Tailgate not dropping

20SierraL8T24 · July 18, 2019

I think its retarded to not have a handle to drop the gate.. My pops truck has been to the dealer twice for the tailgate now. All because the button isn't working...

Edited July 18, 2019 by 20Bowtie14

mwbutcher · September 22, 2019

I think everyone knows these are gravity drop and everything has to be perfect to drop. I had a GM tri fold soft cover that locked it up tighter than a tick. So I took the rear seal of the topper out (it's directional) and reversed it. Applied a small amount of silicone oil and as long as I'm level or up hill it releases every time. Any parking downhill and gravity does its thing.

nichos · October 15, 2019

I have the exact same issue. When I pull on the tailgate with even a little pressure (guessing about 5lbs with 1 hand) and press the release button with the other, I hear the clicking, but nothing happens. I noticed it when I had some doors for the house in the bed and I had to unload the bed one door at a time lifting over the sides because it wouldn't open.

I took it to the dealer today, they checked for recalls and service bulletins, found nothing. The dealer said they tried it on another truck on the lot and it did the same thing. Now I'm wondering if I should take it in again.

How "normal" is this issue? Members that aren't having a problem, have you tried pulling on the tailgate while you press the release button?

20SierraL8T24 · October 15, 2019

This is honestly the most ridiculous problem to have on a pickup! Sorry for the OP's problem, but there isnt even a key hole or handle to open it manually! My fathers had this same issue and he had to have the dealer reprogram something. He couldn't get his tools out of the bed to do a job we had because he has a hard tonneau cover!

nichos · October 16, 2019

8 hours ago, 20Bowtie14 said:

This is honestly the most ridiculous problem to have on a pickup! Sorry for the OP's problem, but there isnt even a key hole or handle to open it manually! My fathers had this same issue and he had to have the dealer reprogram something. He couldn't get his tools out of the bed to do a job we had because he has a hard tonneau cover!

Agreed! If there was a "manual tailgate" as an option I would have sought it out. Seems like a very gimmicky feature.

Do you know what your dad had done, and has it worked since they did whatever they did? I'm looking for a solution.

Ranger522vx · October 16, 2019

My 2019 trail boss tailgate does the same thing. Most of the time the first button push just makes a click sound but doesn’t drop. Then if I press it again the tailgate usually drops. Mine has been that way since day one as well. I’d much rather have a handle since this mechanism doesn’t seem to be all that reliable.

Dvaid · November 10

I am having this issue with my tailgate. It won’t release more than one out of about 50 tries. I have taken it apart and I see that the linkage system and electric actuator are a joke. With the cover off the side of the tailgate, I can release it every time, quite easily, if I grab the linkages and release them manually. Clearly there is an adjustment issue, or the switch actuator just doesn’t move far enough. The linkage hooks into plastic bushings and and has about a half inch of free play. If the play was not there, it would open fine…there seems to be a very obvious and bad design flaw in this electric release system.