Retrofitting Tailgate Handle and Switch

[Macoo]

I'm afraid it's sold to another member but I would agree it's relatively straight forward to swap the loom in a tailgate and it comes with the roof plug that sits above the rear wheel arch so it's plug and play
The looms are model specific dependant on if you have rear wiper/camera etc but IIRC it was under £100 inc vat
Let me know if you need any help sourcing one

 

[Macoo]

Paula
Can you confirm if the plug is just above the wheel arch, or above the rear quarter window.?
My van is carpet lined and I don't want to rip out any I don't need to!

 

[Pauly]

Sorry I worded it poorly before its in roof void in line with rear wheel arch

 

[Ads_Essex]

@Pauly from a pic you sent me a while ago regarding my tailgate conversion, is the top item (with the blue plug) an inner release button?



Also, did you say yours had a childlock function? I’m just trying to work out where this plugs in to:

 

[Pauly]

Yes blue plug is interior button and there’s a two pin plug that runs to bottom of tailgate to the side of the main lock unit for the child lock switch, if you are not going to use it just short the two cables and the interior button will still work, if your not having interior button then just ignore them both

 

[Ads_Essex]

@Pauly Does your van have any courtesy lights (if such a thing exists)?

..there’s a two pin plug that runs to bottom of tailgate to the side of the main lock unit for the child lock switch

I think the black plug pictured is the childlock plug then, as the others all plug in to their respective components without a fuss (I guess I haven’t threaded the loom correctly hence it sitting up so high)

 

[Pauly]

Does your van have any courtesy lights (if such a thing exists)?

Not sure what you mean but interior release button illuminates when lights are on same as dash buttons etc

I think the black plug pictured is the childlock plug then, as the others all plug in to their respective components without a fuss (I guess I haven’t threaded the loom correctly hence it sitting up so high)
The child lock wiring runs down the centre of the tailgate with the lock cabling then separates to the side when it gets part way down

 

[mmi]

I think the black plug pictured is the childlock plug then, as the others all plug in to their respective components without a fuss (I guess I haven’t threaded the loom correctly hence it sitting up so high)

In the OEM setup from the factory the child lock plug sits at same height as in your picture so obviously nothing wrong there. The left loom directly down in the attached picture.
Just a note that the OEM interior release switch when closed does not short-circuit pins 1 and 4 (to open the lock). It has resistance of 180 ohms when closed. When the switch is open - as regular switch, resistance is infinite.
Checked that the lock release activates by closing the circuit (pins 1 and 4) with resistances up to about 350 ohms.

 

[Ads_Essex]

..
Just a note that the OEM interior release switch when closed does not short-circuit pins 1 and 4 (to open the lock). It has resistance of 180 ohms when closed. When the switch is open - as regular switch, resistance is infinite.
Checked that the lock release activates by closing the circuit (pins 1 and 4) with resistances up to about 350 ohms..

So, will having no interior switch and no child lock switch on the loom throw up errors with the central locking?

 

[mmi]

So, will having no interior switch and no child lock switch on the loom throw up errors with the central locking?

No errors either way. Without any switches it is just like not pushing any buttons - just open circuit as it is normally. The switch (OEM one with resistance) will kick in only when pressed to open the tailgate. Sorry about confusion.

I think the built-in resistor in the switch is just to protect central locking unit from electric glitches by limiting electric current.

EDIT (3½ years later): BCM differentiates internal and outside handle switches by different resistances - 180 ohms=internal, 0 ohms=handle switch.

 

[Ads_Essex]

Ah, I’m with you now. Cheers, both.

@Pauly I asked about courtesy lights as with my tailgate conversion the numberplate lights light up when I press the tailgate handle, which made me wonder if I’d plugged in a courtesy light plug instead of a numberplate light!

 

[Sherbs]

So if using a random aftermarket switch for this might be worth soldering in a 180 ohm resistor to one of the legs?

 

[saxoboy]

Hi Guys, I hve just fitted the OEM switch to my van today and it doesn't work. I used a multi meter, which gives a sound when the 2 prongs touch each other, but when I connected it to pins 4 and 1, it didn't make the noise when the switch was pulled, it showed an current draw of 350, but no actual switch contact....is this correct, or have I done something wrong?....or do I need to do something different with this OEM switch?

Thanks in advance and thanks for reading

 

[Pauly]

Just a note that the OEM interior release switch when closed does not short-circuit pins 1 and 4 (to open the lock). It has resistance of 180 ohms when closed. When the switch is open - as regular switch, resistance is infinite.
Checked that the lock release activates by closing the circuit (pins 1 and 4) with resistances up to about 350 ohms.

 

[saxoboy]

Thanks Pauly...so what do I need to do, to get it to act like a switch?....

 

[andys]

I used an aftermarket switch which doesn't have any resistor in it and it works fine without any problems

 

[Pauly]

Have you tried dabbing the two cables together to bypass the switch, this will tell you if its the switch or the cabling thats giving you an issue

 

[saxoboy]

Thanks @andys but I am/ was trying to keep the OEM look of the van....I know its not OEM without the switch currently, but I want to be more Kombi than panel van

 

[saxoboy]

Hi @Pauly, yes touching the wires together, bypassing he switch makes the lock unlock...like I want it, but putting in the switch, it just gives resistance, and not a contact to open the switch.

 

[mmi]

The post @Pauly quoted was from a van with factory installed switch, and indeed it had built in resistor, and I verified the way it works also with "real" resistors, too.

However, the same switch (with resistor) does NOT work when installed in parallel main/outside switch in a van which was not having factory installed inside switch.

See the update Retrofitting Tailgate Switch on May-20.