2015 S212 Tailgate won't open!

[Jswd32]

Hi All,

Earlier today when opening the tailgate on my S212 E350, there was what sounded like a juddering noise coming from the lifter ram that pushes the tailgate open. A couple of times it seemed to open a fraction of the way open and stop. I had the press the tailgate unlock button again to open.

I thought that something is obviously on its way out, I will speak to my local indy on Monday. Until at 4pm I get home and try to open the boot, but the same juddering happens and it goes not further. The boot is now fractionally open, enough to throw the open tailgate alarm when driving, but still completely lock in place. Every time I press the unlock tailgate button, you can see the ram on the top left side pushing the tailgate, but gives up after 2 seconds and you can see the boot can back in a little. Still stuck fractionally open. I can't push it back in to lock it either. Also the drivers door switch that allows for closing, is not doing anything.

I initially thought it was the lifting ram, but now think it's the boot lock that is stuck. I have tried taking the emergency key out of the fob and following the instructions. But that does absolutely nothing! Perhaps that only works if the tailgate is completely locked, but for me it does not contact anything in the small hole, no resistance, nothing. I have tried pulling hard, pushing hard from inside, but its not going anywhere!

It seems a rare fault on this year and model, as I have found very little searching online. What I have found seems to relate to possibly an issue with the soft close function?

Another thing that seem ludicrous with this car is that there is no fuse diagram in the huge manual? Unless I missed it, how can you tell what fuses do what in an emergency? I'm hoping that maybe I can pull a fuse that allow the boot to open!

Any help would be hugely appreciated!

 

[SpikyMikey]

Re the fuse diagram: on my S204 it lived in the tool kit with the spare wheel-there was a slot for it in the plastic moulding that held the wheelbrace/jack/towing eye.

 

[Jswd32]

Re the fuse diagram: on my S204 it lived in the tool kit with the spare wheel-there was a slot for it in the plastic moulding that held the wheelbrace/jack/towing eye.

Thanks, but it appears there are no fuses for this. When you slide the key into the emergency release hole there is no definitive contact at all. Feels like you are just turning the key in an empty hole??

 

[Jswd32]

Ok, Turned out to be the Lock mechanism and the drive unit that had gone simultaneously! To access in this situation , you will have to pull at the trim just below the window and pop it off. Mine came off without any damage. You can then get to the drive unit and disconnect the cable that links to the lock mechanism.

I think mine is kind of a rare fault, because it inhibited the ability to use the emergency unlock hole. I had to toggle the soft close lever behind the lock mechanism a few times for it to allow the emergency lock hole to work.

But following £125 for new lock (easy replace) and £66 for the drive unit (again easy to replace), its all working like new again.

 

[adrianphelen]

I’m having the exact same problem. How did you diagnose the issue and what are the part numbers that you replaced?