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Tailgate handle battery drain

JimmyMac

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Location
Scotland
Car
Accord 2.2i CDTi
After I used to pull the lever in the handle to open the tailgate it would spring back to the closed position (ie. back in the direction of the front of the car). However the mechanism has rusted quite badly (not sure how water has leaked in) and the lever sticks in the open position (ie. towards me). When the honda garage quoted £510 to replace the handle, once my eyes had stopped watering I chose to live with it. To open the tailgate you just have to press the lever closed then pull it to open. No problem except if the handle is left sticking at the open position it keeps an electric circuit open that causes a 0.2A drain on the battery. I discovered this when I came back on holiday to a dead car.
I'm surprised the Honda dealer didn't warn me about this but I thought it worth sharing with you guys. Anyone else had problems with the mechanism rusting and any ideas how water would be getting into it?
 
The tailgate handle on my car occasionally sticks like that, but I always clear it.

I didn't know that it drained the battery, useful to know this. No idea why mine began to do this, no signs of water ingress into it.
 
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