DIY Replacing the Tailgate / Rear Hatch?

[stiglitz]

How hard would it be to remove this and replace it myself? Anyone have any tips, videos, or write-ups? I’ve done lots of mechanical work on cars but never anything related to the body. Would I be in over my head? Better idea to take it to a shop?

[CrankyOldMan]

It's doable by yourself but is awkward because of how heavy it is before the gas rods are connected. A second set of hands to hold it in place while you line up the bolts is nice to have.

I think there's a connector at the top of the hatch so the wire harness shouldn't be too hard to replace. If the body is damaged at all (including around the hinges) it probably won't seal or line up correctly. At that point you'd need a body shop to give you an estimate on repairing it.

[stiglitz]

I think there's a connector at the top of the hatch so the wire harness shouldn't be too hard to replace. If the body is damaged at all (including around the hinges) it probably won't seal or line up correctly. At that point you'd need a body shop to give you an estimate on repairing it.

Thank you. That's something that I'm a bit daunted by. I can wrap my head around unbolting the hatch and struts, but I don't know anything about the wiring portion of it all...

[CrankyOldMan]

The wiring should just be a single connector under the interior trim. The 2nd gen HB has a grommet on the driver's side that pops out and the connector is under the C pillar or headliner (I forget which).

I like to practice stuff like that on self-serve junk yard cars whenever possible, like med school cadavers for students. You need to pay attention and be careful but they're already dead so you can't kill them. =)

[stiglitz]

The wiring should just be a single connector under the interior trim. The 2nd gen HB has a grommet on the driver's side that pops out and the connector is under the C pillar or headliner (I forget which).

I like to practice stuff like that on self-serve junk yard cars whenever possible, like med school cadavers for students. You need to pay attention and be careful but they're already dead so you can't kill them. =)

Thank you so so much! I’m going to give this a shot. I’ve already sourced a replacement part

[stiglitz]

The wiring should just be a single connector under the interior trim. The 2nd gen HB has a grommet on the driver's side that pops out and the connector is under the C pillar or headliner (I forget which).

I like to practice stuff like that on self-serve junk yard cars whenever possible, like med school cadavers for students. You need to pay attention and be careful but they're already dead so you can't kill them. =)

Hi again,

I sourced a hatch from a 2012. To my knowledge, any hatch from 2012-2017 should fit my 2015, correct? Does it matter if it’s coming from the four door vs. the two door model? My car is two door while the donor car is four.

[CrankyOldMan]

When in doubt, check the parts diagrams on parts.toyota.com or toyodiy.com. That will at least tell you if there are multiple part numbers for a component or assembly and then you can use model/package selections to narrow down the differences.

I don't have any experience with 3rd gen Yarii but it seems like a safe assumption they're the same. Toyota tends to be very diligent with not reinventing the wheel if they don't have to.

<rant>GM is seems to be the opposite, especially with their trucks. I'm in the process of fixing up a 2001 pickup and there are so many model and factory options that it takes hours of research to figure out what's actually installed on your vehicle and what parts are compatible. Most of that time is spent reading unanswered forum posts asking for the same thing you're looking for. </rant>

[stiglitz]

I don't have any experience with 3rd gen Yarii but it seems like a safe assumption they're the same. Toyota tends to be very diligent with not reinventing the wheel if they don't have to.

Installing the replacement hatch went great! Although the hatch does not line up perfectly with the body despite everything looking straight. Bummer, but I can live with it. It’s quite minor.

There is one thing that didn’t go as expected that I could really use your help with. See here: https://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63590

Thanks.

[CrankyOldMan]

Have you given it a leak test around the perimeter? Might be helpful to have someone inside while you hit it with a hose or sprayer to see if it's leaking anywhere.