1. remove inner panel of tailgate...  you'll need one or two big flat blade screwdrivers to help pry the retaining clips off.  Mine also had a couple screws holding it on, and of course the ones for the center brake light.  So you'll need a phillips (+ shaped) screwdriver as well.

2. press latch where I am with a flat bladed screwdriver.  Change the angle if you need to, and it will pop open.  See picture.

3. Brush/blow rust away, soak with PB Blaster.  If button on exterior of hatch is stuck (like mine was) soak button with PB, and let soak for a couple minutes, then work it back and forth.  You can see the cylinder shaped button end on the inside of the hatch.  If it does not spring back, push it back with said screwdriver.

4. Once everything is working well, reinstall tailgate plastic panel (all clips are broken on mine, so I have yet to find a good solution to this... buying a good used panel will mean more broken panel clip holders, so I'm thinking 3m 2 sided tape, or velcro... I dunno... there has to be something better...

[video=http://www.jeeptv.com/video/8681]




-- Edited by ChevelleSSLS6 on Tuesday 28th of April 2009 03:18:31 PM