Question about C5 tourer electric tailgate

[aerodynamica]

Hi all, I have a concern about the electric tail gate. It works fine but I notice it has 2 hand holds for presumably pulling the hatch manually. It seems however to be mechanically locked at its various positions prompting the question of how would I manually close it if the electric mech fails? Is there some kind of manual wind or other?

[Paul-R]

All you do is pull slowly but firmly against the resistance and the lift struts disengage. You'll hear a slight whirring noise. Now you can move the tailgate up and down by hand. It's heavier to move without the motor assistance than you'd like it to be but useable.

[aerodynamica]

Thanks, good to know. Does the lock engage to close it when it's in its non-powered state? It seems to close and then a powered lock pulls it that final half inch.

[Paul-R]

I'm not sure if it's a purely mechanical operation or electromechanical but giving a slight slam is all that's needed. Note that this all assumes that there is still electricity from the battery, enough to power all circuits. I'm unsure what happens if the battery is totally flat or disconnected but I suspect that it'll still latch closed.