My tailgate is possessed. I need a priest.

[KNTRDR]

I here ya brother.. Heavy dudes need love also. I'll buy the beer and pizza if we every meet to discuss getting in shape. hahaha! ( I am 5' 10" and 195 lbs.. I could lose a few lbs. as well). However, I have been trying to solve this on and off for two days now and several hours to no avail. Member: Unbroken chimed in but offer no photos to help guide the less gifted like himself . LOL. I couldn't find what to unplug. I must be idiot or blind as a bat at 51 years old. Natalie (wife) asked: "what have you been doing in the garage for 2 days with the Explorer? I answered: Wasting my time and pulling my hair out!.. She replied: "Just bring it the dealer.. Lets go to Universal Studios"!

I’m starting to wonder if they have encased the antenna loop and sensor inside the plastic shrouding or in the body somewhere. Not exposed anymore.

 

[Blackssr]

I think the concept is that because the key is not in proximity to the tailgate, it won’t respond to foot kicking motions. I’m not sure if it being inside the car would override that or prevent it.

I swear my sh*t is possessed, It couldn't care less where the key fob is and I swear I saw Linda Blair in the freaking garage. She was in the front seat tuning the radio. She turned her head around a full 180 degrees to say hello. Lol!

 

[KNTRDR]

I swear my sh*t is possessed, It couldn't care less where the key fob is and I swear I saw Linda Blair in freaking garage, in the front seat tuning the radio. She turned her head around a full 180 degrees to say hello. Lol!

Yeah for the most part I think it just does whatever the f*** it wants. Lol

 

[Dave G ST]

I tested mine and I could only get the tailgate open with my foot when I also had the key fob on me. Wife and I don't use the key fob, just her phone and number pad on driver's door.

 

[Blackssr]

I tested mine and I could only get the tailgate open with my foot when I also had the key fob on me. Wife and I don't use the key fob, just her phone and number pad on driver's door.

Why not just hit the button on the tailgate, you are heading there anyway. I want my life easier not harder. I am fine just hitting the button on the tailgate itself. How much easier can it get? Why complicate things bringing a cell phone into the mix? Dude I hate cell phones.LOL

 

[Dave G ST]

Why not just hit the button on the tailgate, you are heading there anyway. I want my life easier not harder. I am fine just hitting the button on the tailgate itself. How much easier can it get? Why complicate things bringing a cell phone into the mix? Dude I hate cell phones.LOL

Oh, yes, I use the button on the tailgate also. Just trying to say if you never have the key fob on you then hopefully you won't have your tailgate open and close unexpectedly.

 

[WillHtx007]

So now a new malfunction: On several occasions when I touch the exterior rear driver side door handle to open or lock the doors the tailgate opens. This just happened when I parked and opened the rear door. It happened a few weeks ago when the car was covered with snow and ice so I thought that was maybe the cause. Today it is sunny and 72 degrees and the car is clean and dry. Anyone else experience this? I thought maybe the keyfob button in my pocket may have been pressed by my wallet right next to it.

I experience the same issue. I normally press the lock button on the back door when walking away from the truck and the lift gate opens. Very annoying. Thought I accidentally hit the button on the remote but confirmed through trial and error that wasn’t it. No shadows, wind or movement of any kind and it still opens intermittently.

Here the wiring harness under neath. Appears to be for the tow package. What else is there to unplug?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kwork417]

I was thinking that I read the harness is on the passenger side corner of the bumper. Unplug, add a litle dielectric grease, cover with tape, go on with your life.

 

[Muddydogs]

I don't mind the foot activation but while adding a cargo net to the back the darn hatch was trying to close on my head. It doesn't take very much to activate the sensor.

 

[Blackssr]

I don't mind the foot activation but while adding a cargo net to the back the darn hatch was trying to close on my head. It doesn't take very much to activate the sensor.

That is partially true... It is very difficult to trigger it when you need it. hahahah... I look like an idiot in the parking lot of Home Depot kicking my foot like a lunatic to no avail. Yet when parked in my tight garage the slightest movement triggers to sensor. I am going in for service soon. I will speak to the Service Manager and ask if they can disable the motion feature. I am totally fine hitting the button on tailgate. I am there anyway. Again, who was this feature intended to assist? My wife is fine hitting the button as well. We are not in our 80s yet.

