To see if this custom-fit item will work for you please tell us what vehicle you'll use it with.
This handle includes a power and manual lock to protect your tailgate and cargo. The power lock wires into the existing power door locks so when you lock your truck, you lock your tailgate. A manual lock lets you unlock the tailgate with a key.
Features:
Frustrate tailgate thieves and cargo bandits using this replacement tailgate handle with a combination power and manual tailgate lock. Use the Pop & Lock with your truck bed cover or camper shell whenever you need to lock up valuables in your truck bed.
The sturdy, stainless steel lock mechanism resists corrosion, and the handle is custom fit to your vehicle. The Pop & Lock is permanently mounted inside the replacement tailgate handle, so thieving varmints can't pop it out. The lock is installed using basic tools - no welding or drilling is necessary. The power tailgate lock wires directly into your powered lock system using quick splice connectors. You activate the Pop & Lock using your keyless remote - lock your truck doors, and you lock your tailgate. Just hit your door-lock button and your tailgate is secure. The manual lock on the handle provides a backup in case your battery fails.
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Ryan: How's it going, Ryan here at etrailer.com. Today, we're going to be taking a look at the Pop and Lock Custom Tailgate Handle with both a power lock, as well as the manual lock. Many people decide to put a cover on their truck to help keep the items inside more secure, only to find out even when the truck itself is locked, that the tailgate will still open regardless. And that defeats the purpose of the cover itself, and that's where the pop and lock is going to come into play. It's going to allow you to keep your tailgate locked up, keeping your items inside of your bed secure, and it's going to be really easy to do that. Not only are you going to be able to lock it from inside of your cab, using your factory lock switch, you're going to be able to unlock and lock it using your key fob.
And since we have a manual key, you're also going to be able to do it using the included keys, which is one of the things that sets us apart.Many of the other ones are just electronically controlled, but I, however, like having that peace of mind, knowing if something we're to happen to those electronics, you can still easily open and lock your tailgate. And in our case, we have a ridge-line that also has a lever down here and swings the tailgate open from the side. So if your vehicle is like that as well, pop and lock is also going to lock that handle. Many of the questions we get is if the backup camera is going to work. And the answer is yes, it's going to fit perfectly into the handle, just like it would from the factory.
So ultimately, this is going to give you a little bit more peace of mind, knowing everything is secure regardless of the situation.Everything is going to be located within the tailgate, so it's nice and convenient and everything's in one spot. Now, the way it's going to work is our actuator is going to be driven from our lock and unlock switch inside of the cab, and that way, whenever this locks, it'll stop the tailgate from opening. So for example, if I grab the handle down here, it's an unlocked position, you can see this mechanism going completely down, pulling the rods in, letting our tailgate open. But if we hit lock it from the inside, this actuator will pull back and there will be a piece here that won't allow our handle to open all the way, and so that's how it's going to lock our tailgate. Once we unlock it, it'll come forward and give us the full sweep, allowing our tailgate to come open.
And that'll finish up our look at of the Pop and Lock Custom Tailgate Handle with both a power and manual lock.
Ratings & Reviews
My Tailgate has been safe ever since this was installed. Thank you!
Excellent product! Would never know it wasn't factory. Easy to install & works great!
I like being able to lock my tailgate and doors at the same time.
Pop and lock is holding up great after one year installed by etrailer
Product was easy to install, But you can hear the power lock rattle in the tailgate when you close it. You are able to stop the rattle with a little work with foam. Overall I am very happy with the product
I ordered the power tailgate lock for my new Tacoma so I would have a secure storage area with my tonneau cover. The video was very handy and walked me through the entire install.
Lock was installed by a mechanic. I installed the tailgate lock to secure my Leer 180 bed truck topper. Works like a charm, each and every time.
fast shipping. very straightforward install. installation video on this website is very thorough. my only gripe with this product is fitment. theres a slight gap on the exterior latch plastic assembly that runs across the bottom. you wont see it unless you look under. but i know its there.
This product was installed in a 2008 Tacoma access cab. The install was fairly easy no cutting or drilling required. All parts were included. The only trouble I had was getting the wire through the rubber grommet in the firewall. I eventually taped the electrical wire to a coat hanger and fed the wire through the grommet. The lock works with the keyless entry and the codeable lock technology was very easy to set. Just insert the key and turn to the right and it was set. Very happy with this product.
Product was easy to install. Instructions were ok but needs more work on the wiring connection instructions. Lock is awfully loud when it activates either locking or unlocking. Otherwise I'm satisfied with it.
