Liftgate Opens - $7K damage

[aschan]

When I arrived at a destination last week, I parked and shut the car off - then the liftgate opened and the frunk unlatched before I stepped out of the vehicle. At the time, I was wondering if I'd inadvertantly tapped the key fob in my pocket somehow before I got out of the seat - but after reading this thread, I'm wondering if it wasn't my fat-fingeredness (yes, that's a word) after all...

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[Kamuelaflyer]

My experience is that the likelihood that it opens is inversely related to the chance I want it to work. Walking past the car in the garage? It'll open and try to knock you down. Unlocking the car from the front door and the taillights flash against a wall - it'll see its shadow and open. Walking up to car with an armload of groceries? Hell no. Doing the whole Fiddler On The Roof dance trying to kick below the car? Not a chance.

I'd like to think Ford would have improved this feature, if they hadn't decontented it instead.

In all honesty, in the past years I’ve owned this car I’ve only had it open uncommanded a single time. That was relatively recently (last spring) when I opened the garage door just as the sun crested Mauna Kea. The bit of light as the garage door started opening was apparently enough to make the liftgate open. I do have the opening height set so it can’t hit the garage door track and it can’t hit the garage door itself as the spot it’s in is deep enough to allow the liftgate to fully open when the garage door is closed.

Getting the liftgate to actually open with a kick is another story though. It’s not a feature I’d miss as mine just doesn’t function most of the time anyway.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

When I arrived at a destination last week, I parked and shut the car off - then the liftgate opened and the frunk unlatched before I stepped out of the vehicle. At the time, I was wondering if I'd inadvertantly tapped the key fob in my pocket somehow before I got out of the seat - but after reading this thread, I'm wondering if it wasn't my fat-fingeredness (yes, that's a word) after all...

The hands free liftgate feature was removed early in the 2022 model year. There is no kick to open feature now unless you’ve modded a later model year car. Be aware that hands free is not the same as A power liftgate. GT’s, Rally’s, and Premium trim lines all have power liftgate which will open the liftgate after you push the button.

 

[mkazen]

Wait... How do you open the Frunk from the Keypad?

 

[BBRacer]

Oh this has happened to us a few times. Randomly opens in the garage while the garage door is closed. Come out to see what the bang was and twice now the tailgate hits right on the metal hinge of the door. One time we didn't know it happened and opened the garage door and it scrapped the heck out of the tailgate right down to the metal. We have since disabled the power function of the gate.

 

[aschan]

The hands free liftgate feature was removed early in the 2022 model year. There is no kick to open feature now unless you’ve modded a later model year car. Be aware that hands free is not the same as A power liftgate. GT’s, Rally’s, and Premium trim lines all have power liftgate which will open the liftgate after you push the button.

I’m not sure how they both popped open on me then; I must have jabbed both buttons on the fob somehow <shrug>

 

[WallyS56]

I was charging at the Buc-ee’s in Loveland, CO in a driving rainstorm. Car was on auto lock as I went to walk (run) to the store; I always turn around after I hear the beep to make sure it locks- mirrors folded- so yes. Came back 20 minutes later- still sideways rain- and the hatch was opened. Only time in almost two years that’s happened. 2024- no foot thingie.

 

[Snakebitten]

Source? Not seen any mention of this.

I believe Ford returned it on the 2025 Explorer and Expedition as well.
The Lightning got it back just before Ford ceased production too.

 

[Mr. Toejam]

I was charging at the Buc-ee’s in Loveland, CO in a driving rainstorm. Car was on auto lock as I went to walk (run) to the store; I always turn around after I hear the beep to make sure it locks- mirrors folded- so yes. Came back 20 minutes later- still sideways rain- and the hatch was opened. Only time in almost two years that’s happened. 2024- no foot thingie.

My 2014 Honda Swaggerwagon and my 2016 Mustang have a proximity sensor behind the door handles. If you have the key fob on you and you place your hand on the pull handle, the doors unlock. When I have the key fob on me and I ran a water hose over the handle, the doors unlock.

My guess is the kick to open sensor is doing the same thing in a rain storm.

I wanted the KTO feature, but with my dogs constantly running around, I don’t want this openning when it shouldn’t. And I have the hitch installed which creates other issues.

if I get bored, I might look for a waterproof, physical foot button to mount under the bumper. True-KTO. But sway bars and rally springs are delivered and need to be installed.

 

[robi]

LOL reading A-A-Ron’s experiences using the rear liftgatefoot swipe feature that we wish came on our 2025 Premium. We generally us our key FOB to open the rear hatch and then close it with the barely reachable for my wife button on the lift gate. Same key FOB method to open the frunk and always a bit startled by the loud bank vault sounding two step latch noises. That one gets closed the good old manual push method but I find it takes a somewhat forceful push. I’ve occasionally used the screen buttons but that never seems to be as handy as the FOB. In any case, in our almost 4 months of ownership and 7K+ miles they both have only opened when the FOB buttons are pressed. I’m now forewarned however and will be on the lookout for phantom activations.

 

[WallyS56]

My 2014 Honda Swaggerwagon and my 2016 Mustang have a proximity sensor behind the door handles. If you have the key fob on you and you place your hand on the pull handle, the doors unlock. When I have the key fob on me and I ran a water hose over the handle, the doors unlock.

My guess is the kick to open sensor is doing the same thing in a rain storm.

I wanted the KTO feature, but with my dogs constantly running around, I don’t want this openning when it shouldn’t. And I have the hitch installed which creates other issues.

if I get bored, I might look for a waterproof, physical foot button to mount under the bumper. True-KTO. But sway bars and rally springs are delivered and need to be installed.

My 2024 Premium didn’t come with KTO.

 

[Maquis]

My 2024 Premium didn’t come with KTO.

Nothing past mid 2022 did.

 

[sukhoi_584th]

You don't look behind your vehicle before starting to back up?

 

[azerik]

Un freaking believable I went to go take the dog for a walk and he darts underneath the garage door. Apparently he’s tail swings past the kick the open trigger for my car both the garage door and my hatch open up at exact same speed and don’t cause any damage to each other. Here’s a picture of my dog looking guilty as shit.

 

[azerik]

Wait... How do you open the Frunk from the Keypad?

Your keypad number and the hold 7/8 and 9/0( the bottom 2 numbers, I used to use it often but now now enough to remember.)

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