Hello!!! I have a 1998 Dodge Durango 4x4 V8. About a year ago the back hatch stopped opening the door would lock and unlock but the handle wouldnt open it.
SOOOOO today, My father and i took the door panel down from the inside, and then reached down in pulled the lever up to unlatch the door, we get inside, and find that the plastic piece that pushes the lever down to rock the other end up to unlatch it slowly shaved itself off until there was nothing but a nub left.
ANYWAY, so heres the question, Does anyone know the part number to the tailgate handle/lock/door mechanism, or where i can find a picture of it anywhere, i go to website after website looking for a part, and they list a part, but no picture, funny because it shows pictures of the other door handles and mechanisms when you look, but not the liftgate!!! GRRRRRRR!
thanks
Mel

 

I've got a better and cheaper idea for you.

Since you now know how to get at the broken part in question you might want to try your local pic-a-part style junkyard and yank it off another D. You'll find many parts are the same for a few model years and word is the interoirs are the same pretty much from '98-'00.

If it were me this is exactly what I'd do, and besides the fee to enter most pic-a-part yards is usually $1-$2 and in my area the ladies get in free, so I'd go for it and you'll find it's the best source of oem original parts around at a fraction of dealer price.

 

DRR why didnt i think of that?? HMMM........ I feel so weird being a chick commin on here talking about tearing the door down in my D. LOL
We went as far as trying to rig something to the nub so it would open until i could find one, all i did was break it worse, man i was PISSED!! threw the screw driver OOPS!
ANyway, THANKS!!

 

Don't feel weird, you have a brain to think with and two hands to turn a wrench with same as me or anyone else.

My 6 year old daughter asked me once while watching an indycar race,"Daddy can girls drive race cars?" and with a smile I replied, "Yes there are three women drivers racing in this race right now." and I told her she can do anything she wants if she puts her mind to it and that I'd always be there to help.

There's lot's of wrench turn'n ladies out there and lots of them on this site. So welcome to the forum!
You'll have to take pics of the tailgate job your working on and make a DIY post out of it.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

I had the same thing wrong with mine when i bought it i dont think they had used it much and then tryed to pry it open braken it off i found the lock unlock lever to be frozen up as well so you might check that to i bought it from the dealer think ones at the pic apart where proble not much better it wasent to much at the dealer and about being a chick that rocks you know how many guys would killl to get there chicks to do something like that you are welcome here any time

 

when i bought mine it was sticking and wouldnt open with out a whole lot of pushing on the door and pulling on the handle, I definately just need a whole new tailgate locking/handle/mechanism..... I will be SOOO EXCITED when i finally find one! LOL i have it all rigged up so i can pull a rope over all the stuff in the trunk to pop it open instead of having to unload through the side door!