 

[Blackssr]

I was thinking that I read the harness is on the passenger side corner of the bumper. Unplug, add a litle dielectric grease, cover with tape, go on with your life.

Where did you read this? Making a casual claim without backing it up is useless. Without photos and detailed instructions that statement holds very little weight.

 

[kwork417]

Where did you read this? Making a casual claim without backing it up is useless. Without photos and detailed instructions that statement holds very little weight.

Sorry boss. It's from another thread that you've already read and posted in. No specifics to share that will help your search. Hope you can find the answer before I get mine.

 

[Blackssr]

That's what John Holmes use to say too

Excuse me but I don't get what you are getting at? I know who John Holmes is but I don't get the connection.

 

[WillHtx007]

I experience the same issue. I normally press the lock button on the back door when walking away from the truck and the lift gate opens. Very annoying. Thought I accidentally hit the button on the remote but confirmed through trial and error that wasn’t it. No shadows, wind or movement of any kind and it still opens intermittently.

Here the wiring harness under neath. Appears to be for the tow package. What else is there to unplug?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I took my ST to the dealer this week. They said it was a software update that was needed to fix the liftgate issue. Will see if that works. Anyone else have any experience trying to fix this?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Blackssr]

I took my ST to the dealer this week. They said it was a software update that was needed to fix the liftgate issue. Will see if that works. Anyone else have any experience trying to fix this?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

May I ask was there a TSB on this or did he just say he flash something. The reason I asked mine is getting worse and my dealer is clueless.

 

[WillHtx007]

May I ask was there a TSB on this or did he just say he flashed the icu on the touch panel? The reason I asked mine is getting worse and my deal it was clueless.

They didn’t say, but there is an old TSB for this issue.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/MC-10177714-0001.pdf


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[Blackssr]

Found the f**ker and disconnected it. No more aggravation.
I took the best photos I could. The plug is located in a junction box on passenger side inboard of the exhaust tip. You cannot see the plugs as they face forward and are blocked from view, tough to see but you could feel for it. It is a single wire plug. I disconnected and no more foot activated gremlins.

This is what we are trying to disconnect. This is the part mounted in the bumper cover.
Here is the plug disconnected.
Here is the approximated area. You cannot see it without taking off bumper cover. I did not remove the cover. I felt around and tugged and squeezed plug and out it came. If you feel around and have keen sense you can feel it and remove from socket without removing bumper cover.

No errors messages on touch panel or dash with disconnected.

Sorry for poor photos.

 

[Blackssr]

I experience the same issue. I normally press the lock button on the back door when walking away from the truck and the lift gate opens. Very annoying. Thought I accidentally hit the button on the remote but confirmed through trial and error that wasn’t it. No shadows, wind or movement of any kind and it still opens intermittently.

Here the wiring harness under neath. Appears to be for the tow package. What else is there to unplug?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That is not the wiring harness we need to disconnect in order to kill an erratic motion sensor for the tailgate. Please see this post. This is what needs to be disconnected.
https://www.explorerst.org/threads/my-tailgate-is-possessed-i-need-a-priest.1619/post-21562

 

[KNTRDR]

Found the f**ker and disconnected it. No more aggravation.
I took the best photos I could. The plug is located in a junction box on passenger side inboard of the exhaust tip. You cannot see the plugs as they face forward and are blocked from view, tough to see but you could feel for it. It is a single wire plug. I disconnected and no more foot activated gremlins.

This is what we are trying to disconnect. This is the part mounted in the bumper cover.
Here is the plug disconnected.
Here is the approximated area. You cannot see it without taking off bumper cover. I did not remove the cover. I felt around and tugged and squeezed plug and out it came. If you feel around and have keen sense you can feel it and remove from socket without removing bumper cover.

No errors messages on touch panel or dash with disconnected.

Sorry for poor photos.

Thank you for sharing your results. Mine has been slightly better behaved lately but I dare say I shall fondle my way inside the bumper cover soon too. Had enough bumps on the head that I just don’t care to give it any credit.

 

[cillik]

I just disconnected that connector, but here i my thoughts
1, after it stays disconnected both male and female plug stays exposed to dirt! not good, are there any solutions to seal these?
2, there are actually 2 single wire connectors. Not sure what is the one further away from bumper for

I think i will plug it in for now until i figure something to keep it sealed