Where is Tailgate Actuator Fuse Located?

[Where Next]

Resolution / Conclusion on Tailgate Actuator not working

My regards for the length of time in writing feedback on this episode. I work remote stints and have just returned.

I took the T5 to a well qualified private VW workshop and the diagnoses was that the actuator was fried...kapoot...not working. They checked for faults in the ECM and there were no further faults to clear. It was simply that the actuator was fried.

This whole ordeal began when my leisure battery’s wiring was crossed to the chargin relay....negative connected to the positive, positive connected to the negative. My T5 has a charging isolation relay that also allows for voltage flow-through from the leisure battery to the starting battery (in that direction only) to assist with starting in the event the starting battery is flat. (leisure battery is AGM-Absorbed Glass Mat). When multiple attempts to start the van were attempted when the battery wires were crossed this shorted out and ruined the starting battery, along with blowing multiple major fuses in the engine compartment, and also creating faults in the ECM. (zero fuses blew in the common fuse compartments....the other major fuses blew before the reversed current could effect them...the large fuses did their job) After replacing the fuses, clearing all the faults on the ECM, and installing a new starting battery everything worked except for the Tailgate Door. The Tailgate door issue was not noticed until I had returned the lengthly drive from the VW workshop. I had to open the Tailgate door manually from the inside using the emergency method until it was fixed.

So....from what I can gather, the actuator is not fused, it is hard wired, and it burned up with the voltage problem that was created by the battery wires being crossed. The other power locks (door actuators) were fine and not effected...so I surmise they are on a different circuit than the Tailgate power door lock....I have no idea why.

The replacement actuator part was not that hard to replace. I did it myself. Had I known the actuator was so reasonably priced I would have bought one and tried that as a diagnoses before succumbing to taking the T5 back to the VW experts to diagnose.

Actuator Part number is: 3B5 827 061 C

[Sunny43.5]

Well done nice to see you got a good result I think you may find that the tailgate might be on a second circuit as I know with ours there are two remote opening parts so to speak . A separate button to release ONLY the tailgate and then a shared one with the doors , Can Bus is so complicated I don't really understand it's benefits as even diagnostics cannot find some faults { in this case it worked }. Recently someone on here had a blown fuse and replaced it and the part was still not working I advised them to disconnect the battery which did the trick it seems to erase the fault code and allows it to reset .