Tail gate latch hard to open

[Frans14silver]

My 14 is really hard to open only once in a while, I guess I need to open up the access panel and check it out. Maybe needs some lube lol 

[15 Z71]

My 15 is hard to open. You have to pull the left side of handle,if you pull the right side it feels like you will snap the handle off.

[bhowatt]

Somethings wrong with it, and in need of adjustment or replacement.
 
The 15, 16 and now this 18 are  (have been) smooth and easy to open. 
 
If your not convinced, go to a dealer and try a few on the lot or in the showroom.
(I know, the tailgate locks make this more complicated...)

Yeah I’m going to take it in. I can fix it myself I’m sure but that’s what warranty is for.


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[diyer2]

I would fix it myself to avoid a possible problem.

 

[L86 All Terrain]

Push the tailgate in towards the bed with your other hand before pulling on the handle. If it opens easier, then there is too much pressure on the clasps. Loosen off the strikers on the bedside and try adjust them slightly to the rear of the truck. Sometime only a couple hundredths of an inch will make a big difference. On my old trucks (90's) the hinges would pound out a bit on the bushroads leading to this issue, in those cases I had to drill out the hinge spotweld and weld in a new one. I doubt you have destroyed the hinges already but they could be out slightly to causing pressure. Just grab your socket set and play around with it a bit. 

[15 Z71]

9 hours ago, L86 All Terrain said:

Push the tailgate in towards the bed with your other hand before pulling on the handle. If it opens easier, then there is too much pressure on the clasps. Loosen off the strikers on the bedside and try adjust them slightly to the rear of the truck. Sometime only a couple hundredths of an inch will make a big difference. On my old trucks (90's) the hinges would pound out a bit on the bushroads leading to this issue, in those cases I had to drill out the hinge spotweld and weld in a new one. I doubt you have destroyed the hinges already but they could be out slightly to causing pressure. Just grab your socket set and play around with it a bit. 

I tried mine by pushing in and then opening it. Wow was it super easy. But I have no clue what you mean on how to adjust it?

[L86 All Terrain]

13 hours ago, 15 Z71 said:

I tried mine by pushing in and then opening it. Wow was it super easy. But I have no clue what you mean on how to adjust it?

Open the tailgate and loosen off the strikers (the pins that the tailgate clasps locks on to) it has a Torx screw in the centre of each striker. Once it is loose and you can jiggle it around a little, place a small pry bar behind it and push it out towards the back of the truck, while you have some pressure on it with the prybar, tighten it back up with your one free hand while keeping pressure on it. There is not much adjustment in them but like I say, sometimes you only need a c**t hair or two of adjustment. If that does not help, loosen off the 2 bolts holding the clasp assembly on each side of the tailgate, try to push those towards the front of the truck (your tailgate will be laying flat so pull up on the assemblies and re-tighten).

 

 

Edited March 28, 2019 by L86 All Terrain

[diyer2]

If adjusting the striker is over your head, try putting some grease, oil on the striker and latch plunger.

 

[Mike GMC]

My 18 would not open at all this morning.  We're on a road trip so it  is particularly inconvenient.  I managed to get the tonneau cover open so we were able to load up and get going.  We are at a dealership in Houston now hoping they can fix it quickly.

[Cupton]

On 3/28/2019 at 2:04 PM, Mike GMC said:

My 18 would not open at all this morning.  We're on a road trip so it  is particularly inconvenient.  I managed to get the tonneau cover open so we were able to load up and get going.  We are at a dealership in Houston now hoping they can fix it quickly.

That is exactly what happened to me when mine broke. I was on a road trip moving my son into his college dorm. Luckily I was able to jimmy the tonneau cover open when we got there and was able to unload that way. Took it to the dealer when I got home and they reconnected what became disconnected and its been fine ever since. Hopefully your issue is a quick fix like mine was. Couldn't believe it happened to begin with. And horrible timing!

[Mike GMC]

Robbins Chevrolet fixed me right up.  Turns out the passenger side for became disconnected from the handle mechanism.  Nothing broke, it just came out.  My guess is the little plastic clip was not secured properly at the factory.  Hopefully it never happens again.

[Cupton]

4 minutes ago, Mike GMC said:

Robbins Chevrolet fixed me right up.  Turns out the passenger side for became disconnected from the handle mechanism.  Nothing broke, it just came out.  My guess is the little plastic clip was not secured properly at the factory.  Hopefully it never happens again.

Glad they fixed you up and nothing broke. Same deal as mine. Reconnect and good to go!

[flyingfool]

speaking of tailgates, has anyone had a failure of your dampener on opening yet? seems a plastic piece just broke the other day at the pivot point, now it just drops open instead of the smooth slow decent..

[wforrest08]

39 minutes ago, flyingfool said:

speaking of tailgates, has anyone had a failure of your dampener on opening yet? seems a plastic piece just broke the other day at the pivot point, now it just drops open instead of the smooth slow decent..

You talking about this? If so there’s a couple more threads on here about it.

 

 

[Skeeter McSkeet]

I don’t know if you got fixed up OP, but my bet would be the posts are off as well. I did the add 1.5 hp mod to my tailgate in my 15 when I backed into a tree in the woods with the tailgate down. Dealer fixed it, but the posts, well neither one of us has got them right to this day. I just got used to trying to break the handle off to open the tailgate, it’s like an extra layer of security lol.