Pop N Lock PL8521 Install With Emergency Release

I am not looking to recreate the wheel in regards to installing the Pop N Lock

$107 PL8521 Pop & Lock – Power Tailgate Lock for Toyota Tacoma, Fits Models 2005 to 2015 (PL8521)

PL8521 since there is a long thread with many installation details:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...gate-install-2012-tacoma.214928/#post-4915955

One of the complaints that many PL8521 owners have is of the unit failing in the locked position causing various amounts of frustration in getting the tailgate open, particularly if you also have a locking tonneau cover. The picture below illustrates my solution to the potential problem.



My solution is simple, easy, cheap and installs quickly. I took some leftover cord, tied one end to the locking bar on the PL8521 and then, leaving a little slack in the line I ran the other end out the drain hole just below the unit. Then I looped the excess around and over the tailgate leaving it inside the tailgate. Next I put the tailgate cover back on, pinching the cord in place but leaving a hidden cord under the tailgate hidden from view. If the PL8521 ever fails I can grab the cord and pull, manually unlocking the tailgate. The cord cannot be seen from the back of the truck unless you are on the ground looking up from under the back of the truck.

Here is the completed installation without the tailgate cover on.



And I found out it works as I accidentally closed the tailgate in the locked position with the tonneau cover locked in place. One quick pull and it was unlocked.

 

I like this idea, next time I'm working on my truck I'll add this. Thanks!

 

How would this be incorporated if the handle broke?

 

You bet!

 

You are describing a different problem that this solution would not work on. About the only thing you could do if the handle broke would be to take the tailgate cover off, manually release the tailgate then fix the problem.

 

Brilliant. This was a big concern of
Mine. This site is awesome. Thank you

 

Glad to help. One person improved upon my idea by tying off the end of the cord inside the tailgate skin so it cannot come undone and when you pull you can only pull the cord in the direction that will unlock the lock.

 

Never thought it would happen to me, but my 8540 latch broke today in 20 degree weather just after I high sided in the snow. It lasted two years. Going to have to find a way to lower the gate and remove the pop n lock. I just viewed this thread two days ago too.

 

I did that but i didn't share sorry guys, now i know how to open your tailgate, whats your plate number again Lol

 

Get a coat hanger and bend a hook in it and slide it up through the center drain hole and hook onto the solenoid and pull down. Use the pictures above in this thread to help you figure out where the solenoid is.

 

This is a great idea but be careful about the cord hanging down. Anybody can climb under the bumper and give a pull and they have unlocked the tailgate. Try to hide the cord end.

 

If you put the extra cord back into the next opening over and the cover pinches the cord then the cord will essentially be tucked up tight under the lip of the tailgate and it cannot be seen unless you get up close and look under the tailgate.

 

I’ve had a piece of paracord off my pop n lock like ACEkraut described for 5 years now and it’s been fine.

 

Brilliant, I've only had my PopNLock for a couple of months and it already fails to open the gate in the unlocked position. Will try this to see if it solves the problem. This is a really bad product !!!

 

I can't say that I have had the same experience. Since installing mine I have had no issues at all. Maybe check the connections and see if they are good connections?

 

Did your pop n lock come with a metal support to "firm things up"? At one point there was a person selling the additional support but I thought that later Pop N Lock figured out that they needed the extra support and they included their own but maybe I am remembering wrong. My install was awhile ago.

 

Sorry, I wasn't clear enough. My model is the

$83 PL5500 , Standard Lock

PL5500 manual lock gate handle. Before installation, I had reinforced the lock/unlock plastic tab with a section of clothes hanger metal since others have reported this tab will occasionally break rendering the Pop & Lock useless.

I could feel that the lock/unlock action was operating correctly, and I could tell that the plastic tab had not broken off. But when I pulled the gate handle up in the unlocked position the tailgate would not unlock/release. As such, I removed the tailgate plastic cap, then using a long screwdriver though the holes on top of the metal tailgate I caused the tailgate to finally unlock/release. Next I removed the tailgate back panel to have full access to the Pop & Lock.

Pulling up and down on the tailgate handle I noticed that everything was operating as expected. But the tailgate latch rods going to the two tailgate end latches were not moving them very much in order to release the tailgate. I suspected that this was due to the two tailgate end latches not being lubricated enough to move in order to release the tailgate. The truck is 10 years old and lived in AZ for part of its life, and I could see a lot of dust inside the tailgate and truck bed sides. I sprayed both tailgate end latches with some garage door silicone lubricant and the two tailgate end latches now operated correctly latching and releasing the tailgate when the handle is released and pulled. So, I think this was the problem in my case.

 

Note: I had followed the Pop & Lock installation instructions to the letter and I had performed step 3 (to flip the driver's side latch rod) as they had described in their manual:

"STEP 3: *** THE LEFT DRIVER's SIDE LATCH ROD NEEDS TO BE FLIPPED END FOR END *** in order to allow for the lock assembly. (The Handle Assembly may work with not flipping the latch rod, but may cause premature failure.)"

 

Now I understand and I agree. Often it is a case of greasing the mechanism solves many problems.

 

Dang, I'm definitely doing this mod. Thanks @ACEkraut