what is best way to handle this if dealer is of no help? I really think ford needs to step up and do something for me.

 

well after an hour at the dealer, I got it to happen. tool my sales rep out to parking lot with my truck. I put parking brake on and released over and over it happened. my tailgate fell. he saw it happen. we actually did it again. it happens about even 50-100 times. you pull the brake and tailgate drops.

Here is what to me. I tow a trailer everyday for work and pull into about 10-15 homes a day. I started to back it to a driveway, was not sure about a mailbox location on my blind side, put brake on and got out to check. got back in, released brake (my tailgate fell and did not know it) when i backed it at angle , I smashed my entire tailgate with trailer because it contacted the jack handle on trailer that can only happen when tailgate is down.

My fault??I don't believe this should be at my expense. Dealer is spinning its wheels and does not know what to do.

 

How are you closing the gate? I've found that standing in the middle, 2 hands, firm close, have yet to have it open. One time i closed it 1 handed from the side, opened right up.

 

I had the switch disconnected on the dash. Now i either use the fob or the switch on the gate itself. It hasn't dropped since...I don't need a button on the dash and the risk out weighs the benefits.

 

I had it happen 3 times in the first week of ownership.
Since then, I've closed tailgate firmly every time and paid close attention when reaching to release parking brake... Anf have not had an issue in 5 months.
(Edit: I had it happen 1 other time - when I know my 15yo daughter closed gate not so firmly...)

 

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
Intermittent Electrical Concerns, Rear Parking Aid Camera Inop And/Or Uncommanded Tailgate Opening - Built On Or Before 7-Jun-2017 17-2196
16 October 2017
issue: Some 2017 F-Super Duty pickup vehicles built on or before 7-Jun-2017 may exhibit various intermittent electrical concerns due to water intrusion into the 14405 wire harness. Symptoms may include, but are not limited to, uncommanded tailgate opening when equipped with power tailgate, loss of communication on the medium speed controller area network (MS-CAN) and/or inoperative rear parking aid camera on vehicles without 360 degree view camera system.

Action: Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition.

2017 F-Super Duty 6.2L Pickup: Inspect Connectors And Replace The Wire Harness Includes Time To Remove/Install The Fuel Tank, Evaporative Emission Canister And Replace One (1) Of The Female Side Connectors (Can Be Claimed With Operation MT) (Do Not Use With Any Labor Operations Outside Of This Article) 172196A 4.1

2017 F-Super Duty 6.7L Pickup: Inspect Connectors And Replace The Wire Harness Includes Time To Remove/Install The Fuel And Reductant Tanks And Replace One (1) Of The Female Side Connectors (Can Be Claimed With Operation MT) (Do Not Use With Any Labor Operations Outside Of This Article) 172196B 4.5

2017 F-Super Duty: Additional Time To Be Claimed When More Than One (1) Connectors Need Replaced (Can Be Claimed In Operations A Or B) MT172196 Actual Time

 

This has not happened to me yet, but I decided to address this risk by adding a tie-down point to the tailgate this morning. I'll simply use a bungee or rope between it and the rear driver's-side box-link tie-down point when towing the fifth-wheel.




Edit to add:

I decided on rope. I gave it enough slack for me to reach in and open the tonneau.

 

Purchased a 2017 F350 Lariat Ultimate 6.7 CC SRW LB 3 weeks ago have 500 miles on it today. 3 Days ago went out to the garage to leave and the tailgate was open laying against the garage door. Chalked it up to putting the key fob in my pocket with my phone. We made a stop, got out of the truck and the tailgate was open! A relay inside the cab on the passenger side was clicking like a playing card in bike spokes. The tailgate was also making this clicking noise at the same rate. I pressed the tailgate button on the key fob and after a few tries the clicking stopped. Drove home and parked the truck in the garage, closed the garage door. About 3 hrs later heard a bang, went out to the garage and the tailgate was laying against the garage door again! Both key fobs were sitting on a night stand, so no contact to set it off. This time I thought to try the tailgate button on the dash, pressed it a few times and the clicking stopped. I did a search and found threads from this forum about tailgate dropping in ghost mode, most logical was water in the tailgate harness connector. I pulled the connector apart and yes,full of water! Used air to dry it out, over filled with dielectric grease and assembled the connector, I did this a few times until the connector would not take any more grease. Also checked the camera connector and it was wet, not as much as the tailgate connector but did the same "fix". One thing iI did notice is the connector female end is mounted at an angle that will hold water instead of dumping it out. I am going to bet that this connector is the source of many people problems with the tailgate dropping on its own. There are many ways to seal the connector but trying this one first and so far so good.

 

Where exactly are these connectors that you checked and then subsequently greased up? Mine opened up on me yesterday... keys in console while driving and was nowhere close to hitting the button in the cab..Thanks
Jonathan

 

Looks like they're at the rear bumper because that appears to be the spare tire in the background. They're the connectors that must be disconnected before removing the tailgate.

 

Drivers side inside frame rail to the rear of the spare tire, so just to the left of the hitch when looking at the rear of the truck. 1 Plug for the tailgate and 1 for the camera. These are the plugs you would unplug if you remove the tailgate. Unplug it and if you want to double check you have the right one, press a button for the tailgate and put the truck in reverse to check the camera.

 

Thank y'all... will check it out.. have a trip,this week and don't want possible tailgate issue while pulling cargo trailer.

 

You mentioned the female side being lower, holding water. Is it possible to change the angle of the plug, to keep water from pooling?

 

I didnt change the angle, I wanted to try filling the plug with the dielectric grease first. If needed next try I will pop it off the Xmas tree style mount plug and zip tie it at a better angle then seal the plug permanent with a different product like liquid electrical tape.

 

Well, problem is still there. Drove the truck in the rain today and no problem! BUT brought it home and washed it in the garage. Opened the tailgate to wipe it down and the constant clicking of the inner latch mechanics started again after the tailgate dropped. Closed the tailgate you could still hear it clicking like it wanted to open then it would stop. Few minutes later the tailgate would just pop open. There must be another connector in this harness for the tailgate, I think the connector is above the gas tank. Calling dealer tomorrow, Im done dealing with it.