The super-power tailgate on my 2021 Lariat is not longer working. I can press the button on the dash or the key fob, or the button on the tailgate itself and it was working intermittently. It was hit or miss.

I took it to my local Ford dealer.

Ford told me they want $1,100 to fix it. I'm out of warranty. I thought for $1,100 I would just open and close the damn thing myself. But now it will only pop open ajar that 1-inch or so and won't be manually lowered. I can shut it though.

Is there anyway to override the electronic options with this thing to just use it manually or will it cost me the $1,100 to repair?

Thanks!

 

Just a quick video on some of the internals. Not sure it helps, but it can't hurt.

You might be able to access the internals from inside the bed of the truck and at least pull the actuator rods manually.

FIRST: I'd go into the settings and turn the power tailgate's power setting to OFF to see if it disengages the motor and then check if you can now manually open the tailgate. If so, it will make working on it a bit easier.



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That's a great idea! I'll try to get out in the driveway this evening to turn it off in settings and see if that turns it manually operable for me. Thanks for the tip!

 

My tailgate made a clunk sound. No what the dealer did? They replaced the entire tailgate. New paint and all. But if it helps any, they did a terrible job. Nothing fits correctly now. Everything is misaligned. The pop out step no longer sits flush. I just hit F it with this truck.

 

Hi there. This tailgate concern doesn’t sound like something we want you to experience with your F-150. Should you need further assistance, please send us a PM with your VIN and the name and location of your Ford dealer and I'd be happy to look into this on my end. To send a private message, just click on our username and select "Send a Private Message to Ford Motor Co". Once you send over a message, I will be happy to start looking into this for you!

 

Thanks FMC! I sent you a PM with the requested information. I tried putting the power tailgate into "manual" mode via the in-dash screen. It states it is in Manual mode now, but the tailgate still only pops open one-inch and then cannot be pulled open. I can slam it closed from there, but not open. I've tried via dash-button, key fob, and manual tailgate lever - all three ways in both power and manual mode. Nothing.

 

Don't hold your breath waiting for that bot to actually do anything.

 

Oh. Disappointing. :-(

 

For What It Is Worth (FWIW), here's my status. The FMC responder (probably a bot) pretty much just asked me to go back to a Ford dealer and do what I have already done.

I followed some YouTube video advice. I didn't have the actuator part in my tailgate, instead I have some kind of module (part # HW:MU5T-14F151-AB / SW: MU5T-14C121-AD ? Other numbers on the module include 210121, and MU5T-14B673-AE and G261Y).

Anyhow, I followed the guy who said lean on it until if unfreezes or "breaks free" and then lowers. I put the power tailgate on "Manual" mode first via the in-dash touch screen vehicle settings. Seems to work manually up and down now. Time will tell if that remains the case.

I'll update if it changes for the benefit of people in the future with a similar issue who search the topics looking for their own answers and find this thread.

Thanks,

EDJ

 

Mine is at the dealership now trying to get it resolved. Mine also has been working intermittently. It completely stopped going back up. I noticed on the dash one time that it wanted me to stow the step. The step being stowed and the tailgate up, I leaned on the step and pressed the button and it worked. I also connected FORScan and there was an error in the tailgate module about it being a grounding issue. I tried to clear the error but it kept coming back. Hopefully, the dealership can get it resolved.