Hi yall. My name is Matt. I'm from Dallas, and this is my '05 Dode Ram 1500 with a v8 hemi.






I love her, but she's got me puzzled at the moment. I need to replace a brake light, but when I went to open the tailgate...well it wouldn't. It's a locking tailgate, but obviously I've tried unlocking it with the key fob as well as disabling the lock feature from inside. Still, she won't budge. Anyone have an idea what the problem might be?

Thanks,
Matt

 

Maybe is an aftermarket lock and the previuos owner kept the key?

Welcome to the forum!

 

Well I bought it brand new in '05. Plus it's actually an internal lock. There isn't a keyhole like you'd find on a door or the trunk of a car. I hope that makes sense. Like I said, I'm stumped.

And thanks for the welcome.

-Matt

 

Im stumped too.

 

I considered two possibilities

1) maybe something is wrong with the mechanics in the handle/latch of the tailgate?
- but nothing has happened (like a wreck) that would have affected it since last time I opened it

2) maybe since it's a power lock there's a fuse somewhere that has blown?
- but I have no idea where such a fuse might be found

-Matt

 

Im curious, if you bought it new, where it is lock? Internal you said? Did you install it? Can you pull the inside tailgate cover off and get to the locking mechanism or latch assembly?

 

Welcome to Dodge Forum!! Check out our Ram Section!!

Dusty

 

Welcome to the site. I will move this thread to the third generation Ram section,
FF

 

It came with the lock pre-installed straight off the dealership lot. I've never actually opened it up to see exactly how the mechanism works, but I do know it's electronic. When the doors are locked, the tailgate can't be opened. When I unlock the doors, the tailgate can be opened.

On top of that, there is a switch under the dash that can disable the entire lock system so that the tailgate can be opened any time, regardless of whether the doors are locked or not. Right now, neither unlocking the doors nor disabling the switch allows me to open 'er up.

-Matt

 

That sounds like a fuse issue then. Never heard of an electrical tailgate lock though.