Tailgate issues
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 230
Likes: 18
Tailgate issues
This morning on my way to work my tailgate mysteriously opened and I lost a box of Christmas presents headed to UPS. I don't know if this is the same issue as previously reported (I don't recall complains of the tailgate opening from a moving vehicle) or something about the keyfob in my pocket. Regardless, I can't allow this to happen again.
Has anyone ever rigged up a mechanical lock for the tailgate? I'm thinking of running a butterfly anchor into the unused bed extender hole and roping that off to the boxlink anchor. Any other ideas?
Has anyone ever rigged up a mechanical lock for the tailgate? I'm thinking of running a butterfly anchor into the unused bed extender hole and roping that off to the boxlink anchor. Any other ideas?
Logistics Pro
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,674
Likes: 51
From: SoCal
This morning on my way to work my tailgate mysteriously opened and I lost a box of Christmas presents headed to UPS. I don't know if this is the same issue as previously reported (I don't recall complains of the tailgate opening from a moving vehicle) or something about the keyfob in my pocket. Regardless, I can't allow this to happen again.
Has anyone ever rigged up a mechanical lock for the tailgate? I'm thinking of running a butterfly anchor into the unused bed extender hole and roping that off to the boxlink anchor. Any other ideas?
Has anyone ever rigged up a mechanical lock for the tailgate? I'm thinking of running a butterfly anchor into the unused bed extender hole and roping that off to the boxlink anchor. Any other ideas?
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,055
Likes: 9
It shouldn't allow it to open while driving - via the key fob or panel button. So sounds like the mystery opening we've read on other threads. While anchoring it will stop it from happening, its a bummer if it cannot be fixed. That one time you forget to anchor it and you may lose stuff again or in my case the entire tailgate.
I am not sure if it happened to me or if someone was a good thief. Have a topper on my bed and my tailgate got stolen. No damage to vehicle or topper, so always left me wondering if it did a mystery drop and someone jumped at the opportunity.
For those wondering a platinum 350 tailgate with the ladder, camera and all the bells and whistles was written up for ~$5k to replace from my insurance company. The part number for the ladder alone was $980. Crazy.
I am not sure if it happened to me or if someone was a good thief. Have a topper on my bed and my tailgate got stolen. No damage to vehicle or topper, so always left me wondering if it did a mystery drop and someone jumped at the opportunity.
For those wondering a platinum 350 tailgate with the ladder, camera and all the bells and whistles was written up for ~$5k to replace from my insurance company. The part number for the ladder alone was $980. Crazy.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 142
Likes: 11
From: Mickey Town
For the record, mine works fine with 6k on the clock.
Troy
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 142
Likes: 11
From: Mickey Town
Again, I dissagree. Having the camera is not the issue. Being able to push the button and release the gate so it falls and I can continue without stopping is a big bonus. Having to stop, put in park, apply ebrake, get out, lower gate, get back in, put in R, release brake, and contue was fun years ago.
Troy
Troy
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 817
Likes: 18
Again, I dissagree. Having the camera is not the issue. Being able to push the button and release the gate so it falls and I can continue without stopping is a big bonus. Having to stop, put in park, apply ebrake, get out, lower gate, get back in, put in R, release brake, and contue was fun years ago.
Troy
Troy
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 230
Likes: 18
I guess I assumed the tailgate wouldn't drop remotely while the transmission is in drive, but hey if it's just going to be random anyway, why not.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,424
Likes: 12
From: BC Canada
There is no key unlock on my tailgate, atleast if there is I have never used it, so if you disconnect the actuator, your fubar'red for letting down the gate from the button on the gate? I am on my 3rd winter, 42,000 Km, never have I had a mysterious drop of the gate, I have hit the button, and reconsidered because the garage door was still down, but never unexplained. Like the doors, it would actually be really good to have a "door adjar" alarm on the dash so you know the gate went down. then you would know to at least look..... With my cover on the box, I cant see if the gate is down....
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
It's not whether or not the tailgate is allowed to drop when the truck is moving (you actually can't drop it with the doors locked either), it's a short caused by water in a wiring harness connector under the bed of the truck. Gremlins like that pay no attention to rules... The service bulletin for this problem is to replace the whole wiring harness. Mine is in the shop for just that procedure now.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,674
Likes: 51
From: SoCal
Again, I dissagree. Having the camera is not the issue. Being able to push the button and release the gate so it falls and I can continue without stopping is a big bonus. Having to stop, put in park, apply ebrake, get out, lower gate, get back in, put in R, release brake, and contue was fun years ago.
Troy
Troy
5th Wheeling
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 46
Likes: 1
There’re several previous strings on this issue. Water is getting into the connector next to the spare tire. Unplugging the connector, letting it dry, and filling with dielectric grease fixed the problem. Haven’t had this happen since doing that.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
It's not whether or not the tailgate is allowed to drop when the truck is moving (you actually can't drop it with the doors locked either), it's a short caused by water in a wiring harness connector under the bed of the truck. Gremlins like that pay no attention to rules... The service bulletin for this problem is to replace the whole wiring harness. Mine is in the shop for just that procedure now.
