Rear window latch releases from dash, not from rear release button, FIXED!

Yep... that's about as descriptive a title as I could come up with.  The problem began with failure to release the window unless the rear button was pressed jusssssst right.  Sometimes you could hear the release cycling, as in full-auto fire.  Eventually this has progressed to complete lack of response from the rear release.  In contrast, releasing the window from the dash button still works like a charm every time.

Oh, and I still have interior light gremlins that are possibly related to a bad ground (just in case this is relevant).  Dome light, mirror lights, courtesy lights in seating row 2.... they all come on eventually when I am driving, day or night, and most often can be shut off by turning the headlights on, then off; but only temporarily.  Go another mile, and *poof*, they are on again.  These errant lights never stay on when I turn off and remove the ignition key.  So far, I have not found the legendary bad ground.  All other electrical systems seem fine.  I suspect dark magic.

The rear release description lends itself to a power issue, not a ground. It is probably the rear gate lock sense switch. It is located in the tailgate on the right hand side by the lower hinge/latch.I do not know if it can be adjusted, or "fixed".

What have you done in your attempts to fix the interior lights? They are getting power when they should not. The only grounds are the door switches, and dimmer switch, unless you have a wire (white) shorting somewhere. If you disconnect the dimmer switch, you could eliminate it, or have found the problem.

What's been done? Long story, and one you may remember from last year. Here's volume 1: https://gmlongroof.4umer.com/t13201-yet-another-thread-about-gate-ajar-light?highlight=ajar

It started with the "gate ajar" light, which is detailed above. The fix was to disconnect the switch, but after having done so, and having added a jumper wire to reconnect power to the rear courtesy lights, a local police noticed that my passenger rear lights were out, and gave me a 5-day-to-fix ticket. The local garage traced the issue to the disconnected wires, and my jumper wire, and undid the repair and got the rear lights working again without the gate ajar light coming back on. I don't know how this was accomplished (yet).

Since then, the interior lights have been acting up, but I did not notice it until a month after the above repair, so it may be nothing more than coincidence. The non-function of the rear release did not happen until several months later (this summer).

I'll remove the drivers rear panel and see what was done to the connector and jumper wire installed to fix the gate ajar issue this weekend and report back.

It could be corrosion on the contacts of a connection, or a pin may not be making contact with its wire. Move/wiggle the wires while checking for operation.

Try some Duraglit/Brasso on your contact.

Quote :

Try some Duraglit/Brasso on your contact.

Well, OK, but now my eyes really burn. Am I doing this right?

Ummm,perhaps a visit to Dave at his place of work,is in order.

Update:  Fixed the issue with releasing the rear window from the tailgate button this morning.   It was a faulty release switch - the one activated by the release button on the tailgate. The switch would intermittently, but not reliably actuate the release solonoid.  A quick visit to the local pick-and-pull, a donor switch procured, swapped, and all is well.

The release on the dash still worked because it is wired directly to the solonoid that operates the latch, and bypasses the switch operated from the tailgate button.

I shall now smite the demons that are afflicting the interior lights!

I believe you can add a little to the end of the arm on the switch to get it to actuate reliably. If you could elongate the mounting hole that would allow for adjustment as well.

Hi Fred,

Nope.  Tried that.  Worked it manually while in place and when removed. There's an internal flaw of some kind in the old switch.  In pushing the arm it smoothly reaches a certain point before it trips, and then there is a hitch, feels like it's full of sand.  If the solonoid actuates at all (about 1 time in 5), it fires like a full auto weapon, and then goes silent if you push the arm on the switch any farther.  It's a sealed unit so I didn't bother to take it apart.  Something inside the switch is definitely buggered.   The donor works like a champ.

Exorcised two demons tonight on the interior lights.  My helpful local mechanic scrambled the wires on connector 405 in the left rear quarter panel while doing the NYS safety inspection (God only knows why).  Unscrambled that.  I replaced a faulty flasher unit for the hazard flashers.  Now I have no "gate ajar" light, hazard flashers working, rear lights working, no rear courtesy lights (again), and no errant interior lights (yet).   Road test tomorrow.  We'll see where I go next.

Alright.  I think this is getting better.  I reconnected and soldered the orange wire to both sides of connector 405.  Prior to this, the connector was unplugged with the orange wire jumped.  This knocked out my passenger side taillights, backup lights, and turn signals, and twilight sentinel, but my courtesy lamps worked.  My local mechanic reconnected 405, and cut my jumper wire, but never reconnected the orange wire to #405.  

Reconnecting the orange wire and connector 405 got everything working,  but then the "gate ajar" light was on again (which is where we started).

The final solution was to pull the instrument cluster and remove the bulb for the gate ajar warning.  Now it's out, and everything else is working....except the demons that cause the interior lights to go on of their own accord while I'm driving.  That issue is described under a new thread.

It could be these guys? Tis the season...