To open a tailgate on a 960/V90 and probably 700 wagons etc., drill a 3/16 inch hole in the small black plastic plate under the bottom of the tailgate cover. The plate is just under the plastic tailgate cover and has a left side a right side and a center area. As you sit in the rear cargo area looking down at the black plate, the 3/16 inch hole should be in the left section and be centered about 3/8 of an inch toward the back of the car, away from you as you sit in the back, and centered on the left section of the plastic plate. After you have the hole drilled, take a small screwdriver and put it in the hole at about a 30 degree angle to the left. Now push down and then move the screwdriver to the right and at the same time push gently on the tailgate to open it. What you are doing is moving part of the lock as in if you had a quarter (coin) below a hole as in the plastic plate and with the screwdriver you are pushing down on the quarter and moving it to the right.

I posted two pictures, but do not know how to view them. They are under Solution- 960/V90 tailgate’

This may be a long, and not very well explained solution, but it works. Even though I did not have a problem with mine, I figured out this solution and have done it to a 96 960 and to a 98 V90, and I can open both very easily with a small screwdriver. The whole procedure once you are sitting in the back of the car with a drill and a small screwdriver, takes less than a minute to perform.

After you have it open, you can get into the tailgate to fix it.

Jimo

Make sure your latch release handle is returning fully. I mean the part you squeeze to open the hatch. They're infamous for getting quite corroded in the pot metal pivot up inside the hatch.

Push it fully forward, then cycle the power locks again. Better if you can have someone else cycle locks, and keep your hand on the hatch to feel if it clicks. Should make a substantial thunk.

Did that work? If not, maybe wiring to the power lock has died. Does your key turn the lock? I assume you have a functional lock- try again pushing the latch handle to fully release it, and then manually lock / unlock the hatch.

Can you climb into the back and pull the inside handle? If it doesn't work, maybe something's jammed in the lower striker, or the "child safety" switch on the lock is flipped. I don't remember if they had the child feature back in 86 but our 90 has it.

Ripping off the hatch panel and latch trim is the next step- hope you don't have to go there but it's replaceable if you do.

--Rob
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89 244GL Turbo // 92 244 M47 \\ 90 745T // 76 242 Convertible