Tailgate opening by itself
New User
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
The tailgate opening has happened to me with my 2017 F250 Platinum, purchased in Nov 2017 with only 4753 miles on it (manufactured Aug 2017). I was towing my toy hauler trailer for the first time with this truck when the tailgate dropped on three separate occasions. Unfortunately, this caused damage to the tailgate. I called Ford Corporate Customer Service and they told me that I have to take it to the dealer to get it diagnosed and as long as it is a warranty issue they would cover the repair. So now I'm trying to recreate the issue before I take it in to the dealer. Lots of good info on this thread and I'm bringing the TSB with me when I go to the dealer. I also submitted a complaint to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Wish me luck and I'll keep you posted.
New User
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
I did manage to recreate the unintentional opening of the tailgate. All occasions that it dropped I had the e-brake on. Last night, when I started the truck and released the e- brake the tailgate dropped. I was not attached to the trailer, fob was in the console, and I was careful not to touch the tailgate button. It hasn't happened since.
New User
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
I've had this happen a few times since I purchased my 2017 F250 in December. I've since been a bit more mindful about handling the keb fob and close the tailgate a little harder. Hasn't happened in a few months, hopefully that gets it.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
From: Carlisle Pa
Had tailgate drop while backing utility trailer into driveway,heard it hit and stopped.Damaged top molding and molding with camera. I leave keys in console when in truck.Took to local dealer have not heard from them since last Thursday. First it happened but happened on way to dealer. Don't know if related but truck has started to increase idle RPM when left running for a few minutes picks up about 500. Just notice this since tailgate issue.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 420
Likes: 0
From: Antelope, CA
Took the truck in yesterday and the service manager told me they tech needed to cause the tailgate to open. He called me and asked what happened? This after I had told him 3 times what the issue was and the cause. Also he has had the TSB for 2weeks now. 2 weeks ago I want him the order the parts because I knew they needed to be back ordered.
Anyway no parts got ordered the tech worked on the truck and could not replicate the issue until after the service manager called again and asked me what happened? Again I explained what happened and he said they needed to introduce some water into the process. Sure enough 15 mins later the tailgate dropped. They then documented the problem with Ford to get authorization to order the parts.
So he calls. me to come get the truck and bring it back when the parts arrived. I was using a rental while the truck was in the shop. So here’s the kicker. I showed up,at the dealership to pick up the truck and drove it away and discovevered the passenger front window whould not roll up. The fast blinker was on when I turned it on to make a right turn. The bliss system was having a false alarm. Turned around and went right back to the dealership. The senior technician came out and said the apparently the control module had probably been flash and it was currupted and would need to be replaced. Well the truck is worse,off,then when I took it in and now it’s back in the shop until this problem get fixed.
Ford trucks are cool. This dealership SUCKS!!!
Anyway no parts got ordered the tech worked on the truck and could not replicate the issue until after the service manager called again and asked me what happened? Again I explained what happened and he said they needed to introduce some water into the process. Sure enough 15 mins later the tailgate dropped. They then documented the problem with Ford to get authorization to order the parts.
So he calls. me to come get the truck and bring it back when the parts arrived. I was using a rental while the truck was in the shop. So here’s the kicker. I showed up,at the dealership to pick up the truck and drove it away and discovevered the passenger front window whould not roll up. The fast blinker was on when I turned it on to make a right turn. The bliss system was having a false alarm. Turned around and went right back to the dealership. The senior technician came out and said the apparently the control module had probably been flash and it was currupted and would need to be replaced. Well the truck is worse,off,then when I took it in and now it’s back in the shop until this problem get fixed.
Ford trucks are cool. This dealership SUCKS!!!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,304
Likes: 177
From: Vancouver, BC
I'll post this again, mine did this several times last summer. I had the dealer disconnect the switch on the dash, it hasn't happened since. I think that there are some weak switches that activate when the parking brake is released. I figure my key is in the console if I need to pop it from inside or the button is on the tailgate if i'm outside.
New User
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Hey guys,
heres my story. Bought a brand new 2017 450 platinum. Had problems with it starting at 1200km.
Tsilgate would go down on its own on random occasion.... sometimes overnight while it was parked with emergency brake on in the driveway. That led to, over the next few months, cruise control coming on by itself along with trailer electrical detaching itself as I was driving along the highway with horses on board!
I would also be sitting on my driveway and started it and it would pop up trailer attached!!! Nope.
So... long story short I had it 7 months, 4 of which it spent in the dealership trying to be diagnosed and fixed. They changed module after module and even the VCM. Still a big fat nope.
Huge shoutout to Kentwood Ford in Edmonton as the manager finally had enough and for safety reasons ordered me a brand new truck and took mine back... something they did not have to do by any means as most dealerships would just say take it up with Ford.
So... a week ago I received my brand new 2018 F-450 platinum. The snow has been melting here like crazy the last 2 days. Everything is very wet.... and low and behold today, after I hook up my 2 horse trailer and take off the parking brake my tailgate comes down again!!!!!! WTF!
So... for those of you hoping the problem was solved in the 2018’s that’s a big fat nope!
anyone have a clue what I should be asking the poor buggers at the dealership to look for as a fix now?
my old truck did the intermittent clicking before it would come down occasionally. This one did not.
Thanks for any and all help.
heres my story. Bought a brand new 2017 450 platinum. Had problems with it starting at 1200km.
Tsilgate would go down on its own on random occasion.... sometimes overnight while it was parked with emergency brake on in the driveway. That led to, over the next few months, cruise control coming on by itself along with trailer electrical detaching itself as I was driving along the highway with horses on board!
I would also be sitting on my driveway and started it and it would pop up trailer attached!!! Nope.
