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Trunk / Liftgate

Body and Frame › Doors, Hood and Trunk
Unified entry — merged from multiple cross-listed pages in the original manual.
Procedures
Liftgate - Removal15 steps
△ CAUTION
With assistance support the lift gate while the hinges are being removed.
⚠ WARNING
Make sure assistants are prepared when removing the bolts from the hinges. When the bolts are removed the lift gate is no longer attached to the vehicle and can fall.
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  1. Open the lift gate.
  2. Pull down at the center of the headliner molding (3) only enough to allow the tab (2) to be released from the quarter trim molding.
  3. Carefully pull down to remove the remaining clips (4) attaching the molding to the body then move the molding to the left to released the tab from the quarter trim molding.
  4. Remove two bolts (2) from the lower trim panel (3).
  5. Using a trim stick or equivalent, release the fasteners at all of the locations around the trim panel (3).
  6. Lift the trim panel (2) from the lift gate (1).
  7. Disconnect the lift gate harness connector, remove the grommet and electrical harness.
  8. Support the lift gate with a lift gate support tool (1).
  9. Remove the support cylinders (2) from the lift gate and body.
  10. Remove the center high mounted stop lamp, Center Mounted Brake Lamp - Removal.
  11. Disconnect all electrical connectors and remove electrical harness from the lift gate.
  12. Using a grease pencil or equivalent, mark the position of the hinges (1) to aid with installation.
  13. Remove nuts (2) from the hinges (1) located on the body.
  14. Remove the bolts (3) from the hinges (1) located on the body.
  15. Remove the lift gate (4) from the vehicle.
Liftgate - Installation15 steps
ℹ NOTE
With assistance, support the lift gate while the hinges are being installed.
△ CAUTION
With assistance, support the lift gate while the hinges are being removed.
ℹ NOTE
Use a soapy water solution or equivalent to lubricate the grommet.
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  1. With assistance, install the lift gate (4) to the vehicle.
  2. Apply body sealer on the hinge to body mating surface. Align hinges with installation reference marks made previously.
  3. Install the bolts (3) to the hinges (1) at the body location and tighten bolts to 28.5 Nm (21 ft. lbs.).
  4. Install the nuts (2) to the hinges (1) at the body location and tighten nuts to 28.5 Nm (21 ft. lbs.).
  5. Install electrical harness to the lift gate and connect all electrical connections.
  6. Install the electrical harness, grommet and connector to the vehicle.
  7. Install the center high mounted stop lamp, Center Mounted Brake Lamp - Installation.
  8. Check and adjust lift gate as necessary, Adjustments.
  9. Install the support cylinders (2) to the lift gate and body.
  10. Align and install the trim panel (3) to the left gate (1), use hand pressure to seat all of the fasteners around the trim panel (3).
  11. Install the two bolts (2) to the lower trim panel (3) and tighten to 7 Nm (65 in. lbs.).
  12. Install the headliner molding (3) to the body by sliding the tab (1) on the right side into the quarter trim molding.
  13. Pull down at the center of the headliner molding (3) only enough to allow the tab (2) to be slide into the other side of the quarter trim molding.
  14. Using hand pressure snap the remaining clips (4) into place.
  15. Close the lift gate.
Factory service manual
From the 2008 KK factory manual — descriptions, specs, torque & procedures for this part.
LIFTGATE📷 3
1. Open the lift gate. 2. Pull down at the center of the headliner molding (3) only enough to allow the tab (2) to be released from the quarter trim molding. 3. Carefully pull down to remove the remaining clips (4) attaching the molding to the body then move the molding to the left to released the tab from the quarter trim molding.
4. Remove two bolts (2) from the lower trim panel (3). 5. Using a trim stick C-4755 or equivalent, release the fasteners at all of the locations around the trim panel (3). 6. Lift the trim panel (2) from the lift gate (1). 7. Disconnect the lift gate harness connector, remove the grommet and electrical harness.
