XTerra Question

[Rhino]

I have a question for XTerra owners, especially those who own the 2007 model.

Does your liftgate lock open to the same key that you use to open the driver door and start the truck engine?

The reason I ask is that is that my keys work fine on the driver door and the ignition but will not turn the liftgate lock. I've been assuming that the lock itself was jammed but a friend suggested that perhaps the truck was made so that the liftgate opened to a different key. That seems unlikely to me but it would fit my "symptoms": I have no trouble inserting the key so the pins in the lock are clearly *not* frozen but I can't turn the key at all.

There are two scenarios possible here:
1. Maybe that lock *always turned to a key with a different combination right from the factory.
2. Maybe the lock developed a problem and the owner had to replace it with one that had a different combination and the key for that lock simply got lost some time after that.

I'm just trying to eliminate the first of those two scenarios right now.

I'm especially interested in hearing from original owners of 2007 XTerras since, for all I know, other model years handled that liftgate lock differently than the 2007.

[Snafu]

AFAIK, different keys were not standard. Scenario 2 is possible but there is no way to know unless you pull the lock apart and look at the tumblers to see if they match the key...a locksmith should be able to do this.

[Morpheus]

No, the door, ignition and lift gate came as the same key on all Nissan's.

The lock moves two ways.
1. Tumblers up and down
2. Cylinder turns.

The cylinder may be seized due to lack of use. Most common issue.

Or, a replacement cylinder would come with a separate set of keys.

If you take the inside finisher off, it's simple to remove the lock. Soak it overnight in penetrating fluid.

If it's been replaced, take it to a lock smith, and give them your ignition key.

They will change the pins to match your key.

[BigRed44]

mine uses the the same key but did get stuck and won't work with the key now only electronic unlock

[Rhino]

No, the door, ignition and lift gate came as the same key on all Nissan's.

Exactly as I suspected; thanks for confirming that!

The lock moves two ways.
1. Tumblers up and down
2. Cylinder turns.

My key goes in just fine but the cylinder won't turn.

The cylinder may be seized due to lack of use. Most common issue.

Or, a replacement cylinder would come with a separate set of keys.

If you take the inside finisher off, it's simple to remove the lock. Soak it overnight in penetrating fluid.

If it's been replaced, take it to a lock smith, and give them your ignition key.

They will change the pins to match your key.

I'm guessing the "inside finisher" is that big piece of black plastic that covers most of the inside of the liftgate but that has no visible screws holding it in place. It looks like I'll have to get the premium membership so that I can get the service manual and hope that it tells me how to remove the finisher.... I'll do that late in August when I have more money; I need to watch my pennies until then. Thanks very much, Morpheus!

[Rhino]

mine uses the the same key but did get stuck and won't work with the key now only electronic unlock

Thanks, BigRed44! That is now double confirmation that the lift gate *should* open to the same key.

Now, I either have to soak it in lubricant until it turns or get it recombinated to match the ignition key.

[Snafu]

And you have to become a premium member :p

[Rhino]

I've got my liftgate lock working. It now works with both of my keys and it still works with the key fob. I didn't even have to remove it from the door. I took it back to the used car dealer to see if they'd actually "take care of me" the way they promised at sale time. The sales guy went into a closet and pulled out a bottle of foaming cleaner whose name I've (sadly) already forgotten. (It was NOT Powerblaster or WD-40, I know that much. He said he'd had it recommended by a very experienced locksmith and the locksmith had told him NOT to ever use WD-40 in a lock, which contradicts what I was told when I asked a locksmith.) He sprayed it into the lock and it foamed up a bit; he wiped the excess off with a rag. Then, the other sales guy pushed the key into the lock and gently tapped it several times with a pair of pliers, apparently to "work" the pins although he didn't actually say why he was doing it. Then he tried turning the key and it worked! He locked and unlocked it a bunch of times with the key. We also tried the second key and it worked too.

I'm kicking myself that I didn't memorize the name of this spray but I'd seriously never heard of it before and only caught a glimpse of the label so it didn't stick in my brain.

By the way Snafu, I think I'll still become a premium member once I have more money at the end of the month even if this lock is no longer an issue

[Snafu]

Awesome!!!

You gotta find out what that stuff was! Give them a call even.

[Bow_Tied]

x2

[Drizit]

Lots of stuff I could use a product like that on.

[Rhino]

Sorry for the delay in responding; I keep forgetting to tick the box to get a notification of the replies and then I forget about checking for responses manually.

I'd like to help you with the name of that cleaner but I seem to be persona non grata at the dealership. After they fixed the lock on Tuesday, I asked them about fixing a slow leak in the rear passenger tire. This had been identified as an issue during an inspection I paid for when I was looking at the truck. At the time, they assured me they would make sure that it got fixed as part of the safety. When I brought it to their attention on Tuesday, they said I should take it back to the mechanic who had done the safety. I asked if they were going to pay for the repair, at which point they starting trying to weasel out on that promise by saying maybe I ran over a nail *after* I bought the truck. (The TDMI had been on when I test drove the truck and they told me at the time that the TDMI systems were notoriously unreliable so they weren't worth fixing. But my mechanics inspection revealed a slow leak in the passenger-side rear tire so I figured that probably explained the TDMI. They asked me for a copy of the inspection report and I gave it to them and they assured me they were going to pass it on to the people doing the safety to be addressed at that time.) Clearly, they were signalling that they didn't want to pay for the tire repair. I expressed some disappointment that they were reneging. Then they accused me of being "disrespectful".

I went to the mechanic that did the safety and confirmed that they hadn't fixed the tire during the safety. I emailed the dealer to say that and asked them politely if they would fix the tire and make me a happy camper. They've ignored my email. So I'm pretty sure they don't want anything to do with me.

Now, if you want to call the dealer yourself and tell them that a friend told you about a wonder-substance that fixes jammed locks, I can post the number and you can ask them. I'm pretty sure they aren't going to answer *me* if I ask them though....

[Snafu]

Post the number and dealer name...perhaps some public shaming is needed

[Rhino]

Sorry for the delay in responding; I got sidetracked on a bunch of other things....

If anyone wants to call the dealer and ask what miracle substance they use to loosen up frozen locks, the dealer is Elmwood Motors in London, Ontario. Their number is 519-672-1520.

They've completely ignored the email I wrote trying to explain why I thought they should pay for the tire repair. I assume I am indeed "persona non grata" at their dealership.

By the way, if you *do* call them and find out what that spray was, please post the name back here so that rest of us - including me ;-) - can benefit. (After all, my lock may get jammed again someday.)

[the x kid]

That guy is close to me. Always thought they were shady.

[Snafu]

Time to do some espionage!