POS electronic tailgate

[blakeensing]

I’m sick of my POS tailgate never opening when I need it to. Does anyone know if the classic style tailgate will fit on my 2019 1500 none classic truck? The dealer “replaced” the button, “greased” the mechanisms and it still is a pile of dog s***…so, again. Has anyone put the classic tailgate on their truck to eliminate the electronic button? I asked my dealer about it and they just play dumb like it’s not their problem that it takes me 20 min to get into my truck bed when I use the tailgate daily. I told them today I may just take the tailgate off and leave it off and they just laugh like I’m joking!

 

[audiophile]

No, they are not interchangeable.

 

[Badger 13]

If your talking about the electric lock, just pull the cover plate off the inside of the tailgate and unplug the electrical connector..

 

[LouM]

Mine works flawlessly,
walk up to it and open it,
or hit the release in the cab or on the fob.

 

[mikeru]

If your talking about the electric lock, just pull the cover plate off the inside of the tailgate and unplug the electrical connector..

In case you're not familiar with 5th gen tailgates, they don't have a mechanical release. They replaced that with a touch pad (switch) for opening the tailgate. His tailgate is not opening when he uses this touch pad. Unplugging the electrical connector will prevent him from opening the tailgate at all.

@blakeensing, this doesn't seem to be a common problem on 5th gens. Like audiophile said, 4th gen and 5th gen tailgates are not interchangeable. Does anything at all happen when you press on the touch pad, like clicks? How does the tailgate alignment look? Are the gaps even on either end? Does it feel like it's binding on the occasions when it does open?

 

[Farmer Fran]

Do you have the button inside? The button on key fob?

If yes, have you tried both or either of those?

I have the MFT, so mine is a bit different. Just trying to nail down where the exact proble is first.

 

[blakeensing]

The button clicks sometimes. Hence why they “put” a new one on it. The TSB says it needs to be adjusted. They act like it is my problem. Which, it very much is because it’s a pain in the ass. Sometimes I just give up even trying to get into it. It will randomly tell me it’s open in the cab. The truck is a 2019, but it isn’t really because they used old parts on it and I got the **** end of the stick. There is not a button in my cab or on my fob for the tailgate. Only the crappy electronic button on the handle that doesn’t release it. Sometimes it takes me pushing the button 75 times and pushing on it, pulling on it, kicking it. Very inconsistent on what gets it to open. It clicks about half the time when I push the button. I was hopeful that the classic handle would work or the classic tailgate completely and that the classic in the same model year or newer had the taller bed sides and would work. I guess I will just have to keep pressuring my dealer to get it to work correctly or perform the TSB myself. And of course it’s out of factory warranty now, since they didn’t do anything about the tailgate the first time they had it. Which, I partially understand as they were already losing their ass on labor because they had to put a new differential and cvs in it because it exploded at 25k miles. I just wish they wouldn’t tell me it’s fixed when it is worse than before.

 

[rzims]

I have a tonneau cover on mine and it sometimes prevents it from opening...another time I had a long heavy box in there and had to force it closed....had a heck of a time opening it after that.
Usually it works fine so it sounds like it could just be a matter of getting it adjusted correctly....

 

[Ole man]

Unplug the wire harness going to the tailgate, brush terminal coat with dilectric grease and plug it back in. Very well could be an intermittent ground fault Due to corrosion in the plug. If that doesn’t solve the problem take off the cover plate and unplug the wire harness on that end.
OleMan

 

[Farmer Fran]

The button clicks sometimes. Hence why they “put” a new one on it. The TSB says it needs to be adjusted. They act like it is my problem. Which, it very much is because it’s a pain in the ass. Sometimes I just give up even trying to get into it. It will randomly tell me it’s open in the cab. The truck is a 2019, but it isn’t really because they used old parts on it and I got the **** end of the stick. There is not a button in my cab or on my fob for the tailgate. Only the crappy electronic button on the handle that doesn’t release it. Sometimes it takes me pushing the button 75 times and pushing on it, pulling on it, kicking it. Very inconsistent on what gets it to open. It clicks about half the time when I push the button. I was hopeful that the classic handle would work or the classic tailgate completely and that the classic in the same model year or newer had the taller bed sides and would work. I guess I will just have to keep pressuring my dealer to get it to work correctly or perform the TSB myself. And of course it’s out of factory warranty now, since they didn’t do anything about the tailgate the first time they had it. Which, I partially understand as they were already losing their ass on labor because they had to put a new differential and cvs in it because it exploded at 25k miles. I just wish they wouldn’t tell me it’s fixed when it is worse than before.

