Tailgate Won't Open / Removing Trim Panel
 

Since a few days, the tailgate won't open. The outside handle seems to have no effect at all. In fact, I ear no noise when I lock or unlock the doors but do ear a "click" when I try the handle. I've tried the remote and the door control with no results.

I tried banging the rear plate as suggested in another tread but not works.

Can anyone suggest a solution? Do you know how to remove the inside panel?

Mine did this too. It turned out to be some of the rubber seal had worked its way in around the button preventing it from depressing completely. Press harder at different angles or remove the button and re-seat the rubber seal.

Other possible causes that the dealer had told me about are: something stuck in the latch when the hatch was closed, or the car is in valet mode (set when the glove box is locked).
Stan

For the record, I did resolve this issue. The problem was the microswitch. It maintain partial contact.

The opening is electric, not mecanical. The "handle" is in fact a microswitch. All I had to do was remove the "plate" and change the inside part that contains the microswitch and the connectors for the plate light sockets. In my case, because the microswitch was partly shorted, disconnecting and connecting the microswitch activated the door mechanism.

Do you have a better description on how to find and remove the plate you mentioned? How to remove the plastic panels to get to it? thanks