Lift gate opens unexpectedly

[Frank Mallette]

My liftgate has been intermittently opening on its own whenever I launch my boat and get near the rear boat tongue. I had taken it into the Ford dealer twice over the last year but they can’t replicate it. It seems to only happen on the boat ramp. The dealer said I do not have the auto sensor. So I have no idea why it would operate without me touching the key. It opens unexpectedly and closes unexpectedly and sometimes continues and sometimes stops on its own. I was finally able to capture it on video in my driveway instead of on the boat ramp. You can see in the video I have my key is sitting on the spiral stair. The video clip is a short clip of a longer clip which showed the liftgate going up and down sometimes closing all the way sometimes not for a period of several minutes. OK so I write all of this in here and now realize I cannot upload a video. It seems to only allow uploading photos.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

My liftgate has been intermittently opening on its own whenever I launch my boat and get near the rear boat tongue. I had taken it into the Ford dealer twice over the last year but they can’t replicate it. It seems to only happen on the boat ramp. The dealer said I do not have the auto sensor. So I have no idea why it would operate without me touching the key. It opens unexpectedly and closes unexpectedly and sometimes continues and sometimes stops on its own. I was finally able to capture it on video in my driveway instead of on the boat ramp. You can see in the video I have my key is sitting on the spiral stair. The video clip is a short clip of a longer clip which showed the liftgate going up and down sometimes closing all the way sometimes not for a period of several minutes. OK so I write all of this in here and now realize I cannot upload a video. It seems to only allow uploading photos.

The rear lift gate will reverse if it detects an obstruction.

As a suggestion, perhaps closely examine the body opening and latch, while the lift gate is open.

Are there any obstructions, pinched weatherstrip, dirt or debris in the area around the body latch, missing one side of the rubber body vibration bumper, etc.?

Perhaps when you use the boat launch ramp, it puts some type of twist on the body which causes the gate to reverse?

You did not list the year, make and model of your vehicle, but my 2015 Expedition owner’s manual had a reset procedure for the automatic hatch. Does your manual list this process? If so, did you try it?

 

[Port Tack]

My 2013 doesn't open by itself but sometimes will not close. It goes down and sounds like it is about to latch but then opens again as though something was in the way. I have inspected every inch around the door seal to make sure nothing is blocking it without luck. Then I close it and it latches. I'm thinking it must be the latch itself.

 

[gray_ghost]

I have a 2019 Expedition Platinum and I have the same problem. When I want the auto liftgate to open by swinging my foot under the rear bumper, It rarely works. I have to push the button to open it. But, if I am hooking up a trailer hitch (hitch, lights, safety chains) the liftgate opens and hits me in the head.