Thankfully not an issue where i can't get it open...actually the opposite. Can't get it to shut. The tailgate closes, but doesn't latch! Just stays in place and can flop open. Top button works fine - unlocks etc. just doesn't latch in place.

Any ideas?

 

The lower tailgate has two separate latches, one for each side. When I replaced the latch for the upper tailgate I noticed the one of the lower tailgate latches had been replaced by a previous owner. So they can go bad.

 

Soak the hell out of the latch with WD40 and see if it just dried out or got gunked up

 

I did try that...didn't make a difference...it's so strange...just doesn't "catch"....

 

So it does close ALL they way, meaning the latches are not already in the closed/locked position?

 

It closes all the way but does not give the customary “click”.

I’ve checked to see if they were already in the “locked” position and they are not. They shut to the latch, but just don’t engage. The tailgate is therefore just opened by pulling it down without engaging the button.