Avant: Help! Tailgate wont open from outside.

[irishs2]

Ok after 2 years I have decided to pull the finger out and get started rebuilding the S2 Avant.
I had no trouble opening the tailgate to put the battery in, but silly me left the tailgate open when trying the start the car. My gas struts are very very weak and the tailgate shut hard, and now the handle wont engage to open the tailgate.

I have tried locking and unlocking central locking and seems to operate fine.

Is there a way to open from the inside? Can the trim be removed while the tailgate is still closed. I have a replacement tailgate so I dont mind cutting from the outside if need be.

[Mcbeth]

Don't panic dude. Climb into the boot and pull off the boot trim. There are about ten poppers which pull off. You might need to wiggle it around the wiper mechanism to get it off fully. Then, reach in and pull one of the two cables upward. This will release the catch.
There is a little barrel shaped part I'd the mechanism which may have broken.

[irishs2]

Thanks , will try that tomorrow.

[andy10v]

I guess this is what you are trying to access?

[mcandmar]

Did you leave the boot lock in the locked position when you removed the key?

[irishs2]

I dont think so, I had to unlock it with the key to fit the battery. The tailgate is fairly battered and the handle felt iffy since I got it so that last slam popped what was left of the mechanism. The key is unable to turn the lock now . That diagram helps, will try and pop the interior panel and see if i can open it.

[UrS4boy]

To just open the tailgate from the inside, you need to open the two "secret" panels in the hatch trim and pull on the two rods (one on each side) Items 7 and 13 in the diagram). Once open you will need to remove the trim. Here is a DIY for removing C4 hatch trim (with a photo of the secret panels) that you might find handy.

http://forums.quattroworld.com/s4s6/msgs/93572.phtml

[irishs2]

Success!

Trim was removed easily enough and just pull on those two rods



The lock had been interfered with in the past, maybe an attempted break in as there is damage on the outside handle.





When the outside handle was pulled , if failed completely to engage the mechanism that pulls on those cables.


Thanks for all your help

[stocious]

Happy days,

[sailaz]

just the rod was out from that white plastic holder ?