Trunk button(s)

[Snakebitten]

I've noticed that PAAK, with my phone in my left rear pocket, will light up the Mach-E the moment I enter, or even walk past the opening of an old metal aircraft hangar that I park in daily. It's definitely the longest range circumstance I experience with PAAK.

This is my truck, instead, but it's where I'm referring.

I have similar performance at home with my metal barn.

But when the Mach-E is parked outdoors in open air? I do notice back pocket phone carrying has a much reduced range. Often requiring me to get really close and sometimes turning my stance.

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[markboris]

A physical frunk button right above the release lever seems like overkill to me. I would rather have a physical lift gate button. We already have two ways to release the frunk lid from inside the car, not including the FordPass app. As for the lever not being in a convenient spot, car hood levers have always been in a similar spot for safety reasons. ?‍?

And you can use a key fob to open the Frunk if you set one up that way. There are several threads back a few years that explain how to do this.

 

[HuntingPudel]

lol.... this is quite funny! Like Ford is intentionally setting itself up for angry customers ....?

I have no interest in PAAK, but I guess I'll set it up for the other benefits.....?

There is no harm in creating a PaaK and nothing saying you can’t carry the key after you set up PaaK. ?‍?

 

[creedda]

I ordered that rear illuminated liftgate button yesterday and will be installing back in my '24. Also installing one in a friend's in AZ. Both of us like having an illuminated button back there and neither of us are tall. While my '21 had the kick to open, along with my 2014 Escape having one, I have that feature turned off. There are many posts on the Escape forum and a few here with it opening up when no one around damaging the liftgate. I know it is very rare but I don't need that issue.

If you do this I would love to see a walkthrough post.

My wife is also interested in this, but not sure of the exact parts to buy or how difficult the install is.

 

[markboris]

If you do this I would love to see a walkthrough post.

My wife is also interested in this, but not sure of the exact parts to buy or how difficult the install is.

I ordered the parts last week and should be in this coming week except I'm leaving for out of the country right after Thanksgiving and won't be back until the 5th so not sure when I will get to this yet. I will definitely list part numbers and explain how to install and wire up. I'm just guessing right now but everything I need is in the liftgate so won't have to run wires out of that area to the body. Should be simple.

 

[dimes4slim]

Well, I learned something new which I can put to good use. I will now try the "open" button for closing. My lit button usually requires two pushes to activate closing, similar to me having to push my door buttons more than once to open the car. I probably have defective fingers.

 

[Mjtee2]

I ordered the parts last week and should be in this coming week except I'm leaving for out of the country right after Thanksgiving and won't be back until the 5th so not sure when I will get to this yet. I will definitely list part numbers and explain how to install and wire up. I'm just guessing right now but everything I need is in the liftgate so won't have to run wires out of that area to the body. Should be simple.

Yes, please let us know how that install goes. My wife is shorter and we cannot adjust the door height to a point that is convenient for her and still allows complete access to the trunk area. Also, I did ask the Service Department at my dealer and they were unsure. Good luck!

 

[markboris]

Yes, please let us know how that install goes. My wife is shorter and we cannot adjust the door height to a point that is convenient for her and still allows complete access to the trunk area. Also, I did ask the Service Department at my dealer and they were unsure. Good luck!

I will but it’s not going to be for a week or so.

 

[HuntingPudel]

I ordered the parts last week and should be in this coming week except I'm leaving for out of the country right after Thanksgiving and won't be back until the 5th so not sure when I will get to this yet. I will definitely list part numbers and explain how to install and wire up. I'm just guessing right now but everything I need is in the liftgate so won't have to run wires out of that area to the body. Should be simple.

"Parts" as in the switch and a sub-harness? I'm thinking of ordering that stuff. ??

 

[markboris]

Yes, please let us know how that install goes. My wife is shorter and we cannot adjust the door height to a point that is convenient for her and still allows complete access to the trunk area. Also, I did ask the Service Department at my dealer and they were unsure. Good luck!

