Stuck open or closed rusty Tailgate Latch fix for 2003-2009 Toyota 4Runner

If your rear tailgate won't stay shut but you can hear the electronic mechanism making noise, or it won't open, this is how to fix this common issue on 4th gen 4runners and save yourself a lot of money.
I apologize in advance for rushing through the video. My iPhone's memory was full and had to keep it short. Also, it was labor day weekend and I was camping in my 4runner that evening. I missed most of the day because I couldn't get my rear hatch to stay closed.
A few things I left out of the video.
-to remove the back panel first remove the door strap with a 10 mil socket. The bolt is also a large phillips head screw but a socket is needed (the bolt snapped on me). Then use a plastic wedge. They're $7 for a set at harbor freight, home depot...etc. Jam it under the panel in a corner and work it across while pulling with your hands. The pannel is held on with plastic pieces and they won't break (hopefully) Then slide the panel towards the top of the hatch door because the panel curves inward where the glass window is.
If your door is stuck shut, you'll need to crawl into back and pop open the larger of the two small doors. There will be a plastic moisture layer you can peel up with your hands. You'll see a white box. On the side there is a protruding white cover that slides off to give access to the two handles you move to release the hatch door.
You'll need to disconnect the vehicles battery and the plugs that go into the computer because the computer needs to relearn the system.
Good Luck!

[@brentbanning8200]

Latch wouldn't hold gate shut, just followed these instructions, cleaned & lubed works great now. Saved $$$. thank you

[@skipast75]

Brent Banning glad to hear it worked for you. Cheers!

[@SlappyBruno5150]

Your video worked well. For me after reinstalling, it wasn’t working, appeared to be no power to unit. So disconnected car battery, to see if the electronics would reset...and it did and worked. Just a tip for anyone else that my have the same issue after removing and cleaning. Thanks again.

[@skipast75]

Mike Lorenz , glad it worked for you.

[@ToyeOloni]

Hi Mike. I had similar issue. I had to disconnect the battery for the unit to reset after re-installation. Thanks for sharing this little tip. I saved me some dooo

[@wahdez1229]

Am dealing with the same thing no power at all, am goint to disconnect the battery right now. I'll let you know if works for me in a few minutes.

[@sirich7751]

Same issue...Thought I busted the thing but disconnecting the negative terminal reset the module in the rear door.

[@HaynSoja]

I had to do the same! Thanks 🤙🏽

[@alia176]

I found this video in the hopes of figuring out why the latch won't release the tailgate. I can hear the mechanism but it's not able to finish the entire stroke. So, I'll use this video to take it apart and clean it out before plunking down for a brand new assembly. They cost $234 at Claremont Toyota. Thank you for taking the time to make the video.

[@merrittlentz3608]

I recently took my 4runner into the dealership for a warranty dashboard replacement, and I figured I should have them take a look at the hatch that wasn't closing. They quoted $750 and told me that the entire mechanism had to be replaced. Instead, I followed your instructions and fixed it in an hour! Thank you for this! I might add that it is a good idea to leave the latch out of the door and in a safe place overnight after you get the parts moving again. That way you can test it again after it sits for a while, and if necessary (in my case it was) repeat the process to remove any remaining rust or debris. Doing this will help ensure that you get everything working before putting everything back together. Another tip - if you happen to disconnect and reconnect the battery while your hatch is open, it will put the hatch in safe mode and it won't operate at all. This happened to me as I was working on a few other repairs simultaneously. To re-calibrate, just close the back hatch with the repaired latch in place (it should shut and stay shut), disconnect the battery for 5 minutes, and reconnect.

[@skipast75]

Merritt Lentz glad it worked for you!

[@Funwithhighnotes]

Bro yes! I plan on doing this same thing, I mean, I know something in the mechanism simply isn’t doing it’s job.. on a whim I get on the good ol tube and sure enough, someone has posted their findings and results! The 4Runner community is second to none!

