My W202 estate had been rattling for some time, whenever crossing a speed bump or hitting a pothole.
I suspected a suspension issue, or that the spare wheel was loose. It turned out to be the upper half of the tailgate latch, which had come unscrewed.
Tools:
- Swiss Army knife
- Torx No. 2
Procedure:
1) Remove 6 plastic rivets around the interior trim of the tailgate. These are two-piece; you remove the plastic pin in the middle and then the outer shell. I didn’t break any!
2) Remove the tailgate handle trim. This is the plastic component you pull on to lower the tailgate. You have to insert a blade into a couple of levers to free it.
3) Tighten the loose Torx bolt.
4) Test – head for the nearest pothole at speed.
I suspected a suspension issue, or that the spare wheel was loose. It turned out to be the upper half of the tailgate latch, which had come unscrewed.
Tools:
- Swiss Army knife
- Torx No. 2
Procedure:
1) Remove 6 plastic rivets around the interior trim of the tailgate. These are two-piece; you remove the plastic pin in the middle and then the outer shell. I didn’t break any!
2) Remove the tailgate handle trim. This is the plastic component you pull on to lower the tailgate. You have to insert a blade into a couple of levers to free it.
3) Tighten the loose Torx bolt.
4) Test – head for the nearest pothole at speed.