How do I removed the tailgate door liner panel on a 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara JB?? There is no inner door latch to be removed. We cannot open the rear door as outer handle has broken. Help....many thx

You can by removing plug and using a long screwdriver it push on latch release

nor with key? metal key in lock cylinder
the latch has two methods to unlatch.

1. electric solenoid
2. and pure mech. key cylinder

if both fail,, the latch is bad.
is it full of ICE, ITS 8OF HERE.
but there,????
the lock can be unlocked from inside, 3 ways
defeat the child blocks,(read operators guide)
then key fob, button
and last remove inside door skins, and operator the unluck lever
on side of latch by hand.
did i get them all?

several things come to mind, how long since opened? if very long time might be latches rusted up, other is that connection inside has come loose. remove the inner liner of tailgate and look inside and try pulling the latch rods by hand and free up tailgate. fix rod if disconnected and /or clean latches with wd-40 and brush, spray clean and spray with lithium grease.

I don't recall but some cars you need to remove the whole light or the inner guard etc... so it is possible. the best way to find out is to google it

Tailgate latch, handle and lock

• Open the tailgate.
• Remove the two bolts and detach the door stop.
• Lower the tailgate and remove the tailgate access cover.
• Disconnect the control rods.
• Detach the retaining nuts and remove the handle and lock cylinder assembly from the tailgate.

...
Door trim panels

• Disconnect the cable(s) from the negative battery terminal(s).
• On manual window equipped models, pull the window crank cover aside, remove the screw and detach the handle.
• On the front door of power window equipped models Pry up on the retaining clip at the front edge of the armrest and lift the armrest switch control plate out and disconnect the electrical connections,then remove the retaining bolt from the opening.
• Use a small screwdriver to pry off the courtesy light cover for access to the trim panel retaining bolt.
• Carefully pry off the mirror trim panel from above the front edge of the door panel.
• Once all of the bolts are removed, remove the trim panel by gently pullingit up and out .Detach the courtesy light bulb housing from the panel.
• For access to the inner door components, remove the speaker (if it would interfere with watershield removal) and the screws from the trim piece at the lower trailing corner of the door, then carefully peel the watershield from the door.
• Remove the screws securing the latch.
• Working through the large access hole, position the latch as necessary to disconnect the electrical connector and disengage the outside door handle and outside lock cylinder to latch rods and the inside handle-to-Iatch cable.
• Detach the locking rods by unsnapping The remaining outside handle retaining nut can be reached through the access hole in the door frame and the upper striker the portionof the plastic clip engaging the connecting rod, then pulling the rod out of its locating hole.
• Position the latch as necessary to disengage the door lock actuator hook. Detach the cable cover and disconnect the cable from the latch. Remove the latch assembly from the door.

· Open the tailgate and remove the tailgate liner.
· Remove the ten bolts(5) that secure the tailgate cover(4) to the inside of the tailgate and remove the cover.
· Using a pencil,mark the actuator rod(3) at the control(2) for the latch(1) being serviced.
· Disconnect the actuator rod from the control
· Remove the two bolts(7 and 8) that secure the latch(5) to the tailgate(4) and position the tailgate check cable(6) out of the way.
· Remove the latch and actuator rod from the tailgate as an assembly.
· If required,remove the actuator rod from the latch.
You will have to remove the tailgate cover. The cover will most likely be held on by some of the tailgate metal access cover.

I had the same problem. I was able to get the back window open.
I took the the 4 screws off that are on top of the inside of the door (where the tailgate window latch is).
Got a metal coat hanger. straightened it and made a hook at one end.
carefully pushed the plastic part of the tailgate towards the inside
slid the coat hanger straight down (to the level of the tailgate key/handle) to catch the door latch from the inside and pulled up.
that will get the tailgate open.
then you need to take the rest of the screws out of the lower part of the tailgate to get at the latch assembly. Carefully take the plastic off.
(you will need to take the nice black insulation stuff off the metal part of the door carefully so you can replace it and tape it up if necessary after fixing the latch.)
peel the insulation off the metal part of the door, you will see the assembly rod has come off the latch and will need putting back in place and a little sqweeze to stay on.
really bad design I guess, but since I fixed it at 140000, I haven't had any trouble with it at 166000.

Hi all,

I had the same problem onmy dad's Jeep KJ (Cherokee/Liberty) so i went ahead and unbolted the tailgate handle;

First you need to take off the plastic inner tailgate cover (doh), then carefully pry away the the black liner and you'll see 2x 10mm hex nuts, unscrew both. Then on the latch outer side of the tailgate remove the upper 2 torx screws, then loosen one of the clamps of the connecting rod between latch and handle.
While pulling out on the handle (needed to clear the mechanism from the sheetmetal) you'll be able to carefully remove the complete doorhandle assembly.
There's still one wireloom attached to the handle, this is the culprit, It's the little actuator switch that's need liberal amounts of lubricant such as WD40 or similar.
I actually removed the switch and pushed it several times to full stroke after i lubricated it, then reconnected it and presto! The rear window unlocked every single time by means of the doorhandle instead of using the wireless remote...

Easy fix, done in half an hour. Saved you $ 300 on parts and labour

Good luck!

Nathan ter Stege (the Netherlands)

How do i remove the tail gate door panel on a suzuki gran vitara as i have to replace a broken door handle?

hi there undo the phillips screw inside the handle the gently slide the whole handle outer casing to the right about 1 cm, it will help if you push it into the door as you do it to give it a little bit of help the feed the whole mechanism through the hole in the panel hey presto!