# Replacing a Toyota Sequoia tail gate latch

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/replacing-a-toyota-sequoia-tail-gate-latch/22659>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** sequoia, toyota\
**Created:** [November 29, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/replacing-a-toyota-sequoia-tail-gate-latch/22659 "2008-11-29T00:17:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![regnirts.nairb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/87869e/32.png) [@regnirts.nairb](https://community.cartalk.com/u/regnirts.nairb)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/replacing-a-toyota-sequoia-tail-gate-latch/22659/1 "2008-11-29T00:17:58Z")

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The plastic latch on my 2003 Sequoia broke while the tailgate was down and locked. I’ve purchased a new fixture, but cannot figure out how I can access the old (broken) one. It appears that I need to remove the interior panel, but there is no way to get at the edges of the panel while the tailgate is closed. And I can’t open the tailgate because the latch is broken…  
  
  
  
 Anyone been here before? It seems this latch failure has been a common problem, so there must be a simple(?) solution.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 3:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/replacing-a-toyota-sequoia-tail-gate-latch/22659/2 "2008-11-29T15:06:32Z")

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You may have to break out the rest of the plastic handle to gain access to the latch rod so it can be pulled to open the tail gate.

Tester