W164 2010 ML Boot/Tailgate closing issues

[airbag]

Hi,
I wanted to ask advice to troubleshoot and fix a rear Tailgate issue on a 2010 ML 350.

Boot started to only open to halfway about 6 months back.
I had to open and close it manually to use the thing, and now its got to a stage where the remote will pop the lock, but not lift the tailgate at all. If it is manually opened to the top it will not close either.
If it is manually pushed closed the lock will engage and lock the boot correctly.
I had also noticed (when the boot was working correctly) that I could manually push the tailgate a few inches higher once the motor had fully opened it.. not sure weather that is related at all.

But what I do suspect is the car has suffered from a leaking boot since new (drips out of the plastic trim at the top left of the bootlid (where the trim joins together) and upon removing the spare wheel and looking at the motor underneath on the right side, it is showing signs of corrosion from water damage.

Is this a problem others have experienced, and could anyone advise on further tests I could try... or from the information given above diagnose?

Many thanks for your time and expertise.

 

[EmilysDad]

Hi,
I wanted to ask advice to troubleshoot and fix a rear Tailgate issue on a 2010 ML 350.

Boot started to only open to halfway about 6 months back.
I had to open and close it manually to use the thing, and now its got to a stage where the remote will pop the lock, but not lift the tailgate at all. If it is manually opened to the top it will not close either.
If it is manually pushed closed the lock will engage and lock the boot correctly.
I had also noticed (when the boot was working correctly) that I could manually push the tailgate a few inches higher once the motor had fully opened it.. not sure weather that is related at all.

But what I do suspect is the car has suffered from a leaking boot since new (drips out of the plastic trim at the top left of the bootlid (where the trim joins together) and upon removing the spare wheel and looking at the motor underneath on the right side, it is showing signs of corrosion from water damage.

Is this a problem others have experienced, and could anyone advise on further tests I could try... or from the information given above diagnose?

Many thanks for your time and expertise.

Sounds not dissimilar to my R Class tail gate. The motor is next to the spare wheel on mine & I've found that unplugging & remaking the plugs helps .... but not completely. Like yours, my tailgate use to pour water out of the tailgate trim when it opened and it took me ages to suss out where the water was coming from/getting in. On mine, the chrome trim above the number plate is held by two ally captive nuts that had both rotted & so the trim was slightly loose ... not very much, but enough for water to pass it. I removed it all & resealed the trim & handle etc to the back of the car & used a stainless nut on the back of the screws instead of the ally nuts. This sealed the tailgate & has had the added effect of the tailgate operating more or less as it should.

 

[airbag]

Hi.
Many thanks for posting that. Ill take a look into that metal surround. From a quick look another area could be the top-level brake light on top of the tailgate.... looks to be a similar setup where a cover could leak.
That aside, Im not even sure that corroded motor I mentioned is working ok... could you put a battery across it or another test to know electrics were getting to it and it worked?

 

[CrustyClam]

Mine was a simple fix, found after much faffing

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/i...-and-closing-problems-ml.172526/#post-1677242

 

[CrustyClam]

Regarding leaks from my searches and own experiences:-

Rear light cluster seals. Changed on mine

Rear windows (right next to tailgate). Peel the rubber trim back use silicone to stop bad leaking (source of my leaks)

Don't blast water under wheel arches ( air vents can let in water, check sealing around them, would need to remove bumper)

3rd brake stop lamp (no issues so far)

Had my bumper off early last year to replace a non used towing bar with original under bumper crash bar. (I took it off recently as I pushed a slightly loose revering sensor in, found the inside nuts in service area really loose. ( possibly why water got in my wheel well area)

Also possible was because the tailgate handle was open water got in there.

The Ml boot area has more holes than a sieve. The sieve however doesn't hide them

 

[W164ml420cdi]

Regarding leaks from my searches and own experiences:-

Rear light cluster seals. Changed on mine

Rear windows (right next to tailgate). Peel the rubber trim back use silicone to stop bad leaking (source of my leaks)

Don't blast water under wheel arches ( air vents can let in water, check sealing around them, would need to remove bumper)

3rd brake stop lamp (no issues so far)

Had my bumper off early last year to replace a non used towing bar with original under bumper crash bar. (I took it off recently as I pushed a slightly loose revering sensor in, found the inside nuts in service area really loose. ( possibly why water got in my wheel well area)

Also possible was because the tailgate handle was open water got in there.

The Ml boot area has more holes than a sieve. The sieve however doesn't hide them

Hi,

I'm in the process of drying out my boot and after sealing the tail lights and 3rd brake light, strongly suspect the rear (boot) windows are still allowing water past as the sponge insulation above the rear wheel arches is damp.

Would you give me more detail on how you sealed your windows, any info would be gratefully received!?

Mang thanks.

 

[CrustyClam]

Hi,

I'm in the process of drying out my boot and after sealing the tail lights and 3rd brake light, strongly suspect the rear (boot) windows are still allowing water past as the sponge insulation above the rear wheel arches is damp.

Would you give me more detail on how you sealed your windows, any info would be gratefully received!?

Mang thanks.

Hi,

There's a rubber trim that's for cosmetic purposes that runs from the roof line to the tail lights, you can pull this upwards from the tail light and that reveals the join between the glass and the bodywork. I used a small amount of automotive silicone to seal between the glass and bodywork, not leaked since (well in that area). I also did a small bead of captain trolleys crack seal on upper part of the rubber on the rear boot windows. (If you do it carefully it should bead without soaking in and create a seal.

