Tailgate - Won’t Drop
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 177
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Tailgate - Won’t Drop
A 2017 with 3400 miles. Things fail and I understand that. I have the electric tailgate. I tried suggestions from here including dropping the step and pushing in while hitting the button. No luck. So off to the dealer it goes. Here is where I would like to have a better understanding. The dealer can not troubleshoot because it has not thrown a code. They are not referring to a CEL but a code thrown internally. Since it is warranty work does the dealer only have the option to do what Ford tells them? Is there a way to manually drop the tailgate? Really glad we were not at a campground when this happened.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,529
Likes: 390
From: SEVA
Sand - Have you checked for a blown fuse? I don't know which one it could be. Assuming you don't have a locked bed cover, could you remove the service panel from the tailgate from inside the bed? If so, you should be able to manually manipulate the latch from there. That's not a fix ... only a bandaid. The large gray electrical connector underneath, near your spare tire is often suspect of water intrusion. Check that to see if it's wet inside.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 78
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From: Fort Worth
Mine was that way when I took delivery and it was the solenoid. If you can get into the bed you can pull the cover panel and check the power to the solenoid pretty easily. with the cover off you can also pull on the rods to manually open it. It took my dealer about 2 minutes to pull the panel and release the tailgate.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,754
Likes: 122
From: Maryland
Do I understand you correctly, you took it in for the issue (the tailgate does not open), and they told you they do not know what to do since there is no 'code'?
I would go to another dealer. If the technician needs the computer to tell him something is not working, and is unable to troubleshoot well without one, you need a better technician.
I would go to another dealer. If the technician needs the computer to tell him something is not working, and is unable to troubleshoot well without one, you need a better technician.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 236
Likes: 1
From: Charlotte, NC
I had the same issue. Unique to my case, when the line-x guys did my bed, there was a ton of overspray on the solenoid. Needless to say, the dealership wouldn't warranty because of all the overspray. The line-x dealer was super helpful. They worked on it for about 45 minutes, verified everything had power, cleaned off the overspray, etc. The "final" resolution was as the line-x tech was hitting release, they were also tapping on the solenoid. I still need to have it warranty replace, but it's been reliable for the past few weeks, so I'll wait until it fails again or have it replaced at my next service appointment.
I had the same issue. The Ford tech came back in about 5 minutes with the tailgate down. They too, had to open the panel cover and manually release the tailgate.
Completely agree.
Mine was that way when I took delivery and it was the solenoid. If you can get into the bed you can pull the cover panel and check the power to the solenoid pretty easily. with the cover off you can also pull on the rods to manually open it. It took my dealer about 2 minutes to pull the panel and release the tailgate.
Do I understand you correctly, you took it in for the issue (the tailgate does not open), and they told you they do not know what to do since there is no 'code'?
I would go to another dealer. If the technician needs the computer to tell him something is not working, and is unable to troubleshoot well without one, you need a better technician.
I would go to another dealer. If the technician needs the computer to tell him something is not working, and is unable to troubleshoot well without one, you need a better technician.
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Mountain Pass
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Maryland
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2012
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I don't have button open, just handle at back... mine won't open sometimes and I have to go in and pull the rods to open
I think I have issue figured out... the latch rod plastic clip should be a green clip and the side rods are yellow clips....( parts counter confirmed they are different parts for sside rod clips and latch clip)
all my clips are the YELLOW.....
and the should be green latch clip, should be on bottom of of metal arm...
mine sits on top and is floppy in its mounting hole...( I firmed it up with tiny zip tie for now, hasn't failed to open)
I ordered the green clip ( $5 shipped to house) and will install it to bottom of metal arm... should fix it
Not sure if this was done wrong at factory, or someone else did it after and i bought it used... but only 9months old and 19k miles... sooooo?
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 198
Likes: 1
From: Texas Gulf Coast
I just replaced mine on my 2017 F150 Lariat. Even though It was under warranty, it was an intermittent problem, so in order to avoid a "cant replicate" finding, and driving 30 miles each way to my dealer, I just ordered one through Tasca and did it myself.
Be careful when ordering because there are 2 different styles (on the F150 anyway) depending on your trucks options. I would suggest you open the panel and look at it first. In my case, one was metal with a white plastic solenoid ($24.00) and the other is all black plastic with a plunger coming out of the solenoid (like mine in my Lariat 502A) is $55.00. Local dealerships want double the price of Tasca.
It is very easy to replace 5---- minutes tops including removing the tailgate access panel. 10mm socket to remove 2 nuts, one electrical connector and 2 clips that snap the rods in place.
Be careful when ordering because there are 2 different styles (on the F150 anyway) depending on your trucks options. I would suggest you open the panel and look at it first. In my case, one was metal with a white plastic solenoid ($24.00) and the other is all black plastic with a plunger coming out of the solenoid (like mine in my Lariat 502A) is $55.00. Local dealerships want double the price of Tasca.
It is very easy to replace 5---- minutes tops including removing the tailgate access panel. 10mm socket to remove 2 nuts, one electrical connector and 2 clips that snap the rods in place.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 198
Likes: 1
From: Texas Gulf Coast
That is the same part as mine.....Curious, did you leave that black foam attached or remove it? I removed mine, but afterwards wondered if it was meant to stay there....seemed to be cut very precisely for something that was for shipping protection only.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,529
Likes: 390
From: SEVA
This is issue has got me wondering how those of us with locking bed covers ... those covers which can only be unlocked / unlatched after the tailgate is open ... need to take preventive measures. My BAK Revolver X2 has a lanyard which must be pulled to release its latches. Since I already have a lanyard in place to catch the remote-operated tailgate if / when it opens unintentionally, I'm now thinking I should fabricate another to unlatch the bed cover for when the tailgate won't open at all. I've said it before ... the remote tailgate opener is the most useless "convenience" I've run across.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 198
Likes: 1
From: Texas Gulf Coast
I have the Bakflip MX4, and when my tailgate wouldn't open, I had to pry the lid up slightly with a claw hammer and reach in with a homemade hook to release the cover so I could access the bed. Then I attached a long black Cable Tie to the release cable for the Bakflip that I left hanging out above the top of the tailgate until my new actuator came in. You could barely see it, and it worked pretty good.
As a matter of fact, it is still attached until I am confident replacing the actuator was my only problem.
As a matter of fact, it is still attached until I am confident replacing the actuator was my only problem.
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