No key slot in V70 tailgate (the worst almost happened)
 

This was brought up in the thread about the dead battery and broken door lock but I wanted to give it its own thread.

So what we've established is that out of five possible doors on the V70, only one has a key slot so if you get hit with the double whammy of a dead battery and a malfunctioning door lock, you are screwed.

This got me to thinking about how the heck one gets to his jumper cables when he has a dead battery.

Looking at my tailgate yesterday, I did notice that there is a recessed area near the license plate light that looks like a lock cylinder was supposed to go there.

Very strange design feature. Now I have to figure out a place to keep my jumper cables where I can get to them.

ETA: I left work today and tried to start my V70. Rrrrrr, rrrrrr, rrrrrr. So I needed a jump. Fortunately, there was enough power to operate the central locking system so I could get to my cables but it is possible that the battery could have been completely dead.

I was telling a friend about this and he asked why I couldn't just climb in the back door and get the cables. A problems with that. Consider that I'm overweight, inflexible and have an bad knee and hip. Maybe if life or limb was in danger, I'd consider that. Also, what if the back of the car is loaded up with boxes that won't fit though the side doors?

If someone sold an aftermarket kit to add a keylock to the tailgate, I'd buy one if it wasn't insanely priced.

I'd really like to know why the battery went dead. I had checked the oil earlier and thought that maybe I left the hood unlatched but there is no underhood light that I could see that would drain the battery.

I've installed several third row seats and have had to order the lock kit for the tailgate. The third row seat is no longer available, but the lock kit might be. Then you could get it so it matches your current keys.

PM Sent

Old thread resurrect!

Yes, the cars with a third row seat got the lock installed in the tailgate. Oddly enough, and I don't know why - I thought all US models came with the lock, regardless of third seat, but I could be wrong on that.

You can open the driver side door with a key, then open the hood and hook up jumper cables to the 'port' by the fuse box. Of course, if you have cables in the back...

If you are friendly with the local Volvo dealer, they should be able to VIN match a tailgate lock for you. I'm still afraid to ask the price of that!

I just purchased an 04 v70 with third row seating. Does the hatch lock work with the key fob? Currently it does not, nor with the driver slick switch. But, PO is mailing me a new switch for driver side door which will supposedly at least fix the driver for not opening with the key fob (other 3 does do). I have to manually call in the cargo area to lock /unlock the hatch.

Also my other 04 v70 does have third row seating and does NOT have the interior hatch lock nor interior handle to release the hatch.

I can't speak for the '04, but on my '06 one click unlocks the driver's door. Two clicks unlocks everything else, including the tailgate.
Can you hear the mechanical noise of the mechanism when you lock/unlock the car? If so, it's probably just linkage needing to be connected.

I'm thinking if someone adds the lock mech to the tail gate you need to add the power actuator too.

I hate how they leave those out and the passenger side too.

My car does have third row seating and no external key lock. I pulled the tailgate interior cover off & am trying determine why the assembly only works manually (no key fob or key insert with driver door). No sign of broken plastic parts. Anyone have any ideas?

Are there no lock parts at all in there, or are they in there but not working?

If there aren't any parts, I am guessing someone put the seat in after the car was purchased and didn't do all the lock parts to go along with it.

If the lock parts are there but not working, then it's a matter of tracing electricity and seeing if you get power to the lock mechanism or not.

I think I misspoke. There is a finger latch inside the tailgate as well as a handle to release the tailgate latch. What is not there is an external place to put the key to release the hatch. Neither my key fob or master door switch will unlock the tailgate.