The name says it all. The lift gate was unlocked and I pulled the handle and heard a pop then nothing connected to the handle and the door locked closed. I know I'll have to pull the interior to get at the mechanism and I suspect a cable broke going to one of the side latches. I did a search found nothing.


Has anyone done this repair? Any easy way to get the panel off the inside with door closed ?


Only 95 and Ex too big to fit in my shop so work is done in the heat.


Thanks for any help in advance.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post11976464

There's two threads in the tech folder, however they deal with the lock. This one might be of some help in getting the assembly out however. Thankfully I haven't had to deal with this yet so I have no hands on experience.

 

Thanks great link. Yesterday was my day. Lift gate broke closed, batteries died from wife leaving key on, and CPS failed at the same time on 95 degree day outside in the sun. CPS stuck and didn't want to come out but finally got it out. Truck now running and batteries charged but on to the gate.

 

Just throwing this out there my hatches seem broken & locked a lot. Mostly after not being used much. They just are STUCK, like glued in place. I've pulled so hard I thought the handle was going to break in my hand BUT they do open every time

 

That is true, recently with the Houston summer heat my hatch has been sticking very badly. I've had to two-hand it recently just to get the SOB open.

Well vett, it's free and easy.... Go try to rip that sucker open

 

If'in it works I could use the reps HINT,HINT MATT

 

Uh huh, lol. IF it works, you'll get the reps good sir

 

Well hecken's YOU KNOW it works

 

Believe it or not, I'm in jail for you on reps... bleh.

 

Update. Here is the rest of the horror story. The truck batteries are both 3 months old OEM Motorcraft and truck has new starter. After I got the batteries charged I tried to start the truck. No luck it spun over cranking but no start. So I began to wonder, wonder what else is wrong. I pulled my code reader out pulled the codes and got P0340 Cam sensor bank 1.


Now what? I had a new sensor in the arm rest of the truck. I checked the ICP sensor, cleaned it with electrical cleaner still no start. Finally I jacked the truck in the 95F heat crawled under and began to pull the CPS off. Remember I'm not as young as I use to be, I'll be 70 next year. This just isn't as easy for me as it use to be. I also had a Pneumonia shot for the *over 65* group the day before. My arm was red swollen and I was under the truck in 95 F heat.
When I had the connector off and 10 MM bolt out I could not get the stuck sensor out of the hole. Finally with two very long screw drivers I was able to pry it out. Then I put a little synthetic oil on the o ring and when through the same whoo haa to get the new one in. To put the bolt in I used a piece of paper in a socket to jam the bolt in so it would not drop out when trying to install it around the sensor bracket arm.


After a lot of words I had the sensor bolted in and plugged in. I hit the key and it started right up all is well. Lift gate still won't open. By now it was 2 PM and I had been working on the truck since 8 AM so clean up and Nap time in the a/c.


The next day I drove the truck about 30 miles to the airport and it was running well and batteries full charged. So I was thinking about how to repair the lift gate. Then the thought came to me.. Dead batteries, failed CPS, wonder if the lock didn't release all the way. After I parked I hit the unlock button with fully charged batteries. Then back to the gate I pulled the latch and it popped open. Wow was I surprised. So not I'm thinking if I close it, it may never open again. So I gave it a shot, closed it and then opened it again and all was well. Apparently with the run down batteries hitting the unlock didn't have enough power to fully release the lock. Opening the door only one side latch opened and one still locked and this made the pull handle feel broken. Resetting by locking and unlocking free the lock and now all is well. But what a PITA this has been. Apparently the ignition key when turned off shut the engine off but the power was still flowing through possibly the acc part of the switch because the switch wasn't fully off.


When all the work was done I found a novel way to get it off the jack stand. My wife picked up my big jack and I had one stand under the right wheel keeping it about 2" high or just high enough not to notice it is jacked up. I started the truck and was so excited I wanted to drive it around the block. I put it in reverse but it would not move. I gave a little more throttle and it rolled rearward, then I heard a noise. Sounded like jack stand. Just backed off the stand but the truck is 4WD so it was high enough to clear no damage. So if you have 4WD and jack only right front wheel in a rush it is possible to just back up and remove the truck without jacking again. Or you might just try jacking the truck and removing the stand normally. Ok now quit laughing .


Now I just make sure the switch is in the full off position and make sure the a/c blower is off and I know the power is off. Thanks for all the tips.


It isn't fun working in 95 heat with heat index of 115. I guess getting older makes me do more time thinking on what is wrong than wanting to twist a wrench.