89 Suburban Tailgate Won't Open

[brown7373]

The tailgate on my 1989 Chevy Suburban won't open. The power window went down, but when you lift the handle, only the right side releases. The left side is hung up, or something is broken. Any idea on how to get it open?

[Nodnarb76]

My 87 Suburban was doing the same thing when I bought it.
If it was a Silverado remove the carpeted tailgate trim. Under that is a metal access panel.
We had to manually pull on the rods to open it and then lubed everything real good.
Problem solved.

[brown7373]

I have done that with the gate open and down, but wasn't sure I had access to do it with the gate up. My truck is kind of full, with a bench seat from a 70 Bonneville loaded, waiting to go to the trim shop to be redone. It will be difficult to get to, but I will work on it this weekend. Thanks for the responding with the tip. I didn't want to chase my tail without knowing it would work, or if there was a better way.

[brown7373]

Got my tailgate opened today. The problem was the side window channels of the tailgate were rusted out. That caused the bottom of the glass and the horizontal metal to catch on the release mechanism when the window was lowered or raised, and it knocked the retaining clip on the rod that releases the left side. I ordered new channels which should fix the problem.

[55dude]

my 82 is stuck and thanks for posting because this will help me get mine open.left side is released but right side is stuck.

[kwmech]

That's why I like my barn doors. Had a K5 years ago with the same issues. Seemed like I was always messing with the tailgate for one thing or another

[55dude]

got mine open yesterday! needed lubed and someone had bent latch rods trying to open it before. time to take things apart and straighten things up & lube them up before metal access panel goes back on.