[@phrodo99]

Thanks a bunch this solution worked like a charm! Had a little trouble getting that little cam in the latch to move freely again but all & all this fix saved me some good cash.

[@jn7818]

My 2004 wasn't making any noise so I thought it was shot. While it still had power I wiggled the two latches you showed to open it. They made the glorious noise of unlocking. Now everything works. Thanks!

[@shanesamaroo8937]

Thanks, dude. Nice video. I had the same issue after trying to lube; it still wouldn't stay closed. After watching your video, the same piece at the end caused me the same problem. Fixed without having to remove the latch just by working it up and down.

[@norontboyz5949]

Excellent video! Searched all over the internet looking for a solution and finally came across your video. Ours was however so badly jammed we had to modify it, by cutting half of the metal latch housing with a grinder, and freeing up the piece. We then cut a notch into that tiny piece and into the other side of the housing and attached a small spring to make it work again. Smothered it all in some grease and its good to go! Saved $230 on a new motor

[@skipast75]

glad to hear it!

[@grahamblair8318]

I've been driving 4Runners for about 25 years now and over that time have replaced probably three of these latch units. This time, I chanced on this video and was able to repair rather than replace. Many Thanks!

[@skipast75]

Sorry everyone for the really late replies, glad it saved you money. I spent a lot of time watching videos that didn’t make any sense and decided the rusty and gummed up latch was 99% most likely the culprit.

[@twowheeledsmurph]

Having this exact same issue. I'll take it apart and try your fix. Many thanks! Update - Took everything apart as you suggested. I discovered the exact issue you had described in your video. I was able to shoot some video of the part in question and will upload it soon. I'll be sure to give credit to you for the fix, though! Kudos my friend! Saved me a couple hundred at least.

[@skipast75]

roamingsmurph glad it worked out for you. I replaced my rear hatch with one I bought from Texas. Rust free but it didn’t come with the latch. I swapped it out and it was still nice and clean inside the mechanism. I oiled it again... should be good to go for a while.

[@mitchell2675]

Thanks for the video! Just did mine. I did, however, saturate the entire assembly with PB Blaster, aside from the motor. I sprayed the entire assembly down with brake parts cleaner after and thoroughly cleaned everything with a shop rag and dozens of Q-Tips. PB Blaster wont hurt the electronics so long as you clear it all out before reinstalling it. Water is what kills electrical components. I then took the time to grease all moving parts with lithium grease. If anyone reads this and you have an issue with the latch motor not cycling after you reinstall it, unplug both connectors on the computer, wait a couple minutes, plug them back in, and cycle your door locks. Everything should work after that. I’d like to add that the part you said controls the latch is actually a position switch. It doesn’t actually control the latch, it just tells the computer what position the latch is in. And the blue sensor is just a limit switch. My guess would be for the side of the assembly that uses the gear teeth. The moving parts trigger it to tell the computer that it’s moved as far as it’s supposed to.

[@skipast75]

I could have used brake cleaner but thought there would probably be a few people getting it in their eyes. Thought I’d stick to the safer method. Haha

[@mitchell2675]

I appreciate that. Even I do that from time to time…

[@jean-philippechiasson4562]

Thanks alot this just worked for me ! I had just about gave up calling some wreckers , i could not find where the problem was and lets say it was well hidden. Soo glad i randomly landed on this video !

[@skipast75]

Jean-Philippe Chiasson. Glad I could help!

[@lightlypeppered]

YOU ARE THE MAN!!! I had the exact same issue and was able to fix it following your instructions. Thank you!

[@skipast75]

You’re welcome

[@HaynSoja]

Thanks so much man! This worked like a charm. The only tricky part for me was removing the plastic cover. Only took me 1 hr. Total and saved me $300+ (labor included). Aloha!

[@skipast75]

Stoked it worked for you! Mine is still working like a charm. I bought a new hatch and swapped it into the the new hatch because the new one wasn’t a soft close. Even with the possible hassle of doing this again, I chose to keep the technology because I hate having to slam hatches shut.

