Liftgate on 08 H2 won't open

[PCH2]

Mike,
Okay, just got our 08 Duece, low and behold the wife gets in this morning and picks up the grandkids, goes to put their stuff in the back and the liftgate is "locked". She unlocks everything again, and nothing. She took it by our Dealer and they can't figure it out. Is there something that can be reset, or a fuse that might be hidden. I checked the I/P fuse box, nothing blown. All other locks work fine, I use the keyless entry to lock everything, but I can not hear the back liftgate functioning. Any help or advise would be helpful. It has worked fine up until today.

 

[LoJac963]

You need to replace the lock actuator. On my 06 it had 3 cables going to the actuator. Picked one up off Ebay for about $70 I believe it was. Install is easy, just pull the trim off the hatch door and replace the thing. I also don't slam my rear door anymore. Especially with the GOBI ladder I hold that and let it close slowly.

 

[PCH2]

Latest on the lift gate. Works Great!! A little liquid graphite in the door handle, sat over night, BAM!!! Opened right up next morning and has worked ever since. I did locate the actuator on Ebay though, just in case.

 

[twinmill28]

Our actuator has taken to making a really loud buzzing sound, scare the hell out of you when you put the truck in park and it unlocks that door, it only does it at the unlock command as far as I can tell. Did you just search "actuator" on the Bay?

All I can figure to do on mine is replace that piece but haven't taken it apart yet to see what's going on. It still seems to be working as advertised, haven't checked to see if it's locking, but it's certainly unlocked when I need to open it.

 

[PCH2]

.... Did you just search "actuator" on the Bay?

Yeah LoJac mentioned it, ebaymotors, searched Hummer actuator. Was 75$ plus shipping.

 

[LoJac963]

Latest on the lift gate. Works Great!! A little liquid graphite in the door handle, sat over night, BAM!!! Opened right up next morning and has worked ever since. I did locate the actuator on Ebay though, just in case.

mine stopped working all together, ordered the actuator then all of a sudden it would work intermittently. Dry lubricant on the handle isn't going to do anything, the actuator connects to the handle and 2 locking points by steel cables. Mine is an 06 with at the time about 45k on it and the actuator went out. Now since having the GOBI ladder on the back I hold that and I don't let the door slam shut anymore-maybe that will extend its life you never know!

 

[PCH2]

Your right!! Jinxed myself with last post! Wife called at store parking lot.........I'm a optimist, she didn't use those exact words for not installing actuator!! Weekend project coming up.

sent from within the "Cone of Silence" at Control Headquarters, that can only be reached in a Hummer.

 

[LoJac963]

well it was a good thought lol. The install couldn't be any more straight forward, pop off the trim, take the old one out, put the new one in. There's nothing to it-good luck!

 

[twinmill28]

I ordered mine late last week, should be seeing it today or tomorrow. Cost $45 shipped off of the Bay. Probably won't have a chance to replace before camping this weekend. Hope it doesn't crap out before then.
I don't usually use the hatch while camping anyway though as you can't get it open with the trailer strapped on back there!

 

[PCH2]

Had it in at Seiner for the last week, they called yesterday, 550.00 to fix rear lift gate!! Told josh to leave panel off, I'll put the eBay actuator in myself. So it looks like we get the 2 back tonight.

sent from within the "Cone of Silence" at Control Headquarters, that can only be reached in a Hummer.

 

[LoJac963]

That's absolutely ridiculous. From start to finish that repair to do on your own takes a whole 15 minutes if that!

 

[twinmill28]

Ok, just discovered that there is more than one "rear" door on an H2! First I thought I totally got a part for the wrong car; turns out it was the right part for the car, wrong door. I've gotta see if the Ebay seller will accept an exchange on the right part.
I actually also discovered that I was trying to take the wrong part out, gots to pay attention to how these things work. I discovered there is a left and right latch on the door, which is activated by the "actuator" in the center of the door under the plastic panel, which is the part that's making the wacky buzzer noise.
I was going to take some pics to help other guys out who have this problem, but it really is so easy that if you have tools you can figure it all out. I was really amazed that once I got the two "push in" buttons out and removed the screw for the pull-to-close-strap, the whole panel pops out from it's retainers clipped in the door. It happened so fast I almost dropped it. Yeah, it's that simple; and that panel is HUGE!

So now I've executed plan B, which I'd already been thinking about----disconnect the electrical connector for the actuator in the unlocked position and Waa Laa, no more buzzing. Ok, now the rear hatch is permanently unlocked, but I live in a really low crime area and not worried about anybody figuring out that they can swing the tire out of the way and open the door. I also discovered that apparently the alarm doesn't work in this arrangement.
Well, gots to head over to the Bay and source out the right part.

 

[PCH2]

Get my actuator tomorrow from Ebay, paid 80.00 total shipped. Now you have me worried about which one I ordered. The service dept at Seiner said it was the "big box" right in the middle of the door. We'll see tomorrow. I tried unlocking the door manually with the cables on the actuator, but nothing happened. I was thinking, if you have the rear tire mount, we could get a lock somehow on the push pin at the latch. Well, tomorrow will be the day guessing stops.

 

[LoJac963]

^you should be good, the ACTUATOR is the ebay one I was talking about. Yes there are 2 latches with cables and a third cable but everything is controlled by the actuator in the center of the door. I sounds like Twinmill is also talking abou the actuator but says it doesn't fit......

 

[twinmill28]

Yeah, the "actuator" I ordered was for the rear passenger door, it rang in at $45 and was actually the latch.
I think $80 sounds more like the part you need, which should be the center piece that all the cables go into. The mechanism should be mounted to a galvanized steel plate and have 3 locations to slide the cables onto. You should know pretty quick by this description if that's what you got.
I was going to take pictures of the whole mess but was kinda fed up and just buttoned it all back up.
Also, since I discovered I could leave it disconnected and it quit making noise, it slipped way down on my priority list. I have been contemplating what it would take to lock the tire swing--that would be cheapest.

 

[PCH2]

Just installed the new actuator, and presto, good as new. It really did take about 15 minutes. Makes me question my "great" service adviser at Seiner!

 

[LoJac963]

^glad it worked! I see what you're saying Twinmill and you are correct about the actuator mounting to the steel plate. I do have pics but I think all of us in this thread are very familiar with the process by now lol.