Tailgate won’t unlock. About to begin 2500 mile drive, and locking/unlocking TAILGATE is really necessary.

Can’t get tailgate lock to respond with keyless remote but all 4 doors open/lock OK. I can hear the doors’ clicks and observe correct operation of all 4 door locks, but no click sound at tailgate. Have 60 days ago replaced tailgate micro switch, don’t know if this one is also defective. At first it seemed temperature sensitive, worked when car in sun. But now it doesn’t work at any temp.

1) Can there be an alignment adjustment for the latch to line up on the frame hook?
2) Do these $200 USD microswitches have a bad history of failure? Is there a non-Volvo switch that works?
3) Can a microswitch not operate due to weak remote batteries?
4) I’m in Vancouver, BC. Is there a cheaper parts supply other than $Volvo$?
5) would anyone be willing to talk by phone and discuss? (832-799-7224, Pacific Daylight Savings Time).

Thanks in advance for any advice 🙏.
John Stevens

 

First check the fuse. Check your owners manual for the correct fuse position labeled either “tailgate lock” or “tailgate latch.” There are four fuse boxes in your car. I have a 2014 and the fuse for the tailgate lock is #11 in fuse box B under the glove box. A 2013 model may be different.

 

What was the fix? Was it the fuse, the microswitch, the latch motor?

 

my xc60 2012 D4 AWD has an intermittent activation

i checked the tailgate micro switch and swapped the lock checked the fuse and all good
i put a direct earth connection on and no difference
I pulled up the carpet under front passenger footwell on RHD vehicle and no connectors corroding that could find ( I did have a wet footwell in the past so was a possible.

now I’m stuck.
is there a relay or a control module somewhere?
I should mention that the dashboard switch doesn’t work and neither does either remote fob.

any ideas?

 

Did you get it fixed? I have replaced the lock mechanism and still didn't fix it

 

I also replaced the lock, to no avail. I was going to try the microswitch next, hoping for the best.

 

Anybody tried anything yet?

 

Saw this from another forum, not tried it yet though.

"My car had the tailgate switch give me many problems and after a few years of it working on and off I replaced the switch with a brand new unit which cost £100. The switch is built into a unit together with tailgate lights and once replaced by myself has worked perfectly. The only problem that maybe linked to the replacement is that the interior tailgate lamp stopped working about a month after replacement of the lock although the bulb is fine"

by switch, I think the writer was talking about the dash combination switch that has lights, fuel cover release and tailgate.

 

Some repairer sent this to me as a guide to fix the tailgate not responding.
I don't have any free time yet to try it.
Hopefully, by the coming week, I will make out time to try it.
Any one here, can try it...


3/35 = trunk latch
10/3 = license bulbs
6/8 trunk latch motor
3/111 LSM, dash button

I had a 2011 XC60 that the trunk button did not work. After way too much looking and replacing parts I decided to look in the wiring diagram.
73/6001 is a ground branching point for up to 8 devices. This ground point was a bare solder joint wrapped in electrical tape on my car.
My 73/6001 was under the passenger seat carpet below B pillar area in the bottom of the big harness. I removed the pass seat, pushed the carpet to the side.
Found the BK/OR wire, pulled the CEM side of the BK/OR wire out of the harness. 73/6001 bare solder joint was corroded from the having a blocked-up SR drain
leaking into and under the floor carpet. I cannot find 73/6001 location in the floor harness pic. My 73/6001 was in the red circle area.
74/602 not 74/604 is in the tailgate area.
3/35 switch grounds CEM pin C2:24 to tell CEM to send 12 volts out to 6/8 pin 1.
73/6001 grounds both 3/35 and 6/8 pin 2.
3/111 LSM thru LIN, commands CEM to send 12 volts to 6/8 pin 1.
All of this points to ground side joint connection 73/6001 to be faulty and/or the next thing to check
I found 73/6001 in the tailgate for 2013 XC60. This messes everything up.
Look at junction connection 73/5030. It is 4 down from 74/604 in the cable harness pic.
Check ground connection 31/47 in the rear floor area.
I am not sure if there are soldered ground connections under the B pillar area or not.
That is where my 2011 XC60 connector solder wires were corroded and not making connection.
Volvo Diagnostics – Virtual Machines, Installers and More for wiring diagrams.

