XUV Tailgate Questions

TimRXUV777

Original poster
Member
May 6, 2014
189
XUV Tailgate Questions:

1) When you swing the tailgate open, there is a small gauge black coated wire on the hinge side of the tail gate that has been bent back and forth so many times that it fell apart. It looks like inside the black wire cover the wire inside was possibly red? Does anyone know what this wire connects to/controls?

2) My tailgate latches have ceased to function entirely and I have been wanting to swap my winter tires for summer ones now that the weather is getting decent. I removed the six torx screws that held the endgate /tailgate trim panel on and hoped I would be able to find the manual tailgate latch release switches? Are they White levers? It sounds like from the information on here and the o.s. that you need to take the trim panel and some inner reinforcement panel off before you can access the manual switches? The attached photo is of my tailgate after i removed the trim panel. Is the reinforcement panel the black panel in my photograph that is held on by six or so bolts? Do you have to disconnect the two connectors attached to whatever the box in the dead center of the tailgate is? Can maybe someone walk me through the remaining steps to manually open the tailgate? Maybe highlight the correct spots in my photograph? Once I do that can I latch it by moving those white levers in the opposite direction?
 

Attachments

  • 20150330_Tailgate RS.jpg
    20150330_Tailgate RS.jpg
    62.6 KB · Views: 48

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
The reinforcement panel is that black piece held in by the 10mm bolts. The box in the middle is your endgate control module. That's also responsible for your doors (un)locking, in addition to the releasing of the endgate latches. Disconnecting that isn't required.

When you press either the swing or drop switches, do you hear the latches at least trying to let go? My roommate's XUV has issues not always wanting to drop, but it will swing instead. We can hear the proper latches try to release, but if they don't, then both on the driver's side let go and it swings open. We haven't figured out what the issue is yet. :frown:
 

TimRXUV777

Original poster
Member
May 6, 2014
189
So I need to remove that black piece to access the manual switches? I look at the line drawing diagram and don't know where to locate them. The tailgate on mine used to be temperamental and sometimes unlatch and swing down and other times swing to the side. This winter it just stopped doing either one. I think i can hear a clicking if i keep pressing the pressure switches long enough.

I find it humorous and probably ironic that the new Corvette seems to use those same problematic pressure switches as door latches/handles..
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
According to this, the release latch is on the driver's side, and only allows the endgate to swing open. Hopefully then you can disconnect the harnesses and check them for power when you press the switches.

Open%20Endgate%20without%20Power.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: TimRXUV777

TimRXUV777

Original poster
Member
May 6, 2014
189
So I took the six bolts out of that center black "reinforcement" panel and it's stuck there pretty well.. Do i need to pry it off with a screw driver? Both the manual switches are on the left/drivers side of the gate? If they are does that center black panel actually need to come off for access?
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
Make sure you got the recessed bolts out too. You will need a 6" extension. I don't remember how many in total there were, but there were 2 bolts that were recessed. There's only 1 manual release, and according to the directions, that panel needs to come out, so you can't skip that step. Once you get the recessed bolts out, the panel comes off easily. You may want to unbolt the endgate control module from it, so you can set the panel inside the truck, but the control module remain plugged in for testing.
 

TimRXUV777

Original poster
Member
May 6, 2014
189
Looks like according to the manual illustration that the switches are accessed through that hole in the panel, shown with the white arrow on my photograph, right? One lever on two switches right?20150330_Tailgate RS2.jpg
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
If you can reach the lever without requiring more clearance, then by all means go for it. The few times I've accessed the internals of the endgate, I wasn't looking for that lever, so I don't know it's exact location. I've got pretty long arms, so I usually need a little extra clearance when things are in tight spaces.
 

TimRXUV777

Original poster
Member
May 6, 2014
189
Thanks Blkshdw for your help. I took the black inner reinforcement panel off., because even though you can still access the switches with it still attached it is easier with it off. I found the switches like this post from the o.s. describes. There are two one near the top of the tailgate and one in the bottom corner on the left/drivers side:

arcodeforza
user_offline.png

Junior Member

Envoy GMC Envoy SLT XUV
Silver Mist Metallic 4.2L I6 AWD

Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: St Paul MN
Posts: 1

I found the manual release switches.
If you are in the back of the vehicle, looking at the closed door, they will be on the right hand side. I am assuming you have taken off the back plastic cover and you are looking the inside of the backdoor. You can access these with the window down all the way.
There will be two small black plastic boxes along the inside to the right. They both have 2 small metal switches that you push up. They do not push up very easily. One is located in the upper middle of the door while the other is located way at the bottom.
I pushed on the top latch and the door opened a little. The bottom latch is very hard to access and to push up. After moving both latches, I had to do them both a second time in order for the door to open all the way. Wiggling the door a little seemed to help the latches move.


The top one was pretty easy to trip the bottom one is really, really difficult to get to unlatch. I finally got it with help by having someone push and pull on the exterior of the tailgate.

Any ideas what those black covered, red and black wires control/ are for? It was on the hinge side (passenger side) of the tailgate. I can't make sense of the electrical diagrams that i've seen.
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
You happen to have any pictures of which ones you're talking about? I can take a look at the wiring diagrams and try to figure out which ones they are.
 

TimRXUV777

Original poster
Member
May 6, 2014
189
Don't have pics yet. but this red arrow shows where they are located. That side anyway and it's two small gauge red and black wires inside a black covering.

