Member Since: 16 Jul 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1070
Lower tailgate latch mechanism tightening
For 2.5 years I have heard a rattling from the tailgate of my D3 which sounds like a bag of wrenches clanging about. I believe I have identified the main culprit which is a loose plate within the lower tailgate latch mechanism. i took the interior trim off my lower tailgate and with a fist then pounded on the tailgate while it was down, the noise was concentrated from the middle so I loosed the 3 outer screws of the mechanism. A silver plate rotates within the mechanism releasing the lock so the upper tailgate can swing up and open. My plate (attached to wire) is loose, so it dangles and makes a metal noise over every bump in the road. This noise is easily recreated by pushing it back and forth. Does anyone know if the wire within the lower tailgate mechanism can be tightened? Or, should I buy a new mechanism?
Here is the plate that moves about because the wire attached to it isn't tight. Flicking it about makes a metal noise.
Click image to enlarge
Here is the opposite side, you can see the slack between the end of the wire (ball) and the plate in the picture above. If it was tight, the plate wouldn't move about.
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31st Jan 2010 10:44 pm
Iain G
Member Since: 31 Jan 2009
Location: Filey
Posts: 430
You could try hammering the rivet that the bar pivots on. This would introduce some friction on the pivot and may stop the rattling. Cheap fix, just don't get too carried away when wacking it!
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