Jump to content

2017 Explorer Automatic Liftgate


Recommended Posts

I have a 17 Explorer with the automatic lift gate. Is there a way to turn that feature off for closing? I like being able to open it that way, but while putting items in the back it keeps closing on me. Any ideas? It's kind of hard not to move your feet while loading items....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's strange - I've never had it close on me while loading/unloading on our Edge/MKX/Escape. They removed the menu option to disable it from the Edge and MKX but Explorer might still have it. Check the left hand vehicle settings menu. Otherwise you'll have to remove the fob or just be more careful with your feet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the replies. I checked the menu and nothing there. I guess it's just kind of sensitive. Seems to only happen when you have to stand close to reach all the way in to the back.

I think I found it. Go to "vehicle" "settings" scroll down to "liftgate switch" and uncheck. I didn't try it to see the result though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

This is about lift gate sensitivity on a '16 Explorer sport. After reading the above report I turned off my lift gate because my garage door is a bit low and the lift gate would hit the retracted door when it went up. Since my garage is short and I have a screen door for the opening( a Florida thing) I just have enough room to get by the truck in the back. I carry the key fob in my pocket. The interesting thing that happens is that sometimes the lift gate will open as I am trying to get by it in the space between the truck and the screen. The Fob requires two clicks to open the lift door. I really don't think I hit the Fob--particularly twice-- in going by the Truck. The other thing is that my dog has been just behind the truck right at the lift sensor ( slightly right of center looking at lift gate) wagging his tail and I was on the same place on the left side of the rear. The lift gate went up. This has happened 4 times now and I am interested if any one else has seen this problem. The dog was there 2 out of the 4 times. before I submit this post i went out to the garage to see two things --- at what height is the Fob when I walk by----I'm short and the Fob is in my pocket just above the swell of the bumper. I turned the buttons out and bumped the Fob against the bumper at least 6 times and all I could get was the horn to blow. Anybody out there have a similar problem?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok I'll check that out. Thanks More to the point I don't want the lift gate to go up when I walk by. I think I'll try hanging the Fob around my neck--rather than in my pocket and see if this is really a bump thing or a "close by" thing. Generally I've been unloading in the driveway and that way not having to deal with the lift gate opening height with the truck in the garage.

 

More information: just went to the garage to measure the distance from the bumper to the screen(17"). Just to check i waved my foot back and forth just behind the sensor and the lift gate went up. Then I checked to see if the sensor was turned off in the dash "vehicle" selection --left side of dash. YES it was, so the turn off is not working.

 

Another test: Pulled the truck out of the garage so nothing else was close to the rear end. Waved my foot just behind the bumper sensor area the lift gate opened. Tried it again in the middle and it opened. However when I pushed the down button on the gate it would NOT close. The down button worked normally with the dash selection in lift gate "ON" position. Seems like the "OFF" logic has been directed to the wrong device.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A related statement; With the lift gate turned off on the dash, a side to side foot movement unlatches the lift gate on my car but the lift motor does not move the gate, nor does pushing the down button on the gate close the gate. That's not as far off as I would like the lift gate. OFF to me means manual only---you need to push the unlatch button to open the lift gate. Perhaps Ford doesn't think that way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For some reason they've chosen not to allow the driver to turn off the rear kick sensor completely, separate from the power liftgate. Same with the front/side parking sensors. No way to permanently disable them. Probably some potential liability issue the lawyers don't want to risk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok I'll check that out. Thanks More to the point I don't want the lift gate to go up when I walk by. I think I'll try hanging the Fob around my neck--rather than in my pocket and see if this is really a bump thing or a "close by" thing. Generally I've been unloading in the driveway and that way not having to deal with the lift gate opening height with the truck in the garage.

 

More information: just went to the garage to measure the distance from the bumper to the screen(17"). Just to check i waved my foot back and forth just behind the sensor and the lift gate went up. Then I checked to see if the sensor was turned off in the dash "vehicle" selection --left side of dash. YES it was, so the turn off is not working.

 

Another test: Pulled the truck out of the garage so nothing else was close to the rear end. Waved my foot just behind the bumper sensor area the lift gate opened. Tried it again in the middle and it opened. However when I pushed the down button on the gate it would NOT close. The down button worked normally with the dash selection in lift gate "ON" position. Seems like the "OFF" logic has been directed to the wrong device.

It seems like the only way to avoid triggering the kick function is to not have the fob with you. I think the car senses the fob some distance away, so no matter where you carry it, the car will "see" it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's probably smart for me to quit carrying the fob while working in the garage. There is no way I can stay more than 3 feet from the back of it. Thanks for everyone's help. It was a curious problem and it was good to define exactly what was going on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...