Hey Mick, yesterday I installed the recently ('24 MY) deleted lighted liftgate switch. I did not have much time and only took a few photos. I purchased the switch, cover (plate switch fits into) and 3 terminal/wires. I could have bought the prewired plug/connector that fits into the switch but Ford wants $55 for it and I just used three prewired pin terminals.

Switch part# JL1Z-54432A38-AA $20
Cover part# LJ8Z-5840726-B $16
Terminal/wire part# DU2Z-14474-CA $6 each (need 3)

I removed all the interior liftgate trim (everything unsnaps, no screws). Removed the plug/connectors going to the rubber exterior liftgate switch and to the license plate light. Both are within a few inches of each other. You need to make three connections. On the plug for the rubber liftgate switch, tap into both the wires coming off of it. The black/violet wire is ground and the brown wire is the liftgate motor trigger. On the plug for the license plate light, tap into the Blue/gray wire which is 12+ for when the lights are on.

Once I tapped into those wires on the plugs, I taped them up and reconnected to the liftgate switch and license plate light. The wires on the terminal/wire the I got are long enough to go right over to the hole where the lighted switch will be installed. I put heat shrink tubing on the ends of the terminals so when I attached them to the pins inside the switch, they would not contact each other.

The ground wire attaches to pin 2, 12+ (lighting) to pin 3 and the liftgate motor trigger to pin 6. I then taped up the wires together and to the body of the switch so that they would not vibrate out even though the terminals fit snug onto the pins. The switch works just like the rubber one does (opens/closes liftgate) and it also will set the height of the liftgate just like the original one did. AND it is illuminated so much easier to see in the dark.

I didn't have more than an hour or so to work on this and took the photos quickly so not the best.

 

[creedda]

Hey Mick, yesterday I installed the recently ('24 MY) deleted lighted liftgate switch. I did not have much time and only took a few photos. I purchased the switch, cover (plate switch fits into) and 3 terminal/wires. I could have bought the prewired plug/connector that fits into the switch but Ford wants $55 for it and I just used three prewired pin terminals.

Switch part# JL1Z-54432A38-AA $20
Cover part# LJ8Z-5840726-B $16
Terminal/wire part# DU2Z-14474-CA $6 each (need 3)

I removed all the interior liftgate trim (everything unsnaps, no screws). Removed the plug/connectors going to the rubber exterior liftgate switch and to the license plate light. Both are within a few inches of each other. You need to make three connections. On the plug for the rubber liftgate switch, tap into both the wires coming off of it. The black/violet wire is ground and the brown wire is the liftgate motor trigger. On the plug for the license plate light, tap into the Blue/gray wire which is 12+ for when the lights are on.

Once I tapped into those wires on the plugs, I taped them up and reconnected to the liftgate switch and license plate light. The wires on the terminal/wire the I got are long enough to go right over to the hole where the lighted switch will be installed. I put heat shrink tubing on the ends of the terminals so when I attached them to the pins inside the switch, they would not contact each other.

The ground wire attaches to pin 2, 12+ (lighting) to pin 3 and the liftgate motor trigger to pin 6. I then taped up the wires together and to the body of the switch so that they would not vibrate out even though the terminals fit snug onto the pins. The switch works just like the rubber one does and it also will set the height of the liftgate just like the original one did. AND it is illuminated so much easier to see in the dark.

I didn't have more than an hour or so to work on this and took the photos quickly so not the best.

This is great!

thank you so much for the walkthrough!

 

[JoeyD]

I want to do the same. If nothing else, both my wife and I got used to using the lower switch and we'd like to keep doing that. I will order the parts today!

 

[Mjtee2]

Hey Mick, yesterday I installed the recently ('24 MY) deleted lighted liftgate switch. I did not have much time and only took a few photos. I purchased the switch, cover (plate switch fits into) and 3 terminal/wires. I could have bought the prewired plug/connector that fits into the switch but Ford wants $55 for it and I just used three prewired pin terminals.