[@dillannelson7135]

Wow that little tiny lever hidden on the inside! Just saved me big cash! Thanks so much!

[@skipast75]

You’re welcome!

[@ambientnature]

Thank you skipast75 for taking the time to put this video together. I had never done anything like this before but was able to follow you step by step. I had to watch things more than several times, and it took me about 4 hours. There were a couple of places where I could have used a bit more direction, but figuring my way through it was entertaining. I had to scrape and spray for about an hour before I could actually see the latch. But I cleaned it pretty well, well enough that the mechanism stayed shut. I got stuck here for a while because the latch would catch but not that well. I had no idea how much tension was supposed to be keeping it closed. I thought I might be done but thankfully I pressed on and found a few more pockets of rust deep in the back of the latch. Once those cleared, the mechanism felt solid. I rinsed the pb blaster away with wd-40. I think that is what you meant? I applied grease to the brass gears connecting the motor to the lock, but could not tell where else grease should have been applied. I am pleased to report that it works better than ever now. Its a 2006 but I'[ve only had it for a couple of years. Looks like you saved me about $700 were I to take it to a mechanic. I appreciate your efforts.

[@skipast75]

Michael Seymour. I’m glad I could help! When I made this video my old phone’s memory was full and it kept stopping my recording before I was done. I think I recorded this about 6 times that day. I definitely rushed this recording...... If my latch ever seizes again I’ll make a new video.

[@danielmcgovern4187]

Just did my ‘05, after reconnecting it wouldn’t work at all. Unplugged the controller power (blue plug on the controller that the latch plugs into) and it then would lock- but not unlock with the button! From an obscure thread I picked up a tip to lock & unlock the doors via the driver’s door AND THAT DID THE TRICK! Probably a logic bomb Toyota programmed in.

[@paulhbrown]

Bless you, Daniel! I had the same symptoms: would lock but not unlock. Did the driver's door trick: now working perfectly again.

[@blakebowman7212]

Worked like a charm, thank you for this video!

[@skipast75]

Glad I could help!

[@robbiec3818]

Great video, fixed my gate!

[@chrisduparri9423]

Thank you! The little manual release lever you show with the flashlight is the culprit. also- check & replace the outer weatherstripping on the back window, mine was bad and allowed dirt and water to cause the problem.

[@skipast75]

I need to replace my weather stripping.. thanks for reminding me. My rear wiper broke off driving through a nasty storm in Wisconsin last month. Took me 8 hours to drive 300 miles. Yuck

[@timdolan2466]

One additional tip that worked for me. Drive a screwdriver or similar tool to spread the steel housing case slightly. That helps free up the sticking gear in addition to grease/ oil.

[@skipast75]

Tim Dolan I think mine was rusted shut so I couldn’t. Haha

[@thespecialist8602]

Thank you for the video!! I was able to fix my 5th gen. It was full of rust and cleaning it fixed it!.

[@skipast75]

I have a TRD Offroad premium 5th gen now and was disappointed when I realized it didn’t have soft close on the hatch. Is yours a Limited? Also disappointed it doesn’t have 1 turn ignition like my 4th gen. I’ve owned my 5th gen for almost 2 years and I still turn the key like it has the technology…. Oh well. One year later they all came with push button start. I kinda like having an actual key with the amount of push button cars getting stolen nowadays.

[@gavins9021]

Worked like a charm, just get the crud out and lube it and it works great. Thanks Man

[@skipast75]

Stoked it worked for you.

[@gavins9021]

@@skipast75 i tip my hat and my beer.... cheers

[@cphansen]

This is exactly the explanation I needed to get my tailgate working again. Saved me hundreds. Cheers.

[@skipast75]

Late response but I’m glad it worked for you. Sorry the video was rushed…my old iPhone 6 ran out of memory 3/4 of the way through so I had to redo it in fast forward.

[@elvisguerrero8362]

Thanks a lot my friend. You save me from paying a lot of money for an used spare part ! Great job! I spend two days testing the electrical parts.

[@skipast75]

Elvis Guerrero glad I could help.

