Rear tailgate latch release is stuck in the compressed position and not opening
 

Just picked up a 99 D2 in surprisingly nice condition. That said, I cant get the rear tailgate open.
The outside latch release above the license plate is already in the compressed position and the door wont open. I pulled on the inside handle and something clicked,....but the tailgate still wont open.

Any Ideas on how I could proceed on getting this open?

Brian in Austin

Spray up under it at the handle mechanism with a bit of pb blaster and work it back and forth as much as you can and it will eventually lose up and decompress again. Wd-40 will work too but 2 days later it'll be stuck again. There's something about pb blaster that just works better

Happens often to people. I've always gone inside, lifted up the rear door card and popped the door from there, then hit it with PB blaster.
Others say you can prise off the Land Rover badge on the back there, and loosen it that way. That's what I intend to try next time it sticks.

this will happen to everyone eventually. I pried off the Land Rover badge on the back and sprayed it clean. Afterwards I used some dry spray lithium grease and reattached the LR badge.

All of the above plus bend the straw and fit it through the side. If its stuck all the way up, get s stubby flat head driver to pry it downwards between the metal and the plastic cover. Squeeze that latch up and down until loose. Youll be good until it get stuck again.

How do you Lift the Door Card? I looked at it for a minute or two to see if I might be able to do that, but didn't see a point of entry.

Good video from AB about it

From the inside, I can lift the bottom of the door card. I don't need to pull it all the way off. And it's only held on by a couple of clips now they all broke.

But don't really like doing it, feels extreme. Definitely trying the badge trick next time.

Most excellent Sir..

So much help here its the least I can do. :)