 

This may help to explain what to check.
Check CEM fuse F11.
Have someone press 3/111 trunk button. Do you hear 2/87 relay click?
2/87 relay is internally soldered to the CEM circuit board.
Check for 12 volts 6/8 pin 1 Black wire.
If 12 volts when button is pressed, check 6/8 pin 2 orange/Black wire for 12 volts.
6/8 pin 2 is the ground side of 6/8 trunk motor.
If 6/8 pin 2 has 12 volts, there is a broken wire on the ground side with green arrows.
Straighten out paper clips, push it into the back side of connectors 6/8, pin 1 and pin 2.
Do not let them touch, fuse F11 will blow.
Using alligator clip wires, connect it to 6/8 pin 2 and ground the wire. Press 3/111 button.
If 6/8 motor works, you have a ground side green arrow broken wire(s).
Get alligator clip wires from Harbor Freight to connect to the paper clip ends.
3/35 pin 3 when pressed, grounds CEM C2:24 to send 12 volts to 6/8 pin 1.
3/111 LSM is on a different CEM in circuit that ground switch 3/35.
I am guessing that the previous red and green circle harness near the B-pillar is not a problem.
Check the above out and report back when you have time.

 

I bypassed all the ground connection and stuck a negative battery on the lock ground connection. It made no difference but if I stick + 12 on the lock the tailgate latch activates.
im thinking the CEM relay is not delivering 12 volts to the latch.

 

How did you connect a negative battery on the lock ground (the same battery connected to you car or a spare/different battery)?
When you stuck the 12V on the lock, on which pin and did you still have the negative battery connected?

 

If you have a 2013 XC60, you should check fuse F8 (which is for the fuel cap door), if it gives 12V when the fuel door release button is pressed, if yes, then remove the fuse, check for the hot and draw sides of F8, and jumped the hot side to the draw side of fuse F11 (fused removed).
Then press the fuel cap release button and see if the trunk opens. This is bypassing everything by sending 12 volts to 6/8 lock motor.
If the trunk opens then, the CEM might be faulty.
If the trunk does not open, check the 6/8 pin 1 for 12V, if there is 12V on pin 1, then you could have a broken ground wire between 6/8 pin 2 and ground point/bolt 31/47.

 

I had this idea and it works although my version used a wire to run 12 volt to the boot latch and use the fuel flap button to send 12 v
it blue the boot latch fuse every time though. However I can see your method would work and since the fuel gap. Has a manual pull cable to open it it’s a cheap work around.

i now think it’s the relay in the CEM module which is probably a small fortune to replace.
uess they can repair them?

 

It must have been blowing up because you didn't unfuse one or both (the F11 must be unfused), so you are bridging both hot sides. In the XC60, the right terminal of the fuses are usually the hot side bring 12V to the fuse and the left terminal is usually the draw side, sending 12V to the desired components. So you need to connect the right side of F8 (fused or unfused) to the left terminal of F11 (must be unfused).

 

Sp after your useful advice I will have another go at using the fuel flap switch and pulling the fuses as you suggest.
it all makes more sense now with your explanation

i font see why they have to build cars this way. What was wrong with a wire pull like the bonnet opener?

 

I cut the wire that feeds the earth to the latch and connected it directly to the negative terminal on the battery ( vehicle earth)

the ground is I think the end black wire and the 12v is the orange wire next to it. Made no difference with the earth direct but when ever I get 12 b to the latch on the orange wire the latch operates but it also blows the F11 fuse
wjich isn’t a surprise

 

the way to connect the jump from F8 to F11 (remember F11 must be removed during the connection) so the LSM fuel cap button controls the tailgate, this way you are able to determine if the connection between the CEM and the tailgate is faulty.
If you make the connection and push on the fuel cap door release and the taligate does not unlock, check the 6/8 tailgate lock connector pin 2 (BK_OG) for 12V when the fuel cap door released is pressed. If there isn't 12V, then you have a broken wire, if there is 12V, you have a faulty ground.

 

Temporary work around for xc60 tailgate lock
Care of another post on this forum.
i jumped the right hand side of fuse 8 the hot side to the left hand side of fuse 11 and of course took both fuses out to do this. This allows the fuel flap button to send 12 bolts to the tailgate latch motor.
This allows the boot to open and confirms that the problem is the relay on the CEM MODULE under the drivers seat ( I think)
it can’t be the earth from the tailgate.
i already changed. The tailgate motor pointlessly and tested the microswitch so I knew it was the feed to the motor.
of course this means you can’t use the button to open the fuel flap unless you can also get the F8 fuse back in with the jumper connection.
Jover behind the little hatch in the boot and behind the insulation is a little green pull **** that opens the flap so at least you can open the flap relatively easily assu
ing your boot isn’t full of stuff.
so a work around until I can get it fixed properly

 

This was the solution and very easy to implement.
you can still get to the manual fuel filler flap behind the hatch and insulation so you can open the boot and the filler flap