Rear Lift Gate won't work?

[summit21]

The upper part of my rear gate will not open from the outside. When you pull on the hidden release it is not opening. It seems like something is not catching. It still closes shut w/o any problems, just won't open from the outside. I can open it from the inside of truck. Any ideas on a fix for this??

[azfzj80]

When mne has done that a few times, it works again when I use the key and unlock the rear gate.

[hj60]

This happened to mine a month ago.
The linkage retaining clip had just broken. It's plastic and wore out from use.
Pull the inside plastic panel off, and the grab handle and the latch cover plate. There's a mess of linkages in there. One will likely be dangling with a piece of yellow plastic on the end.
I took mine to the local dealer and he matched it up to a newer model driver's side door clip, also yellow, that worked. It's a bear to get back in, especially if Jimmy Dean made your fingers for you.
Part was right around $5 IIRC.