'96 GC Limited...the handle on the rear lift gate feels like it has broken. When pulled, if limply flops up and down and does nothing to unlatch the gate.

Is there a trick to getting the interior door panel off to access the latch while the gate is closed? I've got all the screws out I can possible access and think I have all the snaps released, but I can't get it to bend enough to clear the floor panel around the gate.

Suggestions?

 

you may have to cut the cover panel in half or even more pieces to remove it. Or cut a hole in it to access the latch mechanism, I would try the hole option first if it was mine. a drill and a jigsaw ought to do the job.

 

The funny thing is the WJ has an access door molded into the panel for this purpose, but it isn't cut thru the plastic by you until you need it. Your best thing to do is go to a body shop and ask the guys who've done this before or go to a junkyard and remove a panel it see for yourself where to access the latch, BEFORE you cut up your panel.

On my WJ, there are 2 latches that connect to a bellcrank in the center with cables and a cable from the handle to activate them. The lock solenoid keeps the bellcrank from moving. There is an access panel directly over this bellcrank so you can lift the solenoid plunger to unlock the bellcrank. This access door has to be cut thru with a box cutter and the insulation blanket also covers it. If you can find out exactly where the latch mechanism is on your ZJ, you won't have to tear up the panel to find it.

That's the best I've got. Good luck!

 

Dave I didn't know that about the WJ's rear panel had never dug that deep into the service manual I guess.


Thanks for posting!

 

You could break the interior panel and use pliers to release the latch, but it's cheaper and easier to find the license plate cover in a junk yard then a matching interior panel not already broken so I'd reccomend taking off your license plate off and breaking the plastic panel to access your latch.

 

No, this information was gained from experience with a burnt out lock solenoid. I went to the JY and looked at a WJ that was already there, took the panel off and pulled the solenoid and both latches. The whole deal cost me $25 and some time. I missed pulling the wiper motor! That died 2 months later.

The engineer that designed that bellcrank release mechanism should be burnt at the stake! Those 2 latch cables have to be adjusted EXACTLY to unlatch at the same time or they put too much stress on the one that doesn't unlatch. New latches are $150 each at the dealer.

 

Dave, thank you for the clarification about the access panel cut out requirement. That makes sense after looking at the panel form the inside and seeing nothing that looks like an access panel. I'm not at the point where I'm willing to tear up the interior panel nor cut a hole in the lift gate, but I can take the panel off my '98 and look for the position of this knock out and use that info to dial in the access on the '96.

 

Yeah, it's better to have some sort of reference before you do more damage than is necessary. That's why I went to the JY and looked at another WJ. Just remember there's a moisture barrier you'll have to cut thru as well.

 

When mine did this I went on the inside ans loosened as many of the screws as I could. Then I stuck my hand in it (from the inside) and grabbed the rod that releases it and pulled. I got it on the 2nd try. Got it opened took the inner panels off and fixed it. I lose some blood but I didn't have to find a new inner panel.

 

Oh, it's not a good fix unless you bled while doing it! That's the true jeep experience! LOL!

 

Just reread my answer. Sorry for the terrible spelling and or English! I meant to say I lost a bit of blood. Dave it seems like if my JEEPS don't draw blood when I work on them they wont get fixed right. But I have a problem I only have jeeps! My wife is afraid when I look at craigslist because I come home with another one!

 

If you haven't cut it yet, try pushing the key hole in hard (without the key, use your finger) and pull the handle. My jeep used to do this religiously, almost like a self locking mechanism hehehe. Now have a new hatch, painted, installed, and hew handle so it doesn't do this anymore. However if your lock is stuck and won't open the gate, that's a different issue and probably will require manual labor, as all jeeps do haha.

 

I'll try the key trick first, then sacrifice some blood to the Jeep gods by reaching behind the panel. I'm a skinny dude and can often access areas some of my friends can't get even get their hands into. I'm reluctant to start cutting things up as a first solution.

 

Okay, key trick didn't work, but the cover was loose enough I could reach down from above, grab the release rod and pull it to release the lock. Once opened, took the last few screws out to remove the cover so I have access to the mechanism. Adjusted the release rod a bit, seem to work pretty consistently now. But, when the handle is lifted, it does not really "pop" the hatch open. You can hear it click but you still have to give it a pretty decent pull to open.