When closing the tailgate a bit of cloth tarp was laying over the catch and now the tailgate won't open. The lock works but the heavy cloth tarp won't allow the latch to work. I've tried pulling the tarp out but it won't come. It's a heavy cloth tarp and quite stout. I tried the inside latch handle but it broke off in my hand (!).

ANY ideas are welcome!


Thanks!


rr

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r2

'85 300SD 193k miles (parts)
'81 300SD 400k miles-sold
'84 300SD 205k miles-sold
'84 300TDT 270k miles-sold
'80 300CD 200k miles-sold

soak the exposed part of the tarp in diesel fuel, and light it on fire. it will burn away, and voila--turn the key

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That's pretty good. I like that! How about- soak the tarp in diesel, light it on fire and just walk away...


Any other suggestions?

__________________
r2

'85 300SD 193k miles (parts)
'81 300SD 400k miles-sold
'84 300SD 205k miles-sold
'84 300TDT 270k miles-sold
'80 300CD 200k miles-sold

yeah, you don't Have to use diesel. you could just use vegetable oil instead

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My white wagon can be a tad finicky with the hatch opening/unlatching. I have found that if I pop the button quick and hard {OK, let's be adult about this} that it will pop the latch mechanism loose much more effectively.
You've probably already tried this, but it is all I have to offer that isn't a completely stupid suggestion.

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

well think about it, the tarp isn't allowing the catch to engage fully. but it is jamming it pretty good. enough force should just pop the tailgate open.

Burning this inside a car is never a good idea.

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Current
2006 E320 CDI, 57K bought at 67K "Liesl"
1986 190E 2.3-16, 198K bought at 56K "Brigitta"
1987 300TD (Chuggin Along), 292K "Friedrich"
1995 E320 Wagon, 200K "Louisa"

Past
1987 300SDL, (sold) 125K, bought for 1$ "Kurt"

you could try having some one sit in the back with their feet against the tailgate pushing hard. When you try and pop the tail gate it may then open as it is being forced from both sides

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will enlist some help tomorrow and try pushing from the inside as well. But I think that the latch did indeed engage and the tarp is taking up that little bit of clearance that is needed for the mechanism to disengage. So I don't think force will do it but I will give it a try. I thought about prying but am sure that I would bend some sheet metal that way.

I wonder if there's a way to access the mechanism by disassembling the tailgate from the inside?

I wish I hadn't just loaded up the wagon...

__________________
r2

'85 300SD 193k miles (parts)
'81 300SD 400k miles-sold
'84 300SD 205k miles-sold
'84 300TDT 270k miles-sold
'80 300CD 200k miles-sold

Tailgate popped open today! I don't know what the difference was. It was cold today (for California) so maybe that made the difference.

What a relief! Thanks for all the suggestions (including lighting my tarp on fire...)!


rr

__________________
r2

'85 300SD 193k miles (parts)
'81 300SD 400k miles-sold
'84 300SD 205k miles-sold
'84 300TDT 270k miles-sold
'80 300CD 200k miles-sold