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My promised response on how to open the tailgate/liftgate when it is locked if you are too big to squeeze into boot/trunk area. First remove right hand side number plate illumination lamp. The lens and festoon bulb come away first, then ease down one end of the plastic lamp base pulling the base sideways once one end is lowered to release. This avoids breaking the plastic lamp base lugs which are integral to the base. Using a small screwdriver which needs to be about 8" long preferably with a slight bend in the end, you can flip up the lever which opens the lock. Most locking/unlocking problems seem to be related to fractured air lines, my lock would not open because the vacuum/pressure diaphragm unit had pulled away from its mounting bracket. Also the tailgate release handle was partially seized on its hinge.
My promised response on how to open the tailgate/liftgate when it is locked if you are too big to squeeze into boot/trunk area. First remove right hand side number plate illumination lamp. The lens and festoon bulb come away first, then ease down one end of the plastic lamp base pulling the base sideways once one end is lowered to release. This avoids breaking the plastic lamp base lugs which are integral to the base. Using a small screwdriver which needs to be about 8" long preferably with a slight bend in the end, you can flip up the lever which opens the lock. Most locking/unlocking problems seem to be related to fractured air lines, my lock would not open because the vacuum/pressure diaphragm unit had pulled away from its mounting bracket. Also the tailgate release handle was partially seized on its hinge.
Excellent info. This would be good to make a sticky and a PDF out of with pictures.
Or maybe keep it hidden so thievery can be held back!
My promised response on how to open the tailgate/liftgate when it is locked if you are too big to squeeze into boot/trunk area. First remove right hand side number plate illumination lamp. The lens and festoon bulb come away first, then ease down one end of the plastic lamp base pulling the base sideways once one end is lowered to release. This avoids breaking the plastic lamp base lugs which are integral to the base. Using a small screwdriver which needs to be about 8" long preferably with a slight bend in the end, you can flip up the lever which opens the lock. Most locking/unlocking problems seem to be related to fractured air lines, my lock would not open because the vacuum/pressure diaphragm unit had pulled away from its mounting bracket. Also the tailgate release handle was partially seized on its hinge.
Good job, maybe I do not have to replace the air lines to the hatch lock to prevent the problem from occurring now that the solution is found.
Thanks for response guys, could someone tell me how to make a sticky? I have a picture I took of the lock mechanism that may be helpful which shows where to poke to release the latch.
Last edited by longspoon; 01-29-2016 at 02:02 PM.
Reason: bad wording.
The locking/unlocking system is not a normally open or normally closed system. Air pressure is used to open the locks and vacuum is used to lock them. A broken line will effectively keep the locks engaged or open depending on their position when the failure occurred. If any clicking sound is coming from the latch area itself when the key fob lock and unlock buttons are pressed then I think that the lock mechanism itself has failed. No sound from this area would indicate to me that the air/vacuum hose has broken, in this case a hissing sound may be heard, possibly at the top of the hatch on the drivers side.
The following is from the shop manual page 8Q-47
VEHICLE LOCKING/UNLOCKING
To unlock, the Body Control Module is actuated by the SKREEM. The Body Control Module then sends the signal to the Central Locking Pump/Security System Module (CLP/SSM) via the Controller Area Network (CAN) Bus. The CLP/SSM pump motor starts running and supplies air pressure. The door lock actuators are pressurized. When a pressure threshold is reached in the system, the pump is switched off by an internal pressure switch. The pressure in the system is then released by the CLP/SSM and the unlocking operation is completed. The locking procedure is accomplished in a fashion opposite to the unlocking operation. However, the next time the remote control button is pressed, the CLP/SSM is also actuated by connecting it to ground by the second control lead on the SKREEM. The direction of rotation for the CLP/SSM pump motor is reversed, thereby providing the vacuum required to lock. In order to avoid unlocking the vehicle unintentionally, the vehicle is relocked by the CLP/SSM via the SKREEM. Relocking is accomplished after unlocking with the remote control when: a door is not opened within 40 seconds, the key is not inserted into the ignition lock, the interior power door lock switch is not actuated, only the liftgate is opened after unlocking. The CLP/SSM reads the signals (door contacts, trunk lid, interior power door lock switch)
and actuates the power door lock actuators. The vehicle security alarm is also activated by the relocking function.
Just bought an 04 and your forum has been fantastic!
just wanted to say thanks Nd great job!
Profire, WELCOME to the forum! You'll find MANY help and technical documents/stories on keeping your car OUT OF ANY DEALERSHIP. Self help is THE BEST if your daring enough to fix it yourself at a minimum cost to you. MB will not take the car in, and Chrysler has almost no idea (unless the dealership, AKA stealerships, still has the techs trained WITH the diagnostic electronics). This forum IS your best friend with the experience within. Good luck and have all the fun you can with your car. We like to call our experiences as a 'PermaGrin' when driving or showing off the car in car shows. Reason is, when we drive and show it off, we have a (yep, you guessed it)!
Thanks for response guys, could someone tell me how to make a sticky? I have a picture I took of the lock mechanism that may be helpful which shows where to poke to release the latch.
Its been done before a few times, I did one myself. The mods make stickies otherwise there would be thousands of them. We have stickies that are misleading but it would be hard to check them all. We have one sticky with credit given to someone who only asked a question and the answer was made by someone else the credit should have gone to him. Maybe I should name it.
Here are some pics of the deck lid latch from the inside, what you cannot see. Hope they help with a visual of how the members have suggested opening this in various methods.
This is what you see after removing the interior plastic cover. Passenger side in closed position. The lever at the end of the screwdriver is up in closed position. Passenger side in open position. Lever is down in open position. Drivers side. The lever under the screwdriver can be pushed down to the open position. Drivers side lever that is attached to the lock mechanism. This lever can be gently pryed upwards into the open position. For the member that mentioned the fuel door not opening. This is the emergency fuel door release. It can be acessed through the small removable panel on the passenger side interior wheelwell cover.
Last edited by machfivecrossfire; 05-16-2024 at 12:54 AM.
Reason: spelling
Re: '04 Coupe Liftgate lock failure
Profire, WELCOME to the forum! You'll find MANY help and technical documents/stories on keeping your car OUT OF ANY DEALERSHIP. Self help is THE BEST if your daring enough to fix it yourself at a minimum cost to you. MB will not take the car in, and Chrysler has almost no idea (unless the dealership, AKA stealerships, still has the techs trained WITH the diagnostic electronics). This forum IS your best friend with the experience within. Good luck and have all the fun you can with your car. We like to call our experiences as a 'PermaGrin' when driving or showing off the car in car shows. Reason is, when we drive and show it off, we have a (yep, you guessed it)! 
