# tailgate switch broken



## EskimoPie (Jan 16, 2004)

*tailgate switch broken (And service story)*

Something is wrong with my tailgate switch on the outside that you normally use to open the tailgate. It's as if something internally in the switch moved around since it doesn't feel like I'm actually actuating a switch any more when I press on the rubber cover. 
Does anybody know how to open that up so I can see what might be wrong with the switch or in the worst case just replace the switch? I tried prying it but it felt light I was just going to break something.
Also if I need to replace the switch, does anybody know the P/N?
Thanks!!! BTW, it's an '04 Touareg V6.


_Modified by EskimoPie at 1:53 AM 11-21-2008_


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## EskimoPie (Jan 16, 2004)

*Re: tailgate switch broken (EskimoPie)*

Nobody knows anything about the lift gate switch? I'm now eager to fix this myself since my dealership is full of #$!#@#'s and I don't want to deal with them any more.
I went into the dealership with a list of 8 issues on our '04 Touareg that only has a power train warranty left:
-Rear Liftgate switch inoperable
-Check Brakes Indicator on
-Console cigarette lighter socket dead
-headlights pointing too low and need adjustment
-Tire rotation and balance due to vibration at highway speeds
-Flat tire warning light going off with full tires
-E brake pedal doesn't fully extend when release (need to pull slightly)
I had a 0730 appointment... they didn't touch the car till ~3:00, charged me $50 just to look at the e brake strut and say it would be $160 more to repair, said that the tires needed to be at 38psi to stop the sensor from going off (wrong, went off again the next day), didn't have time to adjust the headlights, didn't have time to look at the cigarette lighter plug, charged me $50 just to say the lift gate switch is broken and will cost $240 to fix, and charged me $100 just to plug in the scanner and say the right rear brake pad sensor was bad and it'll be $80 to fix.
Now I don't expect something for nothing, but this just seems ridiculous to me. I paid $260 dollars and all I got was a rotation and balance job. When I dropped the car off the advisor filled out an "estimate" form with that came to $190... he said "that's your money, anything over that is my money". I thought that was the estimate for repair, but NO, that was just the estimate to figure out how much more they were going to charge me! 
Anyway long story short... I'll live with having to pull slightly on the e-brake to clear the warning indicator... I hardly ever use the e-brake anyway. I'll find the damn fuse on the 12v socket myself... I can adjust the lights myself too. I'll just shut off the damn tire monitoring system if it keeps going off. But I need to fix the lift gate and the brake pad sensor. Can someone please point me to a resource or let me know how to access the lift gate switch?
Thanks!


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## EskimoPie (Jan 16, 2004)

*Re: tailgate switch broken (EskimoPie)*

No love? <pout>


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## miraclewhips (Aug 10, 2005)

*Re: tailgate switch broken (EskimoPie)*

There is a reason why they are called stealerships...
Did you really think a dealership was going to repair all 8 listed items for only $190?








Is the tailgate switch not making the clicking sound when you press it? If it is, there might be something else. Have you played with the switch for the tailgate glass? For a while my tailgate would not open at times unless I opened the glass part first. It has since stopped doing that on its own and working fine again. They seem to be definitely related to eachother and how the electric locks work for the tailgate.


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## Tahoe12 (Mar 22, 2005)

*Re: tailgate switch broken (miraclewhips)*


_Quote, originally posted by *miraclewhips* »_There is a reason why they are called stealerships...
Did you really think a dealership was going to repair all 8 listed items for only $190?









 Haaa you must be used to Bay Area dealerships that charge double.
Yes. Most dealerships would tell you what is wrong for free and than give you an estimate for repair. I an not a fan of dealerships but they at least told me what needed to be done without charging me an arm and a leg. Check pads for free, check vag com codes for free. 
Find another dealership. I had to go to 4-5 to finally find a better one.


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## EskimoPie (Jan 16, 2004)

*Re: tailgate switch broken (miraclewhips)*


_Quote, originally posted by *miraclewhips* »_
Did you really think a dealership was going to repair all 8 listed items for only $190?










No I didn't. The brake pad warning was supposed to be no-charge because they had done a complete (pads, rotors, sensors, etc) brake job 11 months prior and the warning light had been on since the day I picked it up (I know, 11 months is a LONG time, but we live a ways away from the stealership and my wife doesn't like being without her vehicle). The 12V port was supposed to be no charge because it was just a fuse, and the headlight adjustment was marked he was going to call me to tell me how much. But yes, I was expecting the rest to be fixed for the $190, especially since the advisor said "this is your money, anything over that amount is my money". I thought it was maybe a little low, but was pleasantly surprised.


