Adding a Physical Interior Liftgate Power Switch

[Tngo23]

Tony, while that will not fit within the Mach-E headlamp switch in any way, you could cut a rectangular hole to make it fit somewhere else in the lower dash (in a flat area).

Thx Mark
You are 100% correct but I was hoping to make it fit in the current assembly
You probably know it doesn’t fit already so I will take your word for it

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[coachluke]

Great write up, and thanks for the photos! Do you happen to have a pic of this?

Hey. What are you looking for specifically? I didn't take a picture of the wire harness itself just because it really doesn't give a good picture, all you see is a wire sticking out. I literally just stripped maybe 1/3 of an inch of the wire running from the BCM and shoved it into slot 12 until it hit the end and taped it down.

 

[GrumblesTheDog]

I had to take @markboris's idea a step farther. Where you tap into the BCM is the same as the button on the rear hatch, I can't pop it when I'm inside and the door is locked with the vehicle running. This might be a very small minority of people, but it affects me. ?

I investigated a 2021 escape wiring diagram to find out where it's button connects to and found it's on the Rear Gate Trunk Module (RGTM) pin 19, which is not so conveniently located inside the rear hatch. Anyway, since I was working on my rear camera for my dash cam, I ran a wire the whole way from the back to the headlight switch. It works perfectly just like it came stock!

Car on, door locked - button works
car off, door locked - button disabled after security arms
car off, door unlocked - button works

I can't resist the urge to tinker, and really like your approach. So you run a wire from the rear gate control module pin 19 up to pin 12 on the headlight switch harness? Then just drop in the trunk switch from the Bronco assembly?

Roughly where is the RGCM in the back hatch? I already ran a dashcam to the rear, but I didn't think it was super hard to run the wires, especially a smaller gauge one like this.

 

[i8iridium]

I can't resist the urge to tinker, and really like your approach. So you run a wire from the rear gate control module pin 19 up to pin 12 on the headlight switch harness? Then just drop in the trunk switch from the Bronco assembly?

Roughly where is the RGCM in the back hatch? I already ran a dashcam to the rear, but I didn't think it was super hard to run the wires, especially a smaller gauge one like this.

yup.

it's close to the passenger side, but you’re removing all the plastic covers from the hatch, so it really doesn’t matter. lol

 

[NewGuy]

Hey. What are you looking for specifically? I didn't take a picture of the wire harness itself just because it really doesn't give a good picture, all you see is a wire sticking out. I literally just stripped maybe 1/3 of an inch of the wire running from the BCM and shoved it into slot 12 until it hit the end and taped it down.

Just thinking about the location of where to put the wire. You included the diagram so maybe that makes it obvious once you get in there.

 

[coachluke]

Just thinking about the location of where to put the wire. You included the diagram so maybe that makes it obvious once you get in there.

The diagram tells you everything you need to know but it's even easier when you see it. On the wire harness connector itself, you'll see the corner slots labeled with their numbers so you can just count from there.

 

[Rickless]

Does anyone have the service diagram for removing the interior molding from the rear liftgate? Or does it all just pop off with pry tools?

Additionally, @coachluke where did you run the wire from the cabin into the lift gate? I did a quick measurement and it looks like I'll need ~25' of electrical wire. Thanks!

 

[Rickless]

the harness won’t have anything in pin 12. How you pin it is up to how creative you want to be. I used a pack of these (pic below). It’s a harness repair kit. I have to do some digging to find the part number.

@i8iridium, are these connectors from AutoZone similar to what you used?

 

[coachluke]

Does anyone have the service diagram for removing the interior molding from the rear liftgate? Or does it all just pop off with pry tools?

Additionally, @coachluke where did you run the wire from the cabin into the lift gate? I did a quick measurement and it looks like I'll need ~25' of electrical wire. Thanks!

I didn't run mine to the lift gate. Mine was just run from the headlamp switch to the brown wire at the BCM just under the glove compartment.

I don't personally need to have additional access to open up the trunk when the car is running. I primarily use it when I park and leave.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

While I do use the rear hatch somewhat often, I always kick under the bumper to open it (had an Escape for 4 years and was use to it) but rarely need to open or close it from the inside. I was at a friends this morning who also has a Mach-E and she said the one thing she misses is a simple power button to open and close the rear hatch. She doesn't like having to turn the car to accessory mode and make three selections on the center screen. She just wants to push a button.

I thought it couldn't be that difficult to wire up a switch to do this and I was right. I took a look at the wiring diagram in the repair manual and found that both momentary switches in the rear hatch do nothing more than short an incoming wire from the BCM to ground. The BCM is located at the front passenger footwell at the top. Extremely easy to access just remove the panel that hides it and you can get to the wiring. The wire that is needed to tap into is solid brown and located at the large top plug connection. I tapped into it and ran the wire to the center console where I installed a small momentary switch just below my subwoofer volume control. For the ground I used the black/blue wire going to the parking brake switch in the console. All the black/blue wires throughout the car are grounds. I had this momentary switch laying around but I am going to change it out with one that is much flatter.

I now have a working power button that will open and close the rear hatch from inside the car without having your key fob, phone or needing to turn on the car. The car still needs to be in Park for it to operate just as before. It works just like the one in my 2014 Escape did. I could have mounted the switch is several easy to see locations but like to conceal my work (like I did the subwoofer volume control) so nothing looks "added on". Just drop your hand down in front of the console and they are both easy to use. Besides if I ever needed to remove it, all I'd have to do is put a little flat plug in the hole and no one would know any different.

