[Purespin52]

Hi everyone....first post. I have a 2015 TDI Lux and am based in the US. I searched the forum, but cannot seem to find a similar issue. When my tailgate closes, the latch won’t engage and I cannot lock the car. I was still under cpo as of last week and took it to the dealer and they simply replaced the latch and today i am having the same issue. I have a video that i sent to my service advisor, but if you guys have any ideas, I appreciate it. I dont think I can load a video here. Essentially the power liftgate comes down but the softclose latch doesn’t engage. If i pull on the trunk a little then it latches.

 

[roalco]

Do you have a VW plastic tray (or any other protective tray or carpet in the back) that could just be very slightly impinging on the mechanism? Any slight resistance, or minor obstruction anywhere along the gates perimeter can cause a non-latch condition.

 

[Purespin52]

Thanks for your response. I took everything out to see if that was the issue and it still was happening. I just took it to the dealer again. I will keep everyone posted. I will say that this seems to happen more in the cold. If i drive the car around a bit, it closes normally. But if i open the trunk first thing in the morning it happens.

 

[New2Tregs]

Could be a bit of condensation in the locking unit causing it. In another thread another member had a problem with his hatch lock and it turned out that the internals were dry and needed lubrication.

 

[capese21]

Thanks for your response. I took everything out to see if that was the issue and it still was happening. I just took it to the dealer again. I will keep everyone posted. I will say that this seems to happen more in the cold. If i drive the car around a bit, it closes normally. But if i open the trunk first thing in the morning it happens.

Give it a good spray with silicone lube or a dry ptfe spray.

 

[Purespin52]

So after taking it back and forth to dealer, they replaced the power lift stuts as well on both sides. I asked about lubing the latch itself, and tbey said that since it was also replaced and brand new it shouldnt need it. So now latch and struts have both been replaced and it still happens first thing in the morning or after car has been sitting for hours. Do you guys think this could be early signs of battery needing to be replaced? Any other parts they can replace ? Thanks for all of the replies. This is getting frustrating. Have had the car over two years and it just starting to do this now.

 

[capese21]

As I said in post #5. Give it a good spray with silicone lube or a dry ptfe spray.

 

[Purespin52]

Picking some up as we speak. Thanks. Gonna give that a try.

 

[capese21]

Picking some up as we speak. Thanks. Gonna give that a try.

Reading your post again it sounds more like an alignment issue. Is the lock striker / latch out of adjustment? It seems odd if the latch & the struts are new?? A spray of lube will do no harm!! Are you sure it fixes itself once warm?

 

[Purespin52]

Thanks everyone for replies. Just want to provide a quick update - gave it a spray of silicone and it hasn’t happened since. Also, the dealer replaced both power lifts under cpo. But it has warmed up quite a bit. Guess we will see next winter. Because of the snow here the car was parked with drive side sitting higher than passenger side - i suppose alignment could have been off. Remains a mystery, but working fine for now.