Hinge assembly for powered tailgate

An assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a drive rod projecting from a powered tailgate;
• and
• a drive rod support mounted to a body structure of the motor vehicle, wherein an outer surface of the drive rod is configured to mate with an inner surface of the drive rod support in a manner that will not result in rotational motion being transferred between the drive rod and the drive rod support, and wherein the body structure is adjacent to the powered tailgate;
• and
• a lock assembly configurable between a locked condition and an unlocked condition, wherein, when the lock assembly is in the locked condition, the lock assembly is configured to connect the drive rod and the drive rod support such that relative rotation between the drive rod and the drive rod support is prevented, wherein the lock assembly includes a fastener configured to connect the drive rod and the drive rod support, wherein, when the lock assembly is in the locked condition, the fastener passes through a slot in the drive rod and a through-opening in the drive rod support, wherein the lock assembly includes a collar, wherein the collar includes an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the outer surface of the collar is configured to interface with a head of the fastener, wherein the collar includes a flat extending between the outer surface of the collar and the inner surface of the collar, wherein the drive rod support includes a flat, and wherein, when the lock assembly is in the locked condition, the flat of the collar lies in a plane substantially parallel to the flat of the drive rod support.