Can someone explain the theory of operation of the tailgate lock? 2020 500a Lariat, window sticker calls out power locking tailgate. It has the electronic latch release. All doors lock as they should, but my tailgate does not lock. Unlocking with the door keypad and pressing 5/6, the tailgate releases and opens. Looking at the latch, it is a two wire latch, so the locking must take place elsewhere via relay or something. I didn't see anything in Forscan that calls out the ability to disable the tailgate lock. Can anyone shed some light on this for me? I appreciate it!

 

My lowly little XL has the option in the IPC settings. Lock/Unlock tailgate with the doors or not.

 

I will have to look! Thanks!

 

So I looked through my Instrument Panel settings and in Forscan under the ICP module and found nothing so far.

 

When you are checking to see if the tailgate is locked, do you have the fob nearby?

With the electronic release tailgate the tailgate is essentially locked all the time when it is closed. If you walk up to the truck without a programmed fob and press the release button, nothing happens. If you bring a programmed fob within the priximity of the tailgate, a sensor in the tailgate senses the fob, sends the fob information to the BCM which checks the signal to see if it is a valid fob. You can then press the button on the tailgate which sends a signal (just grounds the circuit which the BCM monitors) to the BCM and, if the fob signal is valid, the BCM sends power to the release solenoid and the tailgate will release.

This is similar to what happens with the front doors. There is a fob sensor in each door. There you touch the appropriate sensor on the handle to lock or unlock the door. That will only happen if the BCM gets at valid fob signal from the sensor.

 

I have had the fob in my pocket. I will try that today and see. Thank you!

 

Sure enough, went outside and checked, left my fob in the house. Tailgate is locked! I wish it explained that better in the manual.