mk4 Golf tailgate issues

This may seem a bit complicated, but the basics are that i bought my mk4 golf estate several months and all was well apart from the fact that someone had snapped something off in the rear lock on the tailgate.
I thought, no problem i can live with that as it still locked and unlocked with the central locking and all worked well.

Well that was until it stopped working!!!!

so i cannot put the key in the lock and the tailgate will not open at all, apart from destroying the panel on the inside of the tailgate to get to the workings and see what is faulty and what needs replacing, does any body have any ideas as to how i can open my tailgate without causing damage?

This is my first golf, (not my first VW though, used to own a type 2 camper, wish i still had it :crying:!!) in all fairness i am not overly impressed with this tdi estate, there always seems to be little niggling problems for me to fix on it, such as courtesy light on drivers door another faulty switch, fuel pump, brakes twice!!! and stereo issues!!!

Can anyone shed any light on my predicament please?

just replied to simular thread might be your rear wash pipe leaking in the boot
seized the lock with limescale and the motor cant open it

you need to get in the tailgate trim though to unsieze the lock

im not sure if you can get the trim off without opening the boot
there are 2 screws in the handles then it just pulls off

there are alot of common faults with all vw's but i read you had a tdi so will run forever with these little faults
i ran a gt tdi with a blown headgasket for nearly 3 years and would still be going today if i didnt have a cowboy attempt to fix it

Thanks for the reply

The washer hose did leak several mnths ago, repaired that and it is probably that, that has knackered the electrics i imagine..

The trouble is with the lock itself being knackered also i am stuck, i think the only way is to destroy the trim as it will not come off with the tailgate shut and attack it from there...


So now i will need to find a new lock and trim for the tailgate, more likely a micro switch and some other bits and bobs!!!!!!!!

i do like the car, it is just the car is damn useless without access to the area!

The problem with all the electrical devices your Golf 4 estate has over the T2 is that the Bus did not have them to go wrong in the first place.

Very true indeed, and the old type 2 was not as economical as the tdi!!!
Saying that, the type 2 was much more fun to drive ;)

Should have kept it really, would be worth a fair bit now.....

Problem Solved....

After taking everything apart i have found that the micro switch on the end of the key barrel was faulty, this was leaving the tailgate in the locked position and this is why it would not open... Now replaced, it is working a treat....
was a hell of a nuisance to get into teh working from inside the car, but once we managed to open it up, it was relatively easy....