On to the next thing on this vehicle. I have a 2005 Dodge Durango Limited, and now the liftgate won't open. When you activate the key fob it opens the doors just fine but not the liftgate. Now you don't hear any noise like the latch is activating like it was before. From what I have read on older post you have to remove the inside trim panel to get at the latch. Is there a trick to getting this panel off ? I don't want to just pull on it and break the panel, and this is not an easy thing to get to when you can't open the liftgate. Is there any way to manually get the liftgate open ? The only way this works is off the keyfob.

 

My 2005 limited just did the same thing today. I see that there is a little service panel access below the light on the liftgate trim panel. Implants to check it out tomorrow so will keep you posted.

 

I have been meaning to give an update on what I did, after searching several forums I could not find a really good answer for this. I ended up taking the Durango to a local auto body shop and the guy there showed me what to do. From the inside, pull back on the interior trim panel just below the window, it will snap loose, its just snaps in place in that area. Take a board or something like that and put it in between to hold the trim panel back. You now have access to the latch to get your arm down in there. There is a servo motor on the top of the latch that is held in by 3 small hex screws, remove these screws then remove the servo from the top of the latch. Next slide the white plastic tab on the side of the latch toward yourself then just push down on the metal tab on the latch and it will open. And yes as usual that servo motor is not a seperate part available from dodge. You have to buy the latch assembly to get it. I took the servo motor apart and the gears were broken inside of it. The latch is an easy replacement, just 3 screws and the 2 wire connectors, and that is it, other than $158.00 for the latch at my local dodge dealer.