Tailgate just came off ?!?!!? New '13

So I have another thread in the tires subforum about my trip to the landfill and the problem I had there with my tire.

I had another issue too. When I shut my tailgate, the passenger side seemed to slip off the little hinge it pivots on. It's like a little metal rod on the gate that connects to a little round nub on the truck itself. However, I was able to get the rod back in and it seems to work fine now. The black cable was still connected between the gate and the truck bed.

Is this by design? Is there supposed to be a gap where that part can just slip out?

 

You mean the tailgate was coming off the truck ?

 

Yes. You know how the tailgate connects to the truck via two points on each side? One with the cable, and the other on the little pivot point? The tailgate became detached at the pivot point on the passenger's side, but was still connected with the cable. I was able to slip it back in and it seems to work, but I don't know if something is missing/broken.

 

That's so you can remove the tailgate

This is your first truck huh ?

 

Haha, yes indeed it is... Other than an old school Bronco I had.

The thing that confused me was that I could not see how the other side disconnected, so I assumed something was wrong with the side that detached.

 

You undo the camera cable ( if you have a back up camera ) , disconnect the two black cable stays ( one on each side ) and lift out the tailgate

 

Do this, and your tailgate will stay in place.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/technical-chat/16732-taco-tailgate-theft-deterance.html

 

The driver's side hinge is a full cup. The passenger's side has a slot. This thread has a video showing simulated tailgate theft:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/technical-chat/27829-tailgate-theft-how-prevent.html