Tailgate on truck will not latch

Be careful of the trim bezel around the handle. They break real easy.

OP here,

Thanks for all of the responses. I will try spraying the mechanisms tonight when I get home from work.

If that fails I did find a utube video showing how to replace the clips at the handle location.

I will keep you posted. Thanks!

I'd use penetrating oil as WD-40 is as it says W...water; D...displacing; Formula # 40. No actual lubricating qualities.JMHO

Just went through this on a Dodge. The handle in the center of the tailgate was OK but the two catches at the left and right sides of the gate were stuck with corrosion. This truck had a plastic liner in it, so we could remove the liner trim and panel. That gave access to another panel that let us get at the catches.
Try seeing if you can spray the catches from the outside as suggested. If that fails, you might be able to get access to that center handle and at least verify that it IS moving and links are connected. If you can get ahold of the links, you can tug on them one at a time, possibly confirming or isolating the problem.
On the Dodge, it felt like the center handle was stuck, but it actually was not and the issue was in the catches. After freeing one, we found the other was right behind it. The gate might not latch closed, might not release, or might fall open.

It's most likely the clips on the tail gate rods.
here is a web address on ebay, sorry I don't know how to do the "clicky" thing.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/chevy-tailgate-rod-clips

^^^^^^^^

Agree with Francesca 100%.

Spray all around the handle area and the latches in the sides of the tailgate.

Sounds like the works are just frozen from lack of use. We had the same thing on a brand new tailgate that had been off/stored for a long time.

This worked for us:

Get a can of WD-40, stick the long straw on it, and thoroughly saturate every moving part you can get to.

6dot6 wrote:
Possibly just rusted or something. Take the cover off the back of tailgate and check it out for function. Did u do anything previously to affect it or just happened?

The tailgate has a spray on liner and there are only three large bolts directly behind the handle. Not real sure how to take it apart.

No I didn't do anything. The truck has been sitting because I got a new job that requires me to drive 65 miles round trip into downtown Pittsburgh. I didn't want to beat the truck up with those miles plus gas and trying to park it in the garages was a pain. I bought a Tracker and drive that. I had to tow my 5th wheel into the shop yesterday and ended up removing the tailgate so I could hookup and tow.

Possibly just rusted or something. Take the cover off the back of tailgate and check it out for function. Did u do anything previously to affect it or just happened?