Hands free lift gate closing by itself

[KSC 2019 XLT]

Hi - I have a 2019 Expedition with the hands free lift gate feature (e.g. "kicking" forward at the spare tire will open/close the lift gate). Anyone had the experience that when you stand behind bumper touching it with your legs (doing stuff like taking out groceries, etc.) that it closes on you by itself? Not sure if mine is too sensitive and needs to be adjusted. Thanks!

 

[Grey ghost]

Never happened to me but, my German Shepherd aka Bullet the Wonder dog has figured out how to open it before I get there I hope she never gets ahold of my fob , in that event I may be screwed

 

[scottdm]

This is a common issue, and many (myself included) have disconnected the antenna under the rear bumper to avoid inadvertent actuation. I was tired of getting hit in the back of the head while unloading cargo, and also was concerned it may open into my closed garage door and cause damage to the lift gate. See the attached thread about how to disconnect the antenna if you decide to do so.

https://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/rear-hatch-operability.37909/page-2

 

[m3bs]

I can’t get it to open with my foot, but it always wants to close on my head while I’m loading stuff!

I figured it was just a learning curve, but if I can’t figure it out, disconnecting it may be an option.

 

[Grey ghost]

They put the antenna in 2different places I think. If yours comes with a hitch it's in the center but you may not be swinging your foot far enough in. If your car has a hitch the antenna is offset. Try that

 

[Doug Morgan]

Mine never opens when I want it to with my foot. I can kick under there 10 times and give up and push the button. But on the other hand you can be sure if I am hooking up my trailer or doing something in the garage the damn thing will attack me. I finally shut off the kick to open feature in the setting menu.

 

[Going_Going_Gone]

Each time that I've towed, when either removing the ball mount or snapping the cover back on, the lift gate closed on my head...and each time it happened, there was no warning chime. The darn thing won't hardly ever open (or close) with a kick and the dealer service department is content with it opening one time out of one hundred attempts. They can't explain the unintended closing. If it's a sure thing that disconnecting the sensor antenna will stop the unwanted closing, I'll be doing that ASAP. Silly me, I was expecting that my vehicle would work like my sister's six-year old Escape. Her lift gate works flawlessly with one foot swipe and it cost less than half of what the Expedition did. On edit, should have read Doug's post above. Will be changing settings in the menu too.

 

[Rancidlunchmeat]

Mine never opens either. I've seen reviews on Youtube that had the same problem, one of them that seemed to get it to work consistently said there's two sensors on each side if you have a trailer tow package - otherwise, it's right in the middle.

 

[aggiegrad05]

I have great success with mine and it's wildly convenient. I agree it is a little overzealous sometimes and it has tried to kill me more than once both closing and opening. But I would not give it up. Way too useful when loading or unloading a cooler, groceries, a dog, a dead body, ya know, whatever you're hauling around.

I do not have the tow pack, but I do the kick in the same place every time, right in the middle of the left half of the bumper...so right here:


Also, you're not swiping side to side under the bumper, you're kicking in and out...think the crane kick from Karate Kid; pick up your foot, go straight under the bumper about 6 inches and then come straight back out. Not too fast, not too slow.

Both my 5 year old and my 2 year old have figured it out and they fight to see who gets to "kick open dad's car".

 

[jking05]

I dont think its even a kick that needs to open it. I just put my knee up to the reverse sensor on the right side of the hitch and back away for it to open. I did have it close on me one time for some reason and maybe getting close to the sensor and backing away did it? Dont know but I can try it again.

 

[Meeker]

BTW, disabling the power liftgate in the settings menu doesn't disable the sensor, it disables the motors. So you can still trigger the door to unlatch although it won't power open (or closed) so it solves that part of the problem. I wish they had a menu option to preserve the power liftgate but disable the kick sensor.
Has anybody tried putting a toggle switch inline with the sensor so you can disable while towing and re-enable for putting beer in the back?

 

[aggiegrad05]

Has anybody tried putting a toggle switch inline with the sensor so you can disable while towing and re-enable for putting beer in the back?

This right here is a good idea.

 

[Doug Morgan]

BTW, disabling the power liftgate in the settings menu doesn't disable the sensor, it disables the motors. So you can still trigger the door to unlatch although it won't power open (or closed) so it solves that part of the problem. I wish they had a menu option to preserve the power liftgate but disable the kick sensor.
Has anybody tried putting a toggle switch inline with the sensor so you can disable while towing and re-enable for putting beer in the back?

Yes that is correct, you have to manually open it by hand.

I think I will try that sensor disable now that I know about it. Then I can still use the power lift without worrying about it activating by itself. It is a real rush when you are in the garage and go behind the truck and the lift opens and starts pushing you against the wall before it trips out.

 

[Randy Schmidt]

I was getting gas the other day and my power lift gate opened by itself. I thought "that's weird" and mid thought it closed by itself...

Let the dealership try and duplicate that!

 

[aggiegrad05]

It is a real rush when you are in the garage and go behind the truck and the lift opens and starts pushing you against the wall before it trips out.

My 2 year old found this out. Was running away from me in the garage because he didn’t want to get in the car (because, ya know, he’s 2). He had grabbed my fob off the table before his escape attempt (because, again, he’s 2). Decided to sneak behind the truck and must have gotten too close, lift gate activated and clocked him. He was not happy.

While not an approved method of corralling a feral toddler, it was effective.

 

[edizzle]

Feral toddler!! LOL!!

 

[ib_jigged]

How about they start putting RFID tags in beer boxes so it would open automatically for us beer drinkers w/fob in pocket?

 

[Doug Morgan]

I disconnected the wire to the foot sensor last night. Two minute job and didn't need anything to do it, not even a screwdriver. I plan to go back under later before the snow and salt hits and seal the hole where I pulled the plug out with some Dow silicone grease. I will also smear some on the end of the plug and will put a small plastic bag over it with some heat shrink.

 

[Doug Morgan]

Well I had a surprise when I went out to my garage this morning. I don't lock the doors and found the doors locked... so I got in and started it up and then I thought a window was open. Nope, the rear hatch was open with the door up against the wall. WTH??? Is this thing picking up some kind of radio wave in the area or what?

 

[scottdm]

Well I had a surprise when I went out to my garage this morning. I don't lock the doors and found the doors locked... so I got in and started it up and then I thought a window was open. Nope, the rear hatch was open with the door up against the wall. WTH??? Is this thing picking up some kind of radio wave in the area or what?

Hope it didn't damage your lift gate. Any chance someone hit the button for the hatch on the key fob?