Tailgate won't open

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Oct 20, 2025 | 05:14 PM

'12 Duty Super

Thread Starter

Cross-Country

Joined: Oct 2013

Posts: 61

Likes: 2

From: "Big D"

Tailgate won't open

I have a bit of a problem with my 2019 F250, my tailgate won't open. I've tried the button on the tailgate, the one inside, and the key fob. I can hear the actuator making a little sound but not the sound when it usually opens so I'm assuming something broke in the linkage. To make matters worse I have a bed cover that has to be opened from the underside when the tailgate is down (it's a back flip bed cover). So now I can't get to the inside of the tailgate to take the cover off to see what's wrong because the bed cover is closed. Anyone have any ideas on how to get the bed cover open or the tailgate so I can fix it? These tailgates are stolen all the time so there has to be a way in without destroying the bed cover, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Oct 20, 2025 | 05:51 PM

The Peddler

More Turbo

Joined: Sep 2009

Posts: 537

Likes: 198

Is there something in the bed that's pushing against the tailgate? I had an issue one time when my load shifted against the gate, so it wouldn't unlatch without pushing "In" on the gate while clicking the button.

Oct 20, 2025 | 06:24 PM

t5killer

Trailering

Joined: Aug 2003

Posts: 22

Likes: 7

Mine does this frequently. I found that if I put a good bit constant pressure on the tailgate (pushing towards the cab) and then hit the button, it will usually open.

Oct 20, 2025 | 08:04 PM

2021F350

Laughing Gas

Joined: Dec 2021

Posts: 1,088

Likes: 342

From: PG, BC, Canada

Quote:

Originally Posted by t5killer

Mine does this frequently. I found that if I put a good bit constant pressure on the tailgate (pushing towards the cab) and then hit the button, it will usually open.

Ding...Ding, Ding... I too have had this "problem"... and... I have realized that the rubber tailgate stops are too tight, I cut off some of the rubber and got things to work right... at least that was what the problem was with my tailgate...

Oct 21, 2025 | 12:30 AM

'12 Duty Super

Thread Starter

Cross-Country

Joined: Oct 2013

Posts: 61

Likes: 2

From: "Big D"

Thanks to everyone who posted with answers. After hours of trying to get into the bed of my truck I finally got the bed cover to open. The issue appears to be the actuator going bad and not releasing the tailgate. Once I opened up the tailgate cover, I could see the actuator was moving but not much and the more I pushed the button the weaker it got. I would have figured that when it would go out that it would stop working all together not just become too weak to move the rods. Anyway, $26.00 and Amazon later I'll have a new one Thursday morning and hopefully that will be that.