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## EskimoPie (Jan 16, 2004)

*Re: tailgate switch broken (Tahoe12)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Tahoe12* »_ 
Find another dealership. I had to go to 4-5 to finally find a better one.

I would LOVE to, but they are the only VW dealership in Tucson.


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## EskimoPie (Jan 16, 2004)

*Re: tailgate switch broken (miraclewhips)*


_Quote, originally posted by *miraclewhips* »_
Is the tailgate switch not making the clicking sound when you press it? If it is, there might be something else. Have you played with the switch for the tailgate glass? For a while my tailgate would not open at times unless I opened the glass part first. It has since stopped doing that on its own and working fine again. They seem to be definitely related to eachother and how the electric locks work for the tailgate. 


Nope, no clicking sound when I press the button. The glass part opens fine, but opening it doesn't help the gate. I know the latches and motors are fine because I can use the manual release cable and it opens fine and when I close it the little motors suck it down like normal. It's simply the switch that's broken. I can't for the life of me figure out how to get at it though. 
Anybody?!?!?


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## Tahoe12 (Mar 22, 2005)

Did, you pull off all the paneling on rear hatch. I did that once when my tailgate stopped functioning. I ended up having to readjust the trigger that releases and sucks in the tailgate. I just loosened up a bit after a lot of use. I am they would have charged me $300 but I figured I would root around my self. Took me at least 3 hrs. to get it all figured out and fixed. 
I have no idea if this is your problem though and I don't remember what it looks like in there. So you are saying the rubber switch by the license plate is not activating?
I'll see if I have any photos from when I pulled that apart. Anyone have diagrams from their Bently manual?
I know it is starting simple, but did you check your fuses? 
The Relay for tailgate closing aid is D2 under the dash. 



_Modified by Tahoe12 at 3:04 PM 11-21-2008_


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## EskimoPie (Jan 16, 2004)

*Re: (Tahoe12)*

Yes, the rubber switch by the license plate isn't activating. I need to ring out all the fuses anyway to find the one for the cig-lighter socket. There are only 2 fuse panels right? One on each side of the dash? The descriptions of the fuses aren't great and I didn't find one that said "acessory power sockets" or something similar so I'll just look for any blown ones. 
The tailgate closing aid is working fine as I can hear it activate when I close the gate after opening it with the manual release cable.
Can you remember how you removed the panels from the inside of the lift gate? Do they all just pull off?


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## Tahoe12 (Mar 22, 2005)

*Re: (EskimoPie)*

Ya two fuse boxes. 
The panels do just pull off but there are around 4 screw to remove first. 
You have to pull hard on the panels, but just make sure you remove the top piece by the wiper arm first. And don't let any of them bend when you pull, or it isn't good on the plastic.


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## EskimoPie (Jan 16, 2004)

*Re: (Tahoe12)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Tahoe12* »_Ya two fuse boxes. 
The panels do just pull off but there are around 4 screw to remove first. 
You have to pull hard on the panels, but just make sure you remove the top piece by the wiper arm first. And don't let any of them bend when you pull, or it isn't good on the plastic. 

Thanks a bunch for the info Tahoe12... I found the burned fuse... and using your info on the tail gate, I pulled off all the trim panels on the inside and eventually was able to remove the faulty switch. The switch itself is actually really basic... just a metal tub that a lever fits in and when you push the lever you actuate an electronic switch. The lever had popped out of it's pivot holes and so wasn't touching the switch any more. I was able to re-assemble the switch and put everything back together and sure enough it works like new again. 
I ought to sue the dealership for fraud because they also told me that they took the lift gate apart and found TWO components that were broken and need to order both those parts (at $80, let alone the $150 to install them!). 
So now I've ordered some new brake pad sensors and will tackle that next!


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## Tahoe12 (Mar 22, 2005)

*Re: (EskimoPie)*

Sounds good man. I am glad you got it worked out without the dealer. I know how frustrating the VW dealerships can be. And I remember the switch lever you are talking about. 
Brake pad sensors are easy. Zeb @ 1stvwparts.com has them at a good price and they are a pleasure to do business with. Just don't plan on saving them when you replace the pads, they almost always break off. Or what some people do is get rid of the sensor and just splice the wires together. But I would rather know when my pads are getting low.


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