Remove lift gate interior cover

[Brougham]

Basically, I need to figure out how to get at the wiring for the rear liftgate switch, with the liftgate closed.

I have a 2007 Yukon with a regular rear liftgate (not power) that has recently stopped working. When I grab the handle and pull on the switch nothing happens, no clicking or any other sign of life. This has been happening randomly for the last month or so and has finally stopped working altogether.

I've traced it back to being a faulty switch in the handle, but am stumped at how to fix it.

Is there a manual release for the liftgate anywhere? A technique to remove the interior liftgate plastics? or am I completely screwed and have to take it to the dealership?

[Modded]

Yeah you are pretty screwed.
To access you have to get the trim off, which is going to be real hard (w/o damaging anything) with the gate closed.
Take it to the dealer ad tell them what happened.

[Brougham]

I was doing some more research on this and came across GM Service Bulletin 08-08-66-004 Procedure to Open Liftgate If Inoperative in Closed Position.

It requires the service tech to drill a 1 1/8" hole in a particular spot in order to access the latch and manually release, then use a panel colored plug to fill the hole.

I'm not to enthused about drilling holes in interior panels, but if this is my only
option, I think I'd prefer to be the one doing the cutting

[Modded]

Woah thats kind of gay that you have to drill panels, but I guess thats the only way.
I suggest you have the dealer do it. They know exactly where to drill, so you will have only one plugged hole, or if they mess up you will have a whole new interior panel.
If you do it you may end up with more than one hole.

[Mgyver1]

I don't know why they thought it was a good idea to have that switch there anyway. I guess since they couldn't make a quality regular latch (How many broken tail gate latches on trucks do you see out there!!!) so they figured why not make it even less dependable?? The darn thing only works when in park too which is annoying.

[Brougham]

As for cutting the hole, the service bulletin has a picture of where to drill, the panel has a mark formed into it for this purpose. Which means they anticipated this very problem, but couldn't be bothered to put some sort of secondary release on the inside, whether electrical or mechanical.