Disabling Tailgate Lock/Unlock

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DHC4570

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I recently purchased a 2020 Ram Laramie and installed a Diamondback bed cover. Had one previously and loved it - well worth the price in my opinion. I would like to be able to disable the tailgate lock to truly secure the bed when I have valuable items stored in it. Right now, someone can just break in and hit either the door unlock button or the tailgate release on the overhead console. No more secure bed... My preference would be to install a hidden kill switch that would disable / deactivate any kind of tailgate release mechanism. Is this possible? If so, what wire and where would I tap into it to install a simple kill switch?

Thanks!

Dave
 

kad

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Well, if the 5th Gen tailgate lock works like the 4th Gen ones do, there are two wires going to it, one for lock, one for unlock. The ground is via the body. So you'd need a double pole switch to cut off both wires (or use a single pole switch to only cut off the unlock one).

-K
 

crazykid1994

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I recently purchased a 2020 Ram Laramie and installed a Diamondback bed cover. Had one previously and loved it - well worth the price in my opinion. I would like to be able to disable the tailgate lock to truly secure the bed when I have valuable items stored in it. Right now, someone can just break in and hit either the door unlock button or the tailgate release on the overhead console. No more secure bed... My preference would be to install a hidden kill switch that would disable / deactivate any kind of tailgate release mechanism. Is this possible? If so, what wire and where would I tap into it to install a simple kill switch?

Thanks!

Dave
Do the 5th gens have a key unlock on the tailgate? If so you could disconnect t the electric lock completely and just use the key to open and close the tailgate.
 

BWL

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I want to disable my electric tailgate lock entirely. Would you get a code if you unplug it or is that even possible without also disabling the camera
 

kad

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I want to disable my electric tailgate lock entirely. Would you get a code if you unplug it or is that even possible without also disabling the camera

If you go inside the tailgate you should be able to unplug just the lock actuator. At least that's how I recall mine being when I had it open to replace the camera last year.

-K
 

crazykid1994

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Should be a plug directly on the lock actuator. The camera should have its own plug.
 
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IRSmart

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This isn’t as simple as it sounds. The tail gate isn’t “locking” in the sense that there is a mechanical lock. Your tail gate has an electronic release handle, than when you press the button (the handle itself) it releases the latch and allows you to lower the tail gate. When the tail gate is “locked”, it prevents this from happening. The only way to physically prevent the tail gate from “unlocking” would be to kill power to the tail gate’s release button, which without a pin out of that wiring harness, is hard to say if it’s even possible. It may be a can bus function, then you’re screwed. It’s not as simple as the 4th gens which have an actual lock and a physical latch mechanism.
 

crazykid1994

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This isn’t as simple as it sounds. The tail gate isn’t “locking” in the sense that there is a mechanical lock. Your tail gate has an electronic release handle, than when you press the button (the handle itself) it releases the latch and allows you to lower the tail gate. When the tail gate is “locked”, it prevents this from happening. The only way to physically prevent the tail gate from “unlocking” would be to kill power to the tail gate’s release button, which without a pin out of that wiring harness, is hard to say if it’s even possible. It may be a can bus function, then you’re screwed. It’s not as simple as the 4th gens which have an actual lock and a physical latch mechanism.
That’s what I tried asking. Thank you for clarifying that.
 

mikeru

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Maybe you should have bought an SUV? :bleh:
 

Jimmy07

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I recently purchased a 2020 Ram Laramie and installed a Diamondback bed cover. Had one previously and loved it - well worth the price in my opinion. I would like to be able to disable the tailgate lock to truly secure the bed when I have valuable items stored in it. Right now, someone can just break in and hit either the door unlock button or the tailgate release on the overhead console. No more secure bed... My preference would be to install a hidden kill switch that would disable / deactivate any kind of tailgate release mechanism. Is this possible? If so, what wire and where would I tap into it to install a simple kill switch?

Thanks!

Dave
You would install a simple two wire switch on the tailgate handle switch sense wire, and the only spot to do that inside the cab is grabbing that wire right at the BCM. The BCM is mounted up above the brake pedal. It is the green wire with white stripe in pin number 8 of the C6/F connector. There are 7 connectors plugged into the BCM, and are labeled on the housing A-G. 2lllSOz.jpg
Obviously, doing this would mean anytime you want to open your tailgate when the truck is locked, you’d have to unlock the truck, open the door and flip the switch, then walk out back to the tailgate to open it.
 
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DHC4570

DHC4570

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This isn’t as simple as it sounds. The tail gate isn’t “locking” in the sense that there is a mechanical lock. Your tail gate has an electronic release handle, than when you press the button (the handle itself) it releases the latch and allows you to lower the tail gate. When the tail gate is “locked”, it prevents this from happening. The only way to physically prevent the tail gate from “unlocking” would be to kill power to the tail gate’s release button, which without a pin out of that wiring harness, is hard to say if it’s even possible. It may be a can bus function, then you’re screwed. It’s not as simple as the 4th gens which have an actual lock and a physical latch mechanism.

Yesterday I took off the access panel on the inside of the tailgate and saw that connection. I started re-looking my plan by exploring putting a toggle switch off of one of the wires after it transitions to the body harness and run wires up behind the driver's brakelight assembly. I have been looking at waterproof two pole switches and thought about mounting it in the bed near the bed light switch. It would mean opening the Diamondback to activate/deactivate the tailgate release mechanism but that wouldn't be an issue. The bed would be secure.
 
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DHC4570

DHC4570

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You would install a simple two wire switch on the tailgate handle switch sense wire, and the only spot to do that inside the cab is grabbing that wire right at the BCM. The BCM is mounted up above the brake pedal. It is the green wire with white stripe in pin number 8 of the C6/F connector. There are 7 connectors plugged into the BCM, and are labeled on the housing A-G. 2lllSOz.jpg
Obviously, doing this would mean anytime you want to open your tailgate when the truck is locked, you’d have to unlock the truck, open the door and flip the switch, then walk out back to the tailgate to open it.

Thank you! That's excellent information! I'll take a look and see what this entails as far as cutting and splicing. I will admit to being a bit squeamish about cutting into a factory harness as it can get expensive if I short something out...

And yes, the procedure you mention about having to get into the truck to activate the switch is exactly what I had to do previously on my 2019 Tacoma (sold to fund this truck). As Tacomas didn't come with power locking tailgates, I installed a "factory looking" pop and lock I got off Tacoma World forum that used the passenger door harness. I inserted my own kill switch in this aftermarket harness so I didn't have to cut/splice the factory harness. Worked beautifully!

I may still try going through the switch in the tailgate and installing a waterproof toggle in the bed... We'll see.

Thanks for ALL of the replies!

Dave
 
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DHC4570

DHC4570

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If I tapped off of the tailgate switch inside the tailgate, I was looking at using the tailgate release sense switch wire as I can actually find that wire on the body harness where it comes from the tailgate. Obviously due to location, corrosion is going to be a big issue so sealing everything up is critical.
 
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Mingya

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Off subject but sticking with the tailgate. Has anyone had any issues with the tailgate not opening? It's only happened twice now but both times the temps were close to 32 deg. It unlocks but the pulling the handle does nothing. Tried searching the site with no luck.
Any help would be great. Thanks in advance people
 

BNeal

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I don't mean to come of critical, but to be honest, if someone has already broken into the cab of your truck, they most certainly could force entry into the bed. Just sounds like a lot of work for a pretty unlikely situation.
 
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