Order delivered fast, sooner then expected. Quality and design of the product was excellent and impressive. Overall it rises to the standards of OEM equipment.
Installation was surprisingly simple although I could not make any sense of the written instructions (needs better step by step illustrations and more images). Fortunately I found a video on etrailer.com site that perfectly demonstrated the exact installation procedure for my vehicle which was easy to understand, and worked flawlessly the first time.
The only aspect of this product that I would "almost" criticize is the key tumbler function (with automatic set feature to my ignition key). It worked as advertised the first time, so no real complaint, but the action on the key insertion is very tight/clunky and feels almost forced to operate (hoping it will loosen up over time), but it works so the product overall is 100% satisfactory.
The option to wire the latch directly into my existing power lock system with no drilling, no welding, no complicated wiring was a big, big win for my application.
Functionally perfect! Easy to install. I was initially intimidated by the wiring but the video by etrailer made everything a breeze.
4 stars do to imperfect fitment. I had to partially deconstruct the locking mechanism to fit it through the tailgate hole. And flipping the pull rod is a bandaid solution which now rubs a bit.
Overall I’d still highly recommend this product.
Thank you etrailer for your invaluable installation videos. They alone will keep me coming back as a customer.
Product arrived promptly. George J was in contact via email prior to and after the product arrived. I find that to be good customer service! I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND watching the installation video of the product prior to installing. Installation of the locking handle on my 2014 Tacoma was easy, however there was a difficult area at the fuel tank which required a wire coat hanger to be used. Bend a curved hook in the end of the cut hanger and use it to grab the wire to pull it through the tight areas. One thing to be aware of when attaching the wires to the feeds. The smaller bundle of wires (closest to the outside of the door) is the bundle that has the blue/black and blue/red feeds. I opened the large bundle and was not finding the correct colored wires as described in the video. When all was attached everything worked like a charm!
what can I say, its fine. its a cleaver design, 100% if you are wanting to keep people from taking things from the back of your truck or stealing your tailgate, it might stop or slow even down them down enough to not make it worth it. but I live in a area that gets really cold. and I found that it has frozen up on a few occasions and Being perfectly honest the handle feels like it could break at any moment frozen or not. it just feels like a cheap Chinese aliexpress product. its better having it then not having it. but i was just hoping for more, for what I spent on it.
Excellent service super fast delivery. If you’re at all mechanically inclined this is a very easy install. The direction do not say it but here is a pro tip. The kit comes with wire tie in clips that you will install on your existing wiring. MAKE SURE you tie into the proper wires leading into your door panel. There are other similar looking wires in the wiring harness that do not lead to the auto locks in your doors.
I had been wanting to be able to lock my tailgate of my Tacoma for a couple of years and finally made this purchase from etrailer. I carry fishing supplies for my boat and was always fearful of theft. The tonneau cover hides things, but with the tailgate unlocked, is not secure. I have bought from them a few times over the years and they do a great job with both shipping and support. I did not use the written instructions and followed the video posted on etrailer. Although my Tacoma is older and dirtier than the one in the video the installation went without a hitch. Yes, the click is a little noisy and the key just doesn't feel right, but I feel that my truck bed is secure and I will find out how long the PAL8540 will work.
I got the power lock and manual bolt lock (PAL8540) for my Tacoma tailgate. I love this thing. It locks and unlocks exactly as I had hoped, using the key fob, power door lock button on the driver door, or manually with my ignition key. I had the manual only pop and lock before this, with the provided key, which didn't work very well, especially after getting dusty in rural Arizona. But this one (PAL8540) works smoothly and beautifully. Watch a few videos online and the install is fairly easy, if you find the right videos (the ones showing every detail of the install). As others have said, its klunky when it locks, but I like it because I have audible confirmation that it is working.
Great product and fairly easy installation. The pop n lock is very noisy - a loud clanking mechanism. I recommend covering the wire with plastic conduit for protection. I also recommend wiring it to the passenger side door because the key fob requires two presses to unlock that side. That way the tailgate isn't unlocking every time you just want to get in the truck.
It’s been a year since I’ve installed the Pop and Lock for my 2015 Toyota Tacoma DC Long Bed. I have a Leer Canopy so I wanted the tailgate to lock. This was a very easy install for the mechanically inclined. After 1 year, I have not had any issues with the product. It is a little loud like most all mention, but I like it that way I know it has locked or unlocked. The tailgate handle does feel a little less rigid than the oem, but I’m good about not yanking the handle open with too much force. Overall, I am super happy with the product and highly recommend it. Do it yourself using the video tutorial and save some $$$.
