie]

If the 124 and the 211 are anything to go by the top of the trim panel just hooks into the steel underneath. It might be possible to 'hook' the top of the trim and ease it off its clips then you might just be able to pull it out far enough to get a squint down behind and see whats the matter.
Just another thought but have you tried pushing the door tight shut. The way you describe it being out a 'few millimetres' makes me think it might be stuck in the middle position which can sometimes confuse the electric lock. Also, the electric bit is only a closer, the lock mechanism will/should work independently of it quite happily. ie you can disconnect the power to it and the lock works as if it is manual anyway. At least on a 124 it does.

 

[mariner]

Success with tailgate

At last this afternoon I managed to get the "boot" in at just the right point because suddenly everything released. I think the electric locking had become confused as suggested but I could not repeat the failure again once I had the door open. I took the whole lot off and gave it a good WD40-ing and it now works properly.

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. I think I ended up useing a bit of it all. Thank you.

Guy

 

[Thegemmesabogie]

Scots engineers were always the best.

 

[television]

Scots engineers were always the best.

I must take care then not to answer any postings from Scotland.