I want to remove the complete tailgate on my car, 2002 VRS mk1.  How the devil do you get all of the wiring removed from it so that you can actually lift it away from the car?  I can see the wires to the rear wiper and reg plate bulbs run down inside the metal mould of the boot itself.  Do I have to thread them all through the metal frame to get them out? or are there connectors somewhere that detach the boot wiring from the car?

 

Cheers all,

 

Samuel

I've done this before on a Mk4 golf but imagine the principal is the same on all cars.

 

We are luck to have next to nothing electric wise in our boots other than heated rear window, lock and numberplate lights.

 

Open boot and remove the large black plastic trim (cant remember if there is another trim that runs around the side and top of the glass, the mk4 has and assume the skoda has to but its raining to hard for me to go outside and check) then remove the plugs from the number plate lights and lock solanoid.

Rear window plugs will be located either on the very edge of the glass.

 

Pry the large wiring grommet out of the top and pull all the wires and plugs through the hole.

 

Then remove the gas struts then the hinge bolts.

All simple enough.

Quick tip, cover the boot stricker with a rag or similar, if you let the boot slam shut it may lock and you'll have to climb through the boot to unlock it from inside otherwise, rag will stop it closing 

Also if you are doing the same to the doner car for the new tailgate, tie a piece of cord to the loom before you remove it so that you leave youself something to pull your existing loom on your car back in with.

Finally got this sorted.  +1 to Kentphil1, make sure you tie some string to your wiring!  It makes life LOADS easier.  Pulling them through the boot was easy.  Getting them back up through was fiddly as hell!