I wonder if the tailgate itself is "off" somehow. Like a hole or bent or or or...

 

[Timsdually]

Mine was giving me a lot of problems as well as the fob not unlocking the doors, and the ignition not recognizing the fob.
Took it to the dealer and they flashed it and it has been fine now.
Very frustrating when going to the dump and couldn't get the tailgate open while there was a line of others waiting to dump.

 

[wsutard1]

The button clicks sometimes. Hence why they “put” a new one on it. The TSB says it needs to be adjusted. They act like it is my problem. Which, it very much is because it’s a pain in the ass. Sometimes I just give up even trying to get into it. It will randomly tell me it’s open in the cab. The truck is a 2019, but it isn’t really because they used old parts on it and I got the **** end of the stick. There is not a button in my cab or on my fob for the tailgate. Only the crappy electronic button on the handle that doesn’t release it. Sometimes it takes me pushing the button 75 times and pushing on it, pulling on it, kicking it. Very inconsistent on what gets it to open. It clicks about half the time when I push the button. I was hopeful that the classic handle would work or the classic tailgate completely and that the classic in the same model year or newer had the taller bed sides and would work. I guess I will just have to keep pressuring my dealer to get it to work correctly or perform the TSB myself. And of course it’s out of factory warranty now, since they didn’t do anything about the tailgate the first time they had it. Which, I partially understand as they were already losing their ass on labor because they had to put a new differential and cvs in it because it exploded at 25k miles. I just wish they wouldn’t tell me it’s fixed when it is worse than before.

I would argue that it’s still under warranty. You reported the problem while it was under warranty. They haven’t fixed it. Still warrantied.

@RamCares does the OP have a case to keep the tailgate work under warranty?

 

[Badger 13]

My apologies on my suggestion. I had no idea the 5th gen trucks have a different tailgate release system.

 

[blakeensing]

Mine was giving me a lot of problems as well as the fob not unlocking the doors, and the ignition not recognizing the fob.
Took it to the dealer and they flashed it and it has been fine now.
Very frustrating when going to the dump and couldn't get the tailgate open while there was a line of others waiting to dump.

I have that problem also with the key not recognizing the ignition. They are likely going to put a new ignition in mine. It goes in next week for the shift dial, because it falls out of gear and goes to neutral. I then have to pull over, put it back to park and then back into drive. I’m about over this truck lol they also have to put in new sway bar in the front and had to do the rear at 20k. But I’ll probably keep it forever now because it’s paid off and I have a lifetime drive train warranty and extra coverage out to 150k

 

[Pudge]

I had this same issue from time to time on my 2019 1500 Limited, but no issue yet on my 2021 2500. I had the 1500 in to the dealer twice for adjustments and it never really helped, or it was short lived. But I did find that when it was acting up, if I pushed the gate inward with a little pressure it would then click and pop open. The problem was never constant, but when it wouldn’t open remotely, this was my solution and I was never stuck again. Lots of panic until I discovered that.

 

[19PWIndiana]

I am putting a spring on my truck so when i hit the FOB it has a inch of push to help it down. It's almost as if can't get over the hump of the easy drop.

 

[Irishthreeper]

There’s a saying that better is the enemy of good enough. I’ll stick with my regular ol tailgate on my ‘21 2500.

 

[blakeensing]

I am putting a spring on my truck so when i hit the FOB it has a inch of push to help it down. It's almost as if can't get over the hump of the easy drop.

I wish mine had easy drop lol they have ancient parts on my 19, with some new parts that don’t work. My ‘08 was much better.

 

[atxmike53]

I have to push forward on my 2019 tailgate to get it to release. Push forward then hit the release under the handle.

 

[turkeybird56]

No problem on mine, but MY 19 is an early 2018 build and a Bighorn, no fancy buttons on FOB or in Truck to release, just switch on gate itself. I have found though that you have to close the gate securely, not slam but close Firmly to get the tailgate ajar alarm to turn off. But I also have a full tonneau cover so of course have to open cover before open gate, though I doubt that means ne thing.

ADDED: I do not like not having a keyed access on tailgate, but as far as Security issue, it is a good idea. I also have a tailgate lock on the gate itself to prevent gate taking a walk, if I had to leave open somewhere. Lots of fast take things are receiving the 5 Finger Discount: Like tail gates, bumper pull trailers, gas in your gas tank and Catalytic Converters. I still have to install security wiring on the CAT yet to stop/slow down that issue.