'04 Tailgate Creaks Driving Me Crazy !!

Best guess would be the lower edge of the rear window is to low and rubbing on/in the tailgate glass opening. From the outside, push on one corner at a time and see if it squeaks. wth

eyeball everything back there including all of the rubber moldings and trim pieces to make sure they are in place.

Liberaly spread multi purpose grease all over the moving parts - hinges and latch.

I have located it.

When you lift the entire gate, including the window, there is a plastic sliding latch at about the same height as the tail light. This is the culprit but I don't know what to do about it yet. I can reproduce the "creak" by lightly pressing on the closed tailgate. I can reproduce the "creaking" even with the glass up too.

I'll let you all know what comes of my next move.

I'd let the dealer check it out before trying to fix it myself, if only for the documentation of the problem. It may be recurring.

Dave

Update:

I found the damn thing. It was the the plastic parts on either side of the tail gate, both on the lifting gate itself and it's mate mounted on the body near the tail lamps. These little cheap components have a tapered plastic part that slides when you shut the gate. The sliding mechanism is a small metal spring. When the tail gate moves, slightly, in and out from normal flexing of the body it creaks like you wouldn't believe. The solution, was a wad of vasoline ( I didn't have grease) to pack the spring. Likewise, a wad on the sliding tapered plastic block. No more creaking.

When I bring in the truck for it's first oil change at 3,000 miles, I will have the dealer document the creak, as some of you have suggested, in case this is recurring.

Love the truck so far. Traded a 2002 BMW X5 for it.

snip

Now we know you are nuts!

Hope you had a great T-day!

Take an X5 into a BMW dealership for parts or service. You won't be nuts for buying anything else after THAT.

I know. The X5 and the Explorer are two very different vehicles. I loved the X5 for what it is, a superb handling machine, just like BMW is famous for.

I just hated the payments and found that the two year old X5 had about the same value as a new Explorer XLT so if I was going to trade it now was the time.

I'll be happy if the XLT just comes through as a reliable truck.

Actually, my daughters X5 Sport came with 4 years of parts and service included. Yes it is very expensive after that.

I WILL be driving my 97 XLT until death.... ( me or the truck! )

HAND