[@jaafarmahmood6430]

thank you for taking all together for us , i have a question here plz , is it possible to replace the soft close mechanism with a normal close ? hope you can help me

[@skipast75]

Yes it is. My hatch was rusty so I bought a used hatch from Texas.. same color but it wasn’t soft close. I swapped the soft close parts into the new hatch, used the ceiling winch in my sisters garage to lift the old hatch off and lift the new one into place. If a standard mechanism can be replaced with a soft close than the opposite should be true.

[@nahumdiabo6375]

Having the same issue wondering if I get that little piece to move back and forth. Instead of taking the whole thing apart. You think that would work? I used to do this on car hoods the leaver just needed to be pushed to the one side hood would close every time.

[@skipast75]

Sorry for the late response.. but were you able to get to it without removing everything? My most recent reply may need to do that if they’re unable to get the hatch open.

[@thereagauze]

I cannot get the little tab that plugs into the little indent inside the plastic tab to come out, any tips? should it pull straight out?

[@skipast75]

thereagauze If you’re referring to the metal tab that plugs into the white plastic housing you need to remove the little screw then pull. It takes a little effort but it does come apart. Just don’t stick anything to pry it out. Sorry for the delayed response.

[@GavinGentles99]

This video is super helpful! Our only problem is we can't get the hatch to open. We took the plastic casing off but moving the 2 levers ourselves still isn't opening it. Any suggestions?

[@skipast75]

Gavin Gentles have someone push in on the hatch from the outside while you pull the 2 levers then push out while still pulling the levers. You should feel a click when you pull on them... if not pull a little harder. Also, make sure you disconnect the computer before doing anything. If this doesn’t work, try plugging the computer in again and then disconnect it again.. then repeat the process with someone pushing in from the outside. If this still work, try spraying PB Blaster, using the little red straw that presses into the spray nozzle, into the latch from inside the vehicle. I don’t remember if there is access to the latch from the inside so you may need to be resourceful and drill a hole in the plastic cover. Spraying it liberally around the area I show in the video should do the trick as it will work it’s way down to the latch. Good luck and keep me posted!

[@shelby3822]

Planning to get to this soon...What kind of grease are people using after cleaning/freeing the latch to relube it?

[@skipast75]

Late response but I used mobile 1 synthetic bearing/axel grease. It sticks forever and doesn’t harden over time.

[@cj1740]

Hi there, thanks for this video. So I have an 05 4Runner and my latch/door is stuck closed, I took the panel off and the white plastic box. I sprayed lots of p blaster in there and it still won’t open. I moved the little latch inside but to no avail. Does the big lever close the latch and small lever open it? It was hard to see with your phone moving all over at that part of the video. Is the big lever supposed move upwards cause mine only moves down?? I’m wondering if this might be the problem?. Also when I try to open the door from the outside it does move the levers and makes noise still. The door is locked in a loose position so it rattles. It like the soft close didn’t pull it all the way down. It’s a long shot that you will respond but I had to try I’ve been trying to open this hatch for days now. 😢

[@skipast75]

If my memory is correct…. You need to pull both levers at the same time. They only go one direction. If it’s stuck half open you can unhook the battery or unplug the computer in the hatch door. By default, what ever position the door is in when power is applied to it again is the position the door thinks it needs to be in(after reconnecting the battery or plug to the computer) So.. if you reconnect the battery with the door open, when you close the hatch it will reopen a few seconds later. It’s easiest to unhook the battery. (Always unhook the negative cable) If you do this and it reopens itself than my memory is wrong and you need to plug the battery back in with the door open… but try it with the door closed first. But…Your first step is to get the hatch open. Unplug the battery, crawl into the back from inside and pull on both of those levers. Have someone push the door in a little bit when you do this or try pulling it halfway in yourself as you pull both levers. If that doesn’t work then you need to figure out another way to get at that tiny hidden lever I show in my video. But try everything else first. Good luck.