So... long story short I had it 7 months, 4 of which it spent in the dealership trying to be diagnosed and fixed. They changed module after module and even the VCM. Still a big fat nope.
Huge shoutout to Kentwood Ford in Edmonton as the manager finally had enough and for safety reasons ordered me a brand new truck and took mine back... something they did not have to do by any means as most dealerships would just say take it up with Ford.
So... a week ago I received my brand new 2018 F-450 platinum. The snow has been melting here like crazy the last 2 days. Everything is very wet.... and low and behold today, after I hook up my 2 horse trailer and take off the parking brake my tailgate comes down again!!!!!! WTF!
So... for those of you hoping the problem was solved in the 2018’s that’s a big fat nope!
anyone have a clue what I should be asking the poor buggers at the dealership to look for as a fix now?
my old truck did the intermittent clicking before it would come down occasionally. This one did not.
Thanks for any and all help.
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 128
Likes: 4
Hey guys,
heres my story. Bought a brand new 2017 450 platinum. Had problems with it starting at 1200km.
Tsilgate would go down on its own on random occasion.... sometimes overnight while it was parked with emergency brake on in the driveway. That led to, over the next few months, cruise control coming on by itself along with trailer electrical detaching itself as I was driving along the highway with horses on board!
I would also be sitting on my driveway and started it and it would pop up trailer attached!!! Nope.
So... long story short I had it 7 months, 4 of which it spent in the dealership trying to be diagnosed and fixed. They changed module after module and even the VCM. Still a big fat nope.
Huge shoutout to Kentwood Ford in Edmonton as the manager finally had enough and for safety reasons ordered me a brand new truck and took mine back... something they did not have to do by any means as most dealerships would just say take it up with Ford.
So... a week ago I received my brand new 2018 F-450 platinum. The snow has been melting here like crazy the last 2 days. Everything is very wet.... and low and behold today, after I hook up my 2 horse trailer and take off the parking brake my tailgate comes down again!!!!!! WTF!
So... for those of you hoping the problem was solved in the 2018’s that’s a big fat nope!
anyone have a clue what I should be asking the poor buggers at the dealership to look for as a fix now?
my old truck did the intermittent clicking before it would come down occasionally. This one did not.
Thanks for any and all help.
heres my story. Bought a brand new 2017 450 platinum. Had problems with it starting at 1200km.
Tsilgate would go down on its own on random occasion.... sometimes overnight while it was parked with emergency brake on in the driveway. That led to, over the next few months, cruise control coming on by itself along with trailer electrical detaching itself as I was driving along the highway with horses on board!
I would also be sitting on my driveway and started it and it would pop up trailer attached!!! Nope.
So... long story short I had it 7 months, 4 of which it spent in the dealership trying to be diagnosed and fixed. They changed module after module and even the VCM. Still a big fat nope.
Huge shoutout to Kentwood Ford in Edmonton as the manager finally had enough and for safety reasons ordered me a brand new truck and took mine back... something they did not have to do by any means as most dealerships would just say take it up with Ford.
So... a week ago I received my brand new 2018 F-450 platinum. The snow has been melting here like crazy the last 2 days. Everything is very wet.... and low and behold today, after I hook up my 2 horse trailer and take off the parking brake my tailgate comes down again!!!!!! WTF!
So... for those of you hoping the problem was solved in the 2018’s that’s a big fat nope!
anyone have a clue what I should be asking the poor buggers at the dealership to look for as a fix now?
my old truck did the intermittent clicking before it would come down occasionally. This one did not.
Thanks for any and all help.
New User
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Easy thing first is to disconnect the 2 wire harness connections by the spare tire that go into the tailgate. 1 Is for the camera, the other larger one is for the tailgate operation. If these are wet inside then that is your problem, fill them with dilectric grease and stuff them full and re-connect. If they are dry it most likely is the button on the dash above your parking brake, disconnect it and use your key fob to open the gate.
Thanks. I will let them know. They asked me to bring it back in and I let them know about what I read here after I realized I wasn’t the only one with this issue!
Mountain Pass
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 219
Likes: 1
They need to make their buttons a bit harder to press and I have a feeling a lot of these rogue tailgate complaints would go away. Our current 350 is an XL, so I don't have any of these issues simply because we don't have the options.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,039
Likes: 6
From: Jacksonville, FL
Ford's FOB buttons are far too easy to press. When we had our Fusion I was constantly setting off the alarm or unlocking the doors when I was in my office getting in and out of my chair with the FOB in my pocket. I've NEVER had that happen with any other manufacturer, and I've owned or currently own American, German, Japanese, and Korean cars.
They need to make their buttons a bit harder to press and I have a feeling a lot of these rogue tailgate complaints would go away. Our current 350 is an XL, so I don't have any of these issues simply because we don't have the options.
They need to make their buttons a bit harder to press and I have a feeling a lot of these rogue tailgate complaints would go away. Our current 350 is an XL, so I don't have any of these issues simply because we don't have the options.
I’ve had one on for a few months now and no key presses I did not intend. Not everyone likes key covers ,I know. Ymmv
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 44
Likes: 2
Since when is it necessary to have and pay for all those sissy options anyways? Electronic tailgate releases to help you load your groceries, adaptive steering so you can check your text messages, blind spot warnings because you don't know how to use those huge adjustable side mirrors and all the other nonsense today. Good luck with all that...
https://www.etrailer.com/p-DZ43301.h...350+Super+Duty
Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 204
Likes: 4
Would it be so difficult for Ford to put out a TSB about adding Di-electric grease to the connection under the tailgate? Or better yet do it at the damn plant while The trucks are being assembled. It would probably fix 90% of the tailgate issues and save them 10’s of thousands of dollars in harness replacements.