8. Support the lift gate with a lift gate support tool (1). 9. Remove the support cylinders (2) from the lift gate and body.
10. Remove the center high mounted stop lamp, refer to REMOVAL . 11. Disconnect all electrical connectors and remove electrical harness from the lift gate.
CAUTION: With assistance support the lift gate while the hinges are being removed.
12. Using a grease pencil or equivalent, mark the position of the hinges (1) to aid with installation. 13. Remove nuts (2) from the hinges (1) located on the body.
WARNING: Make sure assistants are prepared when removing the bolts from the hinges. When the bolts are removed the lift gate is no longer attached to the vehicle and can fall.
14. Remove the bolts (3) from the hinges (1) located on the body. 15. Remove the lift gate (4) from the vehicle.
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LIFTGATE📷 4
NOTE: With assistance, support the lift gate while the hinges are being installed.
1. With assistance, install the lift gate (4) to the vehicle. 2. Apply body sealer on the hinge to body mating surface. Align hinges with installation reference marks made previously. 3. Install the bolts (3) to the hinges (1) at the body location and tighten bolts to 28.5 N.m (21 ft. lbs.). 4. Install the nuts (2) to the hinges (1) at the body location and tighten nuts to 28.5 N.m (21 ft. lbs.).
CAUTION: With assistance, support the lift gate while the hinges are being removed.
5. Install electrical harness to the lift gate and connect all electrical connections.
NOTE: Use a soapy water solution or equivalent to lubricate the grommet.
6. Install the electrical harness, grommet and connector to the vehicle. 7. Install the center high mounted stop lamp, refer to INSTALLATION . 8. Check and adjust lift gate as necessary, see ADJUSTMENTS.
9. Install the support cylinders (2) to the lift gate and body.
10. Align and install the trim panel (3) to the left gate (1), use hand pressure to seat all of the fasteners around the trim panel (3). 11. Install the two bolts (2) to the lower trim panel (3) and tighten to 7 N.m (65 in. lbs.).
12. Install the headliner molding (3) to the body by sliding the tab (1) on the right side into the quarter trim molding. 13. Pull down at the center of the headliner molding (3) only enough to allow the tab (2) to be slide into the other side of the quarter trim molding. 14. Using hand pressure snap the remaining clips (4) into place. 15. Close the lift gate.
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LIFTGATE📷 5
In/out
NOTE: The position of the lift gate can be adjusted upward or downward by the use of slots in the hinge. An inward or outward adjustment is achieved by use of slots in the body. If an inward or outward adjustment is needed, use a body sealer on the hinge to body mating surface.
1. Using a trim stick C-4755 or equivalent, remove the headliner molding. 2. For the upper lift gate adjustments, loosen the hinge nuts (2) and bolts (3) but do not remove. Adjust to specifications, see SPECIFICATIONS. 3. Apply body sealer on the hinge to body mating surface. 4. Tighten the hinge bolts to 28.5 N.m (21 ft. lbs.). 5. Tighten the hinge nuts to 28.5 N.m (21 ft. lbs.).
6. Remove the rear door scuff plate. 7. For the lower lift gate adjustments, loosen the striker screws (2) and adjust to specifications, see

Specifications

8. Tighten the striker screws to 28 N.m (20.5 ft. lbs.). 9. Install the rear door scuff plate. 10. Position the headliner molding and seat fully.
Up/Down and Left/Right
1. Loosen the hinge to lift gate bolts (2) but do not remove.
2. Remove the rear door scuff plate. 3. Loosen the striker screws (2). 4. Adjust the lift gate up/down position to specifications, see SPECIFICATIONS.
5. Apply body sealer on the hinge to lift gate mating surface. 6. Tighten the hinge to lift gate bolts to 28.5 N.m (21 ft. lbs.).
7. Confirm the lower lift gate in/out position and tighten the striker screws to 28 N.m (20.5 ft. lbs.). 8. Install the lift gate trim scuff plate and install the screws.
PANEL - LIFTGATE TRIM
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