Have had this tailgate lock (PAL8540) for about a year on a 2015 Tacoma in Colorado summer and winter. It has worked flawlessly in rainy and icy conditions both on manual key and remote key fob. The etrailer installation video was superb and a big help installing the lock in the tailgate and routing the power/control wiring from the tailgate along the frame and up into the front driver side door sill plate where they splice into the connection wires. The video installer couldn't tell the polarity on the two connection wires under the sill plate and hooked them up reversed at first which made the lock unlock instead of lock when testing it before final assembly. So he had to reverse the two wires in the tailgate. We merely reversed what he did under the sill plate, and it worked perfectly from the getgo. The reason I ordered the manual/remote combination was because of some reviewers' comments that the nylon locking mechanism on remote-only locks sometimes broke leaving them locked out. Mine has not broken.....so far.....fingers and toes crossed! And if it ever does, I can still get in with the manual key. When locking in the remote mode, it has a pronounced and forceful CLICK/BANG! Although relatively but not excessively loud, it leaves no doubt that it has locked. My only improvement suggestion for this lock would be for the manufacturer to beef up the unlocking handle. This is the reason for the 4 star rating. Currently, it's much thinner than the Toyota OEM non-locking tailgate handle. Some reviewers have commented that the handle broke when pulling on the handle to unlock the tailgate. Because of that, I'm relatively gentle when opening the tailgate handle rather than using a gorilla pull. If it had the same thickness as the Toyota OEM non-locking handle, I would have given it 5 stars.
The online video makes installing this lock a breeze. Very straightforward and easy enough for a novice like me. It came with everything needed to make my truck's tailgate latch a power-locking latch. Awesome product!
Etrailer is great for their service and speed of delivery. I will comment on a few things about this product.
- it still uses a plastic solenoid. Will see how long this lasts
- installation video was very helpful. There is one important detail that was difficult to see.
IMPORTANT!!! READ THIS FOR THE CORRECT WIRING....
Open the wiring closest to the outside of the driver's side door. There are two wiring channels inside the floor panel on the driver's side. The thinnest one closest to the outside is the one you want. Blue and black & Blue and red are the wires you want.
- Flipping the left side bar does rub on the inside of the gate, however if you bend it out a bit it no longer rubs on the gate and works as intended. Another note that helps with the latching and ease of use is to spray silicone on the outside latches while the gate is open. This helps and saves wear and tear on the handle.
Quality of the handle seems to be on par with the OEM handle. It's not metal, but it's a decent thickness of plastic.
Camera fit and everything lined up well.
Key worked great with my original and so far there are no problems with the keyless locks working with the tailgate. FYI - The gate locks on the first push, but opens only when the remote is pressed 2X (unlocking the passenger doors). This is a good thing because it doesn't always need to cycle each time the door is unlocked.
Quality of the solenoid is yet to be determined. The plastic end piece is concerning as I've heard it breaks over time. I'm hoping that this is just a fluke more than anything else. It would be nice on a $150+ item that this wear item would be manufactured of a higher quality material. Time will tell.
Unit works great. Wish it was a little quiter, but you’re not listening to it non stop.
Watch their video before you start, and ALL the way through. I stopped before the comment about the polarity, so that’s on me. :)
Remember to keep all connections and panels open until you test it.
I’m glad there are lots of aftermarket parts with factory quality connectors to make it all work.
Slowly getting all the Gen3 Tacoma options with the reliability of a Gen2.
Purchased for 2012 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab to make easier to lock/unlock the tailgate without having to use keys. Works great to be able to use your key fob or door cluster to lock/unlock the tailgate when you lock/unlock your doors. Ran wiring through existing clip for backup camera so no need to drill through tailgate. Purchased PAL9772 also and ran together with wire hose and wire hose tee where they meet under the drivers side taillight. Be sure to leave tailgate open to check the lock button works to lock the tailgate, if not reverse the two wires at the lock mechanism. Also applied white lithium grease to all moving parts before putting tailgate panel back on. Great product and customer service at etrailer.com. Thank You!
This tailgate lock is great! The wiring takes a little bit of time but watch the videos on the wiring installation. I wired mine so that it will lock/unlock only when I unlock all the vehicle doors, not when I just unlock the driver door. That way the tailgate lock doesn't lock/unlock everytime I'm just getting in to drive somewhere. I would have liked if it came with a gasket to help keep the dust out but I rigged a primitive gasket that will be better than no gasket.
My truck had been broken into twice through the tailgate that did not have a lock (Tacoma 2012) despite having a locked camper shell. This tailgate lock will give me confidence that petty thieves will be deterred.
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