Can't extend tray

Maybe this will help. My 2002 CC also has a locking pin on the slide rail besides the latch release. I was going crazy trying to open it until I saw the small cable going to the pin was on top of the slide.

Your problem is your RV is 17 years old. RV companies rarely have anybody in Customer service with actual experiance on the product going back more than 5 years. But to your problem, There is a pull handle which you know about. It is on a cable that goes to a Latch directly behind the Genset. Odds are that latch has rusted up. While I don't advise it(I would do it) raise the front of the RV as high as the jacks will allow to crawl under and spray Lubricant(rust destroyer), all over that latch and let sit overnight. Odds are after 24 hours you should be able to pop the latch open. You may have to then replace it. Doug

PS there is no other release.

The last one I worked on it was located on the left side faceing the gen about knee high. Think it was called a T handle. Might have to rock it side to side if not open in a while.

When we had a Newmar, there system that you have to join, worked very well with many booklets that you could download for almost anything to see how to work on them.