Hi all hope someone knows the answer ? 
The automatic tailgate on my 2015 Audi stopped opening. The door button the boot button and the key fob would not open it. 
i took the trim off and changed the actuator which I bought on eBay so a copy part. No luck. I changed the lock mechanism and the boot handle. No luck with any of them. The strange thing is if I push the white leaver over by hand and disengage the lock them the fob and boot handle open the boot as normal. In desperation I bought an official Audi actuator and still no joy. All  the wires look intact and when I disconnect and  reconnect the one lead that goes into it I can hear a motor engage. 

Welcome Les,

Always worth eliminating a possible fracture in the cabling within the flexible harness section twixt body and tailgate. 
Please let us know how you get on with this inspection.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

Thanks for the reply Gareth 

It looks visibly sound but how can I confirm it is working ? 

 

If the wiring inside the flexible harness sections looks visually sound Les, it is sound. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

Ill give it a closer inspection over the weekend as it is baffling as to why it won't disengage. 

Hello Les,

You are not confirming - when you say it’s sound - that you have actually peeled back the flexible harness covering, and inspected the cables within. 
Have you? 
If not, what you are saying is misleading.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

Hi Gareth 

Sorry for the confusion. At the weekend I anted to peel back the cover as you have suggested and check thoroughly. 

Thanks Les, so for anyone actually following this, you don’t know at this stage whether the wires inside the flexible harness are indeed sound. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

Correct. I checked the outer cable to look for any damage and none evident but you've advised to under the outer cable and check the individual cables which I will do at the weekend. I have removed the cover panels and I have replaced all the working components without success. When I unclip the lead and then reclip the lead I can hear a motor power up. So you are sugestsing that if one lead is fractured that may be the issue.

So on Sunday I will uncoil the cover and check every single lead in the hoping of find the fault 🙂