tailgate switch frozen?

[XWrench3]

so are tailgate switch problems common on this model of Jeep? the motor that releases the glass quit working a couple of days ago. and i had a couple of hours open today. so i thought i would look at it. so far (twice) i have been able to open the tailgate and glass by hand, working slowly so as to not stress the glass to much. the LAST thing i wabt to do is break the glass! so with my ADHD brain, the only way for me to fix things sometimes (i openly admit that electrical is my weakest skill) is to reverse engineer it. if i can understand it, i can fix anything. electrical things are just plain magic for the most part, and automatic transmissions are full blown voodoo! anyway, i worked my way thru the actual release motor and glass open sensor, and they work fine. so to me that leaves 2 things, d.c. power, or the switch on the handle. i verified power is getting back there, but that is where i had to quit. i was thinking about pulling the handle off to verify the switch is bad at dinner. and that's when it hit me. do these switches freeze and not work in the winter? it will be a LOT easier to point a hair drier at the switch for 10 minutes than it will be to remove the switch, and reverse engineer it. is this common? or am i grasping at straws?

 

[turblediesel]

Yes, the tiny switch on the handle that triggers the glass release solenoid does go bad. It was a $13.00 part when mine went bad years ago.

If you're a micro-surgeon you can remove the handle through the small panel on the inside cover of the tailgate. Pry little panel off, disconnect electrical connector, snip ziptie up toward the handle inside tailgate, and use a 10mm wrench to release handle assembly from tailgate. Rusty clip holds the switch to the handle. Be nice to the rusty clip since it's only available on a $250.00 replacement handle assembly which comes with a new switch.

If you're not a micro-surgeon remove the entire inside panel from the tailgate by prying/popping loose the press-connectors along the bottom and sides and then lifting up vetically to release the top part. Be gentle or it will crack along the top like mine.

 

[LibertyTC]

Good information right there ^ Thanks turblediesel!
95% of the time I use the fob to release the glass first, then use the gate handle if necessary.
I remember well below freezing days, where I had to pry the frozen drivers door open, yet the fob opened glass and handle switch worked fine.
Do you need the 2005 FSM?

 

[XWrench3]

Do you need the 2005 FSM

no, i downloaded it a while back.

 

[Billwill]

Those micro-switches at the gate are known to get wet and fail...there was a TSB issued many years ago about replacing it...don't know what the new switch had..maybe better insulation against the elements!

My 2002 Export CRD has never had a problem in that area but I am in a pretty warm climate...this Jeep has never seen snow, sleet or salt!

 

[XWrench3]

this Jeep has never seen snow, sleet or salt!

You are a lucky man. salt ruins tens of thousands of cars every year here. my previous vehicle has lost so much metal from salt corrosion, that placing a jack under the frame results in the jack moving up, but not the frame! and the sheet metal has a large hole in it, about 1/4 of the panel is missing. and several other holes on top of that. when i am done taking parts off from it, i am going to send it to a scrap yard.

 

[Duster]

With mine the rear door lock wasn't unlocking, leaving me screwed. I crawled through, popped off the access door and unplugged it. it started working again when I plugged it back up. It did this a couple times before I got pissed and just pulled the plug out and shut the little access door on the wire so it would be sticking out and remind me to fix it. Probably needs a new lock silenoid thing?

That was many years ago. I've never fixed it.

The window lock I had to adjust once and sometimes it will not release until unlock the doors a second time.