That leak however never made it to the boot area.

I recently sorted another leak that made it to the boot area and that was the rubber seals that are used on a couple of bolts that hold the bumper in place. ( they have a rubber washer on the outside to stop water ingress) Those bolts nuts are accessed internally near the rear light area, mine were loose after having the bumper removed to remove a tow bar, and refit a rear valance. Tighning those stopped the boot leak.

Got another leak now though on passenger side, the rubber around the air vent behind the boot panel must have perished, very slight ingress, current stopped by plumbers drip pads until the weather better so I can remove bumper and reseal.

The ML is like a sieve.

 

[Uncle Benz]

W176 A class is worse. Just saying.

 

[W164ml420cdi]

Hi,

There's a rubber trim that's for cosmetic purposes that runs from the roof line to the tail lights, you can pull this upwards from the tail light and that reveals the join between the glass and the bodywork. I used a small amount of automotive silicone to seal between the glass and bodywork, not leaked since (well in that area). I also did a small bead of captain trolleys crack seal on upper part of the rubber on the rear boot windows. (If you do it carefully it should bead without soaking in and create a seal.

That leak however never made it to the boot area.

I recently sorted another leak that made it to the boot area and that was the rubber seals that are used on a couple of bolts that hold the bumper in place. ( they have a rubber washer on the outside to stop water ingress) Those bolts nuts are accessed internally near the rear light area, mine were loose after having the bumper removed to remove a tow bar, and refit a rear valance. Tighning those stopped the boot leak.

Got another leak now though on passenger side, the rubber around the air vent behind the boot panel must have perished, very slight ingress, current stopped by plumbers drip pads until the weather better so I can remove bumper and reseal.

The ML is like a sieve.

Thank you very much for getting back. I'll have a go but sounds like access will be tight?

You're spot on, the ML is awful for leaks. I'm just grateful it hasn't fried my SAM and all the other electrics in there. Cheers again!

 

[CrustyClam]

Thank you very much for getting back. I'll have a go but sounds like access will be tight?

You're spot on, the ML is awful for leaks. I'm just grateful it hasn't fried my SAM and all the other electrics in there. Cheers again!

Your welcome and good luck sorting it. The rear bumper bolts need a flexible ratchet spanner. It's awkward for those.

 

[CrustyClam]

W176 A class is worse. Just saying.

Eeek, please don't tell me that, the wife's car is 65 plate A class.

 

[Uncle Benz]

Eeek, please don't tell me that, the wife's car is 65 plate A class.

Lol! Look for condensation inside the rear lamps. If you can see any it's very likely you have water getting in behind the rear bumper. I have done literally hundreds of them! It's the vents behind the rear bumper that are the culprit. If you pull up the carpet in the front of the passenger footwell it is very often damp in the bottom. The water will find its way all the way to the front of the car.

 

[CrustyClam]

Lol! Look for condensation inside the rear lamps. If you can see any it's very likely you have water getting in behind the rear bumper. I have done literally hundreds of them! It's the vents behind the rear bumper that are the culprit.

Thanks for the heads up. At least I have head start on sorting this one when/if it rears its ugly head.

 

[star]

Hi,
I wanted to ask advice to troubleshoot and fix a rear Tailgate issue on a 2010 ML 350.

Boot started to only open to halfway about 6 months back.
I had to open and close it manually to use the thing, and now its got to a stage where the remote will pop the lock, but not lift the tailgate at all. If it is manually opened to the top it will not close either.
If it is manually pushed closed the lock will engage and lock the boot correctly.
I had also noticed (when the boot was working correctly) that I could manually push the tailgate a few inches higher once the motor had fully opened it.. not sure weather that is related at all.

But what I do suspect is the car has suffered from a leaking boot since new (drips out of the plastic trim at the top left of the bootlid (where the trim joins together) and upon removing the spare wheel and looking at the motor underneath on the right side, it is showing signs of corrosion from water damage.

Is this a problem others have experienced, and could anyone advise on further tests I could try... or from the information given above diagnose?

Many thanks for your time and expertise.

I take it that yours has powered tailgate opening/closing. Have you tried normalising it?

 

[Uncle Benz]

Thanks for the heads up. At least I have head start on sorting this one when/if it rears its ugly head.

I created a thread on this problem, but since the server upgrade its hard to find them. I'll see what I can find...

 

[Uncle Benz]

Found it!

https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/...my-shop-today-w176-with-a-pond-inside.173324/

 

[airbag]

Some great info there thanks.
My particular issue turned out to be the high level brake light letting it in. It still seemed in good condition so I taped off the paintwork and prised it open a touch, pooing it up with a bead of clear silicone... been dry as a bone since which is one problem sorted.
However, I should have done this when I first noticed the water coming in, as my lifting motor is badly corroded now does not even turn when I put a battery across it.
My tailgate switch still makes a bing-bong sound and when down near the motor I can hear a click when pushing the tailgate button....

 

[airbag]

Decided to revisit this problem as its knaffing me off so much. So I get power to the tailgate motor connections - but no motor whirr!... I do get a couple of clicks from down that area when the fobs pressed.
Taking a look at my motor its for sure corroded from water damage from the high level stop light (now sorted).

Maybe just a case of installing a new motor if one could get such a used part (from what I read they are popular used items?)
So if I can get one for a 2010 ML 350 and the lines are disconnected - is there a requirement to go through some sort of bleed process of the hydraulics?