Liftgate / Hatch Elec Button Inoperable (non-power)

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bobgriner

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Location
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I'm still in the fact-finding phase here. I have a 2008 XLT that has a button for the liftgate / hatch, but not a "power liftgate." The button for the liftgate / hatch glass works perfectly.

FACTS : The entire rear hatch locking actuators (window and liftgate / hatch) have a healthy 20amp fuse (17 at passenger footwell). The button worked intermittently for a while, then just stopped completely. This was an SSV (special service vehicle) that a local municipality used for emergency management or something. It had multiple extra lights on the liftgate / hatch, front and rear quarter panels, I believe some type of mounted light below the upper liftgate / hatch brake light. I discovered a wiring connector tucked up in the upper metal part of the upper liftgate / hatch. I couldn't find the female mate to this connector and assume it was on the non-OEM mounted light. There was definitely some “creative wiring” that went on a non-professional level by the municipality.

ACTUATOR : I pulled the actuator and did a quick test with jumpers from a rechargeable battery. The actuator is connected by (4) wires (yellow & white paired and red & black paired). The wire Paris attach in two completely different parts of the actuator. The red & black pair fired up the actuator and it clicked to unlock/open. The yellow & white pair was unresponsive. I'm not sure I understand why there are (4) wires there. I guess the tripping of the yellow & white pair locks the actuator in the closed position (since it's already latched when the liftgate / hatch is pushed closed). Nothing I did with the yellow & white pair caused a click or anything.

BUTTON : It appears that the exterior rubber button on the back side of the handle has (2) wires (brown & black/white. My assumption is that the result of depressing the button closes the circuit and trips the open/unlock part of the actuator. I stripped a little insulation off the (2) brown & black/white wires that go to the button, and tried to jump them to see if I got a response from the actuator >> nothing.

CONNECTOR 1 : The (4-wire) connector that feeds the actuator has red & black paired; yellow & white paired going toward the actuator, and the opposite side of the connector was orange/white, black/blue, black/white and green/white. I stripped insulation on each of these and tried to see if I could get my tester light to signal by alternatively mating up each wire. I got no light from any combination.

CONNECTOR 2 : The 2-wire connection from the rubber button on the does [not] come from the 4-wire connection and is feed further back up the wiring chain somewhere. I’m wondering if there is a relay somewhere in the back storage area behind the large plastic covers.

My current thought is that it’s a relay or somewhere further back up the wiring chain is a cut wire or loose/broken ground.

Anyone had this situation, or one close >> OR other things to test?

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