20150330_Tailgate RS3.jpg
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
Uneducated guess tells me they're for the 3rd brake light, if they seem to be running towards the top of the end gate. 2nd guess maybe for the window regulator. You'd probably have to trace them and see what they lead to.
 

TimRXUV777

Original poster
Member
May 6, 2014
189
Both window and third brake light seem to be working. I guess since i have both panels off I can maybe trace it inside the tailgate, haven't tried that yet.
 

bigjerel

Member
May 10, 2015
2
That rear door has been a pain for me in the past as well. I really wish GM had made those switches more reliable. I had to replace both at 40K and now the swing is starting to be intermittent again. If I get in there and take the panel off in the next week, I'll let you know if I see anything that might be of help.
 
May 25, 2015
3
I have a 2004 XUV with tailgate malfunctions. Hopefully someone has seen this issue and has some advice. The indicator on the dash says tailgate ajar. The back window went down and stays down only. The pressure switch in the middle will unlatch and allow the tailgate to lay flat. the pressure switch for the swing will not do anything. I tested both pressure switches and they both work. I have checked the ajar open switches in the Multi pin connector as follows.
Pin 9 to 10
Pin 9 to 22
They switch when the gate is opened and closed. Since I can't swing the tailgate I can't check the lower left switch.
a diagram I saw shows an optical switch, however I don't see it anywhere to test it.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    59.5 KB · Views: 23

Meiznac

Member
Feb 21, 2013
20
did you try swapping the touch pads to make sure?

if its not the pads maybe its the driver side upper or lower door latch.
i had the driver side upper latch not locking/latching when i close the the gate.

with the tailgate closed, when i accelerate from a stop, i get a "Tailgate Ajar" in the DIC.

you could open the interior tailgate panel and manually open the tailgate to swing open.
then you could keep the tailgate open and push on the lock mechanisms to see if they lock, if they don't lock in place, you found your culprit.
 
May 25, 2015
3
I checked and swapped and confirmed that each touch pad works.
I manually released the swing lower left latch and checked all of the latches. all of the latches operate freely.
I also tested pin9 to pin24 in the connector and it opens and closes when I manually turn the lower driver side latch. All 3 latches will switch the ajar open contacts when I manually open and close them in the pin connector. The tailgate always works as a truck but not all at to swing.

I also tested the swing touchpad wiring to the connector. Pins 8 to 9. Working confirmed.

Center touch pad pins 20 to 9. Working confirmed

Is there a 4th sensor somewhere for the DIC? It acts like there is another ajar switch and it's stuck in truck tailgate open/close mode.
 

Meiznac

Member
Feb 21, 2013
20
with the tailgate swung open.
did you push on the lock mechanisms, make sure they click.
then hit unlock, the lock mechanism should go back to original position.
 

JAMXUV

Member
Jan 15, 2014
2
This may be from left field but are all your gauges working in yous dash cluster. I had a problem with my info system sounding an alarm telling me the tailgate was ajar and other codes. It would come and go for years until I went to replaced my stepping motors for my gauges and fixed a broken solded connection on the board. I have not had a problem since. It has something to do with sending bad codes to the control module.

Jeff
 
May 25, 2015
3
Yes, all of the gauges work in the dash cluster. The only message displayed is tailgate ajar.

I did remove the lower driver side latch. It does not release when you push on the manual level. The top latch will pop open and the lower stays closed.

I am ordering a new latch.
 

XUVconversion

Member
Aug 6, 2018
9
Southern CALIFORNIA
Unfortunately latches are a little over $100 each, (best to replace all 3 same time). FORTUNATELY these still seem to be on the "still available" parts list while things like the rear tail gate regulator/motor and roof motor are tough to source used and not available new.

Since the latch houses it's internal OPEN/CLOSED sensor, I assume June 2015 the new latch cured your issue. Would love to hear what has been required since or if everything is still operational.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

Is it possible to utilize the MID-GATE regulator/motor at the wiring harness connector for the TAIL-GATE regulator?

My shot TAIL-GATE regulator is sending a 1/2 open position. Motor will not turn using TechII per dealer, to move or relearn. Window's ACTUAL position is all the way down.

Of course my roof cannot be tested whilst rear is in this condition. Nor do my latches work (have to swing it open with manual tabs located on the latch assembly.

I'm thinking if the plug is the same I could remove my tail glass (fine with me) and just have a glass-less MID-GATE regulator in the tail-gate, sending the UP and DOWN sensor position to the BCM so the rest of the trucks functionality is restored.

The reason I ask, who can find a TAIL-GATE Regulator & Motor? Notice if you DO they've jacked the price to insanity levels? Yet the MID-GATE Regulator can be had for $125.00 all day long it appears. Anybody know if the connectors might marry up? This would be a cheap fix if so and that's what I'm looking for.
 

XUVconversion

Member
Aug 6, 2018
9
Southern CALIFORNIA
Never mind (ha). Proceeding with removal of the endgate. The midgate motor and regulator are completely non-interchangable.

PLEASE REPLY if you know how to get the thing OFF. After really looking at it, I cannot figure out a way to dismantle the passenger side. I'm disabled by the fact I have never got the gate to lay down like a truck, it only swings open! CAN IT BE REMOVED? Any help greatly appreciated.

Thank you.
 

mrrsm

Lifetime VIP Donor
Supporting Donor
Member
Oct 22, 2015
7,641
Tampa Bay Area

Forum Statistics

Threads
23,273
Posts
637,498
Members
18,472
Latest member
MissCrutcher

Members Online

No members online now.