It's times like these when I'm glad that I have the simpler XL... I really can't think of a reason why someone would need a remote opening tailgate. Am I missing something?

 

Yes, you are.

Person walks over to truck with arms full and keys in their hand. Hits button, tailgate opens.

Just like the "pass your foot under bumper" that the Escape has had for several years...

 

It's times like this that I'm happy I have the 502A Lariat... I have something on my truck you don't have ha ha. Now as soon as I come up with a good reason to use it I'll post it here. Maybe if there was a button on the dashboard to open it it would be neat at the lumber yard to drop the tailgate from inside if they were loading somethings for me. But as it is I would have to get out of the truck to get the fob out of my pocket open the caps door and then push the button..

My wife likes the way the gate opens by itself with a push of the button and is much lighter and easy to close compared to our old truck. But she can't open the cap's door so even this about useless.. And of course we both love the step.

 

I would love the step, and will likely add the AMP retractable step at some point... I added the tailgate assist to mine, and I think that's a great thing. Even my 8 year old can (safely) open the tailgate now.

As far as the key fob remote release or the open with swiping your foot like the Escape mentioned above, it just seems like something that is a cool idea, but not necessary at all. We have 4 kids, so my wife and I always have our hands full with something/someone lol, but never really felt like we needed it on the tailgate or on her hatch on her Traverse.

 

The XLT I have is old school mechanical handle with link rods going to latches at each end of the tailgate. No electric release, though it does have the electric tailgate lock. I assumed the the higher trim models had a mechanical handle in addition to the electric release.

 

What about disabling the antenna? If the controller can't "see" the signal, the gate can't be triggered.

 

Common RF subsystem - multiple functions. That will kill all FOB functionality, except for the RFID / proximity functions.

MGD

 

I'm sure that antenna is for sensing that you're standing there with the fob in your pocket so the gate is unlocked and you can open it pushing the gates button. Not for the fob opener which I think is done via the BCM.

 

All it would take is a toggle switch on the bed or tail gate and just break the wires to the lock. What I want is another button to make the tail gate go back up!

 

I want the cap door to unlock and go up and the tailgate to unlock and go down.. With two button pushes... Then if I push it twice more the tailgate to go up the cap door to close and lock.

This I would fine very useful!