Manually unlocking the tailgate

[HunterCat]

Hey folks,

I'm not currently having an issue with my tailgate (fingers crossed) but this is something I've been wondering about since I noticed that my tailgate handle does not have key access.

With an open bed, I'm ASSuming that the tailgate can be unlocked manually via the access panel. What do you do if you have a tonneau cover and the power lock/unlock fails? How to you get the tailgate open without destroying your cover or the tailgate? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[HarryS]

How do I manually open my 2024 Ram tailgate?

I had my tailgate off for a slide in camper all summer. Today I took the camper off and put the tailgate back on. I had to run an errand that couldn't wait so I just left the wires hanging on the rear bumper, shut the tailgate, and planned on hooking up the wires when I got home. Well now the...

www.ramforum.com

Being discussed here.

 

[HunterCat]

How do I manually open my 2024 Ram tailgate?

I had my tailgate off for a slide in camper all summer. Today I took the camper off and put the tailgate back on. I had to run an errand that couldn't wait so I just left the wires hanging on the rear bumper, shut the tailgate, and planned on hooking up the wires when I got home. Well now the...

www.ramforum.com

Being discussed here.

Thanks, I saw that thread. That's a 5th gen truck and I think it has a different arrangement. Some posters mentioned having a switch in the overhead console that drops the tailgate. Anyway, that poster forgot to connect the wiring when reinstalling the tailgate. He was eventually able to reconnect the wiring.

I'm trying to find out if there's a way to open the tailgate if the power lock/unlock fails and you don't have access to the tailgate access panel. I have a hard tonneau cover on my bed which I think is a fairly common arrangement. Ram should have included a key in the handle to manually unlock the tailgate.

 

[mands0807]

Hey folks,

I'm not currently having an issue with my tailgate (fingers crossed) but this is something I've been wondering about since I noticed that my tailgate handle does not have key access.

With an open bed, I'm ASSuming that the tailgate can be unlocked manually via the access panel. What do you do if you have a tonneau cover and the power lock/unlock fails? How to you get the tailgate open without destroying your cover or the tailgate? Inquiring minds want to know!

I'm newish here, but your Ram year states 2022. Is it a Classic model? My '18 Sport has a spot for the key

 

[HandyAndy74]

Removing the access panel, as shown in some videos posted, did not allow me to manually open the tailgate on my 2020 Ram 1500.
The diagram at this url: https://store.mopar.com/oem-parts/mopar-tailgate-latch-left-68309893al shows the left and right tailgate latches as Part #12. These latches can be manually opened by using a small screwdriver to pry outward the top of the latch through the seam between the top of the tailgate and the top of the rear quarter panel.