[@cj1740]

@@skipast75 I did try the battery neg post off and still nothing, I even took the fuse out for that ecu, but still no change, that’s when I climbed inside and had to rip everything off and try my best to figure it all out in this precarious situation that the hidden switch is, but I did manage to move it back and forth and still the latch won’t open. I have not unplugged the back ecu yet so I’ll try that 🤞I’m wondering if the soft latch module has stopped working because it doesn’t make any noise just the lever actuator. Well thank you for responding I will keep on trying everything you suggested to get my hatch to open again. Cheers!

[@cj1740]

I got it open!! So happy but I’m not out of the woods yet. The levers are stuck now. I got the latch open by prying through the rubber seal down where the latch was with a long tool, and was able to release it that way. Still not sure what my problem was but I couldn’t have done it without your video ❤🎉😊

[@reginarihn959]

Great video, thanks. Ours still won't open, but the motor makes no noise - is it time for a new part with motor? Any tips on finding part number?

[@skipast75]

Regina Rihn did you try opening it manually by pulling on the two levers inside the hatch? Open and close it manually a few times to see if it helps. If not, make sure the connections that run to and from the computer that's in the hatch are clean and connected. Also, look for the fuse to see if it's blown. I'd check the fuse first and foremost.

[@regulator8276]

Same issue here. Going to try your recommendation here to see if it works.

[@paulhbrown]

@@regulator8276 Lock and unlock from the driver's door. Then rear will open as normal.

[@regulator8276]

@@paulhbrown heck yeah!! Will give that a try. Thank you for the reply

[@charlesriley9426]

My mechanism moves but still won’t open I have to move the latch to open it so do I need to replace the whole thing

[@skipast75]

Is yours soft close? Did you unplug the computer when you pulled the latch out? If you follow my instructions it should work. The soft close computer can get confused after your reinstall everything. It’ll close and then 5 seconds later it opens again. When that happens you need to re-train the soft close computer. I did this by having the negative battery cable loosely attached. I close my hatch and sprinted to the engine bay and unplugged the negative cable before the hatch opened. I let it sit for a minute then I re-attached the negative cable. The soft close computer will default to where it was when the battery is reconnected… so if it’s open it’ll automatically reopen. If it’s closed it’ll default to and stay closed.

[@Bin-iw8fh]

So I've been working on mine for about a week now, the motor works fine and everything, however, the little "piece of rust" latch talked about at about 3:13 in the video... I can move mine back and forth but when I pull the lever to "open" the latch the little one does not go back to the "closed" position. Does anyone know if the little latch is spring loaded or part of the motorized mechanism? I actually just about emptied a can of PB in a bowl and let the latch soak in it for over 24 hours. I'm continuing to hose it down with PB as the little latch not moving to the "closed" position is definitely why my gate latch will not stay closed. Any thoughts/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. By the way, this video is awesome and thanks for posting it.

[@braineroner]

I am encountering the exact same issue with mine today. Did you ever get an answer on this or figure it out? i'm hoping if i just stick it back in the tailgate it'll motorize itself back to functionality because i definitely don't get that spring loaded "click" back into position when i pull the small lever, as is shown in the video...

[@dereksenecal3719]

@@braineroner did you figure it out. Same problem as both of you guys

[@braineroner]

@@dereksenecal3719 hey dude, I ended up just buying a new OEM part on Amazon and just installing it myself. i can't quite remember what went wrong but guess the latch on the old motor assembly had fully seized or something because I wasn't able to get it to work again. either that or the motor just crapped out and wouldn't operate anymore. the replacement i bought was identical though, and it wasn't too expensive either. good luck!

[@paulhbrown]

@@dereksenecal3719 I sprayed liberally with WD-40, then worked the "little latch" back and forth with the small lever and a small screwdriver until it would move both directions with the small lever. Now working again.

[@ambientnature]

Thank you for your work. I am wondering if anywhere you have previously described the cleaning process. I used your technique about a year ago but it jammed up again, so I am about to repeat the process. I suspect I did not clean it enough and did not apply enough grease (or any, I don't remember). Is there a particular kind of grease that I need to inject into the latch mechanism? Many thanks!

