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Glass hatch won't open anymore...

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 8:05 pm
by Michel
Hi,

I have a 2008 PF SE. Strangely, The glass hatch doesn't want to open anymore, there is no resistance when I depress the handle. The complete rear hatch opens easily. I have tried locking and unlocking the doors with no difference. Any ideas from other PF owners? How easy is it to remove the trim to inspect the inner guts of the hatch?

Thanks,

Michel

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 4:07 pm
by labsy
Is ti just glass won't pop-out when you depress the handle? Like opener gas strut died? ...or window does not want to open even by pulling it out (...with handle released, of course, to not break anything)?

I mean, the opener gas strut might die completely, or release handle does not unlock the window. Which defect you have?

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 5:04 pm
by Kael2001
The cable might have come out of its clip on the handle, or may have stretched. If you take off the back door trim (undo all the screws on the underside and clips along the bottom visible, there's one by the first aid kit as well I think)
The lock, cables and handle should be visible, or if not then can then be removed to allow you to look at them to check why it's not working

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 8:04 pm
by Michel
The glass won't unlock at all, like if the handle was disconnected from the release mechanism... I removed the small plastic trim that enables to manually open the liftgate and peeked inside to see if I could understand what was going on.... There is a small rod with a plastic clip that seems to have lost contact with the handle. I believe that is the culprit.

I will follow Kael's advice... But I am afraid of breaking the plastic clips as I wil pry open the trim. Any advice? I know how to do this on my Defender, but haven't tried yet on my Pathfinder.

My other fear is walking in the dealership enquiring for the price of a new backdoor trim...


Thanks!

Michel

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 10:58 am
by Kael2001
The clips are easy to undo and cheap to replace if you do break any.
You just use a flat head screwdriver to pop the middle bit up, then holding it up, pull the hole thing out.

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 6:31 pm
by Michel
Fixed! :D

Thanks for the input! Managed to pry away the rear liftgate trim and connected the cable back in.

No bruised knuckles this time!

Michel