Boot lid or tailgate

Boot lid or tailgate
This is really another door which allows access to the luggage compartment in the rear of the car (Figure 1.46). A boot lid is composed of an outer and an inner panel. These panels are spot welded along their flanged edges to form a single unit in the same manner as an ordinary door. The hatch-back and estate car have a rear window built into the boot lid,which is then known as a tailgate.
Some manufacturers use external hinges,while others use concealed hinges attached to the inner panel only. A catch is provided at the lower rear edge of the boot lid or tailgate and is controlled by an external handle or locking mechanism.
This mechanism may be concealed from the eye under a moulding or some type of trim. In some models there is no handle or external locking mechanism; instead the hinges are spring loaded or use gas-filled piston supports,so that when thelid is unlocked internally it automatically rises and is held in the open position by these mechanisms.Car Repair Talk's forum.