It took me about an hour to do the entire thing but now that I did it, when I do hers, probably should only take 30 minutes. I took quick photos of where I tapped into the wiring and it was before I permanently attached and taped up the wires.

Have you by any chance investigated installing a similar button for frunk release? (Yes, I know assuming your car has an electric method for opening the frunk, there are lots of other ways to do it. But I think the same logic applies for the frunk as for the rear hatch...) Thanks

 

[markboris]

Have you by any chance investigated installing a similar button for frunk release? (Yes, I know assuming your car has an electric method for opening the frunk, there are lots of other ways to do it. But I think the same logic applies for the frunk as for the rear hatch...) Thanks

Hi John, no I haven't needed or wanted to add a button for the frunk. My main reason is because the only time I ever open it, is to dry off the inside around the hood and fenders after I wash the car. Not to mention it is easily opened mechanically by pulling the frunk release twice which is how I open it. I never use the phone or center display buttons for opening the frunk.

If you're interested in wanting to add a physical button inside for the frunk release, I will investigate that for you through the wiring diagram as I did the rear hatch and I know it can be done. Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to test it out for two weeks as I won't have access to my car. Every three months or so, I go down to the Bay Area where my parents live and bring them back up to my home. I have to use their car (Volvo XC70) as it has the room I need for my mom's electric wheel chair plus luggage and other items and leave my car at their home. I won't be back down until around the 22nd or so.

If you don't mind taking apart the panels in the frunk area, one way you can do this without having to tap into one of the wires at the BCM (inside by the passenger compartment footwell) is to tap into the wire at the release button inside the frunk. Since you have a GT, as do I, that button is active and will open the frunk when pressed. However, getting a wire from the frunk through the firewall into the passenger compartment takes a bit of time. I've had to do this on a few Mach'E's running a power wire from the battery to the cargo area in the rear for amplifiers and it isn't very fun.

 

[Rickless]

I didn't run mine to the lift gate. Mine was just run from the headlamp switch to the brown wire at the BCM just under the glove compartment.

Whoops, I need to read the thread more carefully lol. @i8iridium, any wisdom on running the wire from the cabin into the lift gate? Thanks in advance!

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

Hi John, no I haven't needed or wanted to add a button for the frunk. My main reason is because the only time I ever open it, is to dry off the inside around the hood and fenders after I wash the car. Not to mention it is easily opened mechanically by pulling the frunk release twice which is how I open it. I never use the phone or center display buttons for opening the frunk.

If you're interested in wanting to add a physical button inside for the frunk release, I will investigate that for you through the wiring diagram as I did the rear hatch and I know it can be done. Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to test it out for two weeks as I won't have access to my car. Every three months or so, I go down to the Bay Area where my parents live and bring them back up to my home. I have to use their car (Volvo XC70) as it has the room I need for my mom's electric wheel chair plus luggage and other items and leave my car at their home. I won't be back down until around the 22nd or so.

If you don't mind taking apart the panels in the frunk area, one way you can do this without having to tap into one of the wires at the BCM (inside by the passenger compartment footwell) is to tap into the wire at the release button inside the frunk. Since you have a GT, as do I, that button is active and will open the frunk when pressed. However, getting a wire from the frunk through the firewall into the passenger compartment takes a bit of time. I've had to do this on a few Mach'E's running a power wire from the battery to the cargo area in the rear for amplifiers and it isn't very fun.

Wow, thank you for the generous offer. I'd rather not snake a wire through the firewall, so tapping the BCM would be a much preferred way to go for me. If you're able to easily identify on the wiring diagram the wire to tap, I can try it out and see if it works...

As to why it would be nice to have, I don't all that often use the frunk either, but I think I would if access were just a bit easier. And of course the lever works just fine, but a button would be nicer. I like that the frunk is completely hidden, so its a good place to put stuff that needs to be out of sight such as camera gear.

But you have much more significant work: taking care of your parents is so important and I commend you for it. So please only do this if you have time and would like to do it. Thank you.

 

[i8iridium]

Wow, thank you for the generous offer. I'd rather not snake a wire through the firewall, so tapping the BCM would be a much preferred way to go for me. If you're able to easily identify on the wiring diagram the wire to tap, I can try it out and see if it works...

As to why it would be nice to have, I don't all that often use the frunk either, but I think I would if access were just a bit easier. And of course the lever works just fine, but a button would be nicer. I like that the frunk is completely hidden, so its a good place to put stuff that needs to be out of sight such as camera gear.

But you have much more significant work: taking care of your parents is so important and I commend you for it. So please only do this if you have time and would like to do it. Thank you.

The only way to trigger the Frunk beside using the main screen is the button inside the frunk. That button connects to the Generic Function Module (GFM) behind the center screen (slightly below it). It’s a real pain in the ass to get to. Moreover, if you use that button to pop the frunk, it will display an alert on the IPC letting you know that button was used and to check the frunk to make sure nobody was stuck in there.
I’ll dig up a wiring diagram shortly.

 

[i8iridium]

Whoops, I need to read the thread more carefully lol. @i8iridium, any wisdom on running the wire from the cabin into the lift gate? Thanks in advance!

what sort of wisdom are you seeking?

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