[@ambientnature]

I spent much more time cleaning on my second attempt. I used at least half a can of PB blaster, scrubbed with a wire brush, and scraped with some kind of dental instrument. The actual tailgate latch appears to be wrapped in some kind of polymer lining and several very small areas were scuffed, or cracked, or possibly missing. If I have to do it a third time I will get an illuminated magnifying glass lamp and possibly some kind of "third hand" clamp set up. I used regular white lithium grease on the visible gear and a few other obvious places and sprayed the rest of the lower section (below the electrical components) with PB Spray-able white lithium grease. The mechanism works better than ever!! I had tried to find a new replacement kit in the after market, but could not even find a used one. The local Toyota dealer wanted $350 for the part. Thank you again for helping me and saving me a bunch of money.

[@skipast75]

Glad I could help!

[@staticclutch9932]

hey the thing still won't open you can hear the Moter but the little lever moves bit the big one won't budge no matter how hard you pull up on the thing did this happen to you also or is there a trick to open it other then pulling up on both levers

[@skipast75]

anonymous gromers is your door still closed on the vehicle or have you removed the mechanism from the tail gate? Without seeing it I can only recommend soaking it in PB BLASTER and continued to work it back and forth until it frees itself up.

[@staticclutch9932]

skipast75 no its still in the door while closed

[@skipast75]

anonymous gromers, if the door is stuck shut you'll need to manually open it from the inside. Climb in the back and pop the little square access panel off of the tailgate. It's at the bottom just to the left of where the mechanism is located. There will be a clear plastic layer that you'll need to peel up and out of the way. Then reach inside and pull on both metal levers at the same time. This will release the door latch so you can proceed to the steps in this video. Good luck!

[@staticclutch9932]

skipast75 sorry for the late reply I did as you said and no matter how hard to pull up on those levers in the back they will not budge ☹

[@NajaEchols]

static clutch did you ever find a solution to this. Having same issue I think. both levers lift when the handle is pressed but door won't open, and I can only lift the smaller lever manually. larger lever is stuck.

[@dogwalk3]

damn. mine doesn't make a sound/move at all. i think it's from water gathering in the lift gate since my drain plugs are probably clogged & it shorted out. i know i eventually gotta spend the $200 to get a new actuator but just opening it manually for now :(

[@skipast75]

Andrew Noyes if you’ve tried this procedure already and it’s still not working..... close the hatch and disconnect the battery for 5 minutes. Turn the headlights on with the battery disconnected to eat up and residual power in the system. Connect the battery and try it again. After I fixed mine the hatch would close properly but 10 seconds later it would pop open again. The computer gets confused. If there’s still no sound at all, my guess is it’s either a fuse or the soft close computer that’s located inside the hatch door. I’m sure there is a way to test the computer... maybe a local computer repair shop?

[@PhillipLuebke]

Between this video and the video at kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYSxfqyMbr-CnKc, I was able to repair the rear hatch latch on my 2008 4Runner in no time. Mine wasn't nearly as rusty, but that little metal piece was still sticking. I sprayed the heck out of it with penetrating oil and moved it back and forth until it moved freely, then applied white lithium grease before reinstalling. I did have the issue with the latch not working right away, but disconnecting the battery for a few minutes took care of that.

[@strat2tele]

So I did this and now there's no power to the mechanism and I plugged it all back in

[@kriscarrejocarrejo4887]

What if it opens sometime and sometimes it dose

[@kriscarrejocarrejo4887]

Doesn't i mean

[@skipast75]

That could be something different. Do you have the soft close mechanism? If so, unhook the battery, then unplug the computer inside the hatch door, clean the contacts then clean the lock mechanism best you can and plug everything back in. If I remember correctly, if you unhook the battery with the door open you need to leave it open when you reconnect the battery.

[@marktwo3160]

Just buy the new part. Big deal 200 bucks. How long do you think that half fix u did is going to last?