Switch part# JL1Z-54432A38-AA $20
Cover part# LJ8Z-5840726-B $16
Terminal/wire part# DU2Z-14474-CA $6 each (need 3)

I removed all the interior liftgate trim (everything unsnaps, no screws). Removed the plug/connectors going to the rubber exterior liftgate switch and to the license plate light. Both are within a few inches of each other. You need to make three connections. On the plug for the rubber liftgate switch, tap into both the wires coming off of it. The black/violet wire is ground and the brown wire is the liftgate motor trigger. On the plug for the license plate light, tap into the Blue/gray wire which is 12+ for when the lights are on.

Once I tapped into those wires on the plugs, I taped them up and reconnected to the liftgate switch and license plate light. The wires on the terminal/wire the I got are long enough to go right over to the hole where the lighted switch will be installed. I put heat shrink tubing on the ends of the terminals so when I attached them to the pins inside the switch, they would not contact each other.

The ground wire attaches to pin 2, 12+ (lighting) to pin 3 and the liftgate motor trigger to pin 6. I then taped up the wires together and to the body of the switch so that they would not vibrate out even though the terminals fit snug onto the pins. The switch works just like the rubber one does (opens/closes liftgate) and it also will set the height of the liftgate just like the original one did. AND it is illuminated so much easier to see in the dark.

I didn't have more than an hour or so to work on this and took the photos quickly so not the best.

Thanks for the detailed information and photos. Much appreciated!

 

[HuntingPudel]

Hey Mick, yesterday I installed the recently ('24 MY) deleted lighted liftgate switch. I did not have much time and only took a few photos. I purchased the switch, cover (plate switch fits into) and 3 terminal/wires. I could have bought the prewired plug/connector that fits into the switch but Ford wants $55 for it and I just used three prewired pin terminals.

Switch part# JL1Z-54432A38-AA $20
Cover part# LJ8Z-5840726-B $16
Terminal/wire part# DU2Z-14474-CA $6 each (need 3)

I removed all the interior liftgate trim (everything unsnaps, no screws). Removed the plug/connectors going to the rubber exterior liftgate switch and to the license plate light. Both are within a few inches of each other. You need to make three connections. On the plug for the rubber liftgate switch, tap into both the wires coming off of it. The black/violet wire is ground and the brown wire is the liftgate motor trigger. On the plug for the license plate light, tap into the Blue/gray wire which is 12+ for when the lights are on.

Once I tapped into those wires on the plugs, I taped them up and reconnected to the liftgate switch and license plate light. The wires on the terminal/wire the I got are long enough to go right over to the hole where the lighted switch will be installed. I put heat shrink tubing on the ends of the terminals so when I attached them to the pins inside the switch, they would not contact each other.

The ground wire attaches to pin 2, 12+ (lighting) to pin 3 and the liftgate motor trigger to pin 6. I then taped up the wires together and to the body of the switch so that they would not vibrate out even though the terminals fit snug onto the pins. The switch works just like the rubber one does (opens/closes liftgate) and it also will set the height of the liftgate just like the original one did. AND it is illuminated so much easier to see in the dark.

I didn't have more than an hour or so to work on this and took the photos quickly so not the best.

I bought a used switch and escutcheon assembly from an online auto wrecker. Waiting for them to come in. I have my own terminal crimping tool and terminals so I am just going to make my own pigtails when the switch comes in. I might get fancy and buy some black and blue wire since I already have a spool of brown from the 2021’s inside liftgate switch. I still need to put the headlight switch assembly in there and run that brown wire. ??

 

[Space_Pony]

Kind of makes you think. I doubt if they dropped the price of the car the same amount as it costs to reinstall the parts that they removed. So they're making out by keeping the price of the MME up and making out again when customers buy the parts that they removed.

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