Tailgate latch broken, can't open due to bed cover...

Hello,
Thank you in advance and sorry if missed this somewhere else on TW.

So we had crazy cold temps recently and the tailgate latch broke trying to open it.
Problem is that the truck has a bed cover and there is no way to get to the inside of the tailgate without opening the tailgate first. It is actually a cheapo vinyl trifold cover but it works amazingly well or I would just cut it and fix the tailgate.

I guess my question is: Does anyone have or know of a way to open the tailgate without using the handle? It is not locked....just broke the internals.

Thank you again for your time!

 

Pry up on bed cover and get it unlatched.

The internals of the tail gate are bolted in by 10 torx and you can't do it with the cover on.

Either that or destroy the plastic on the handle and reach in.

 

Thanks Bishop84.
The cover sits on top of the tailgate tighter than a frogs butt.
Never thought about just tearing into the plastic handle....that is defiantly an option. Just hate destroy it and not be able to get it open in the end....plus it has a back up camera in it too.

 

The back up camera actually is separate from the handle, if you're curious check an install on a pop and lock for the tacoma and you'll see what you can mangle to get in there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mbn52sB5oc

There's 2 rods that need to be pulled at the same time.

 

Accessing the bed to remove the plastic panel would be the easiest way to open the gate. Approaching from the outside ,you will have to likely chip away the handle without denting the surrounding tailgate surface. Maybe keep drilling the center plastic piece but avoid going too deep. Once you can see the 2 rods that attaches to the center swiveling assembly, you can probably use some pliers to pull them to unlatch the tailgate. You can also see the 2 bolts that the camera is mounted by. This is why accessing from the inside would be ideal:

 

Older trucks you could slip something thin into the sides and pry back the latches to release the tailgate. I just looked at mine, and the latch closes like the door does, so that won't work.

 

If you don’t wanna damage the cover. You are gonna slowly have to break apart the handle so you can grab the rods and pull them.