RcherE

The lift gate is stuck closed on my 2006 Equinox. It makes no sound like it used to when locking and unlocking the doors, but all other doors lock/unlock fine. How can I release this? Please help! I really appreciate it!

ruley73

Try holding the unlock button on one of the front doors (not from the remote) for about 5-7 seconds. Hopefully the lock actuator is just sluggish, but will still unlock.

The 2007-2009 Equinox/Torrent have an emergency release lever that can be accessed and used by removing a small cover in the interior liftgate trim panel.

Unfortunately, the 2005-2006 Equinox/Torrent use a completely different latch/lock/actuator setup and don't have the small cover to remove. You might be able to pull back on the top part of the interior liftgate panel enough to see and manually operate the lock & latch.

Ray7

i have the same issue as the lift gate is stuck closed. No Key hole, lord forbid that it would be the only escape route !!
Tried what ruley73 said above, but it did not work. (Thanks for the suggestion) I'm sure it's another electrical issue some where. I swear this 2005 Equinox is a total lemon !!
Chevy built this car with very cheap parts and I mean cheap parts with no quality control in place. Chevy really needs to be ashamed of the 2005-2006 models.
Just google the complaints and WOW !!!!

I'm not going to waste time posting how many things that had to be replaced/repaired (some still needing to be done) on this car with only 75,000 miles year to date with only 2 responsible adults driving it since new.

mswerb

Try hitting the unlock button on the key fob and wait a few seconds. You might hear the hatch releasing and then try to open it. my wife's Saturn Outlook did the same thing. Rear hatch release was bad. $200 part at the dealership.

RcherE

Thanks for the suggestions. But my wife tried opening it again the next day with the key fob and somehow it worked this time!...probably from her incredible swearing at it first! So I removed the lock actuator and ordered a new one. It's $241 from the dealer and no alternates sources available. I understand that things will wear out, but I'm REALLY disappointed with the design not having an emergency release!

ruley73

You should consider ordering it online. The correct item is p/n 15256081 and the costs $185.59 including S&H - $197.58 if you are a NC resident because of 7.75% sales tax from GM Parts Direct: Your direct source for Genuine GM Parts.

Until you get the part installed you could unplug the harness from the lock actuator for the liftgate. This way all the other doors will lock but the hatch will not so you won't have to worry about not being able to get it open. I don't think it will, but this may cause a Service Vehicle Soon light while it is unplugged.

RcherE

Ruley73, thanks sincerely for the suggestion. But I looked at GM Parts Direct and I didn't like that their site didn't show me a picture of the part, just a drawing. So I felt a little unsure ordering with them and just got it from the local dealer.

I always seek out the cheapest place, but in this situation, I am lucky that the actuator ever released itself and I didn't have to go pay the dealer for labor. So $241 for this repair was tolerable. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

ruley73

No worries. I'm glad you got it fixed.

For future reference, there are a few good websites out there that are good for looking up your parts if you have a bit of car knowledge and know which section to look in for the part you need. One that I personally really like to use is Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac Parts Online from Ron Tonkin Chevrolet Parts | Ron Tonkin Chevrolet.

Another thing that can make finding the right part difficult is that GM replaces old part numbers with new ones if a change is made to the original design. The parts diagrams are sometimes slow to get updated with the newest numbers and item status. Almost always, if an item shown in a diagram is not listed, it has been discontinued. To ensure I am getting the most recent part number, I enter the part number I find in the diagram at GM Parts Giant - Lowest Price for Genuine GM Parts. That website will tell you if it has been discontinued or replaced with a new part number that may not be shown on the parts diagram.

Don't be afraid to call your local dealership, have them look it up for you, and ask for a part number. Obtaining/having the correct part number really empowers you with the ability to shop around because, naturally, the part number uniquely identifies exactly what you need.