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I just got a 2014 FX4 and have tried everything and anything to get tailgate step to release and open. It does not budge at all. Anybody got a trick to at least manually unlatch and open it. Getting close to taking inner panel off of gate to access internals.
What they all said ^^^^^. My truck was like that when I first got it and all I did was take the plastic cover off the top and spray the ever living rust with PB blast and let it soak for about 2 days. Then I had to spend about 10 minutes getting it unseized. Once unseized I covered it in WD40 and I do so every few months. Unfortunately the tailgate cover for the step isn't all that great and doesn't seal at all so when you don't use it a lot, it rusts into place.
I never used mine for years and when I went to use it as a sort of ladder along with the gate it was froze solid as Dick's pr**k. I took the panel off and sprayed it down and worked it off and on for a couple days and it works fine now. Still haven't used it since then but it does pull out now.
I found the issue last night. When you lift the cover it is supposed to lift and pivot the catch. Some how it jumped past and wasn't lifting it. A little bit of finesse to pop it back to where it should be. Adjusted it while I was at it and now it is smooth and easy to open. Should have taken a pic before I fixed it but forgot. Here is fixed pic.
