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Subaru Listen: The tailgate sucks.

24K views 100 replies 56 participants last post by  Yoda_One 
#1 ·
Last night at the grocery the tailgate opened about a foot. "Great it's broken", I thought. I pressed the button, it moved to close, I pressed again, it opened to the one foot mark. This can't be the memory because opening at one foot is of NO use to even the shortest people. So I have to PUUUUUULLLLL the door open enough to get my grocery bags. I know there is a manual mode, but can this be it? It is difficult to move. I am probably breaking something. Ok bags out, button pressed door closes. Maybe it a fluke.

Nope.

Repeat upon leaving grocery store. Showing all customers why not to consider a Subaru.

I press the memory button, no indication of anything, press and hold, no indicator light on the button or the dash to show if it's on or off. I am not breaking the f'ing manual out now.

Get home, in the garage try again with the memory button. I notice it is a toggle that changes height about a millimeter. Of course, how could I not have noticed this in the cold and dark with gloves on just trying to get my **** groceries in the **** car.

Furthermore, the three ways to open the hatch have three differing logic paths.

To open from hatch: press button quickly making sure not to hold the button too long or it opens briefly and immediately shuts again. Stand and wait. Doors can be locked (per settings, I think).

To open from key: do not press quickly like from the hatch because nothing will happen. So repeat attempt with a LONG button press until you see the double flash of the lights indicating that the hatch will open. Meanwhile you have reached the car already because of the short range of the key, multiple attempts to open, and now you are standing there ONCE AGAIN at the car waiting for the SLOWEST **** hatch to open. Doors can be locked.

To open from car: press and hold the button to the left of the steering wheel. Nothing happens. Oh, unlock the doors because THAT makes sense. Because Subaru gives you all this different logic to open the hatch but no logic to unlock the car when in Park (like every car I have owned since '92). AND because you are in the car already why must you need to prove you REALLY want to open the hatch by unlocking the car? The locks are to keep people on the outside out; and maybe kids in, but kids are not allowed in the trunk.

There you have it. Conditions have been met to rate the hatch the lowest level of SUCK.

Forgive the all caps and run-on sentences. This is a rant.

Cheers, nf
 
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#2 ·
I think the problem is it was designed by different people with poor communication skills. It's like learning a secret hand shake. Once you figure out all the different configurations it works fine. Except trying to open the hatch when the car is locked from the back button. Is it two short presses or one medium (but not too long) press? It works with two short presses for me, usually. After 4 months of using it I don't have any issues anymore.
 
#3 ·
I was trying to find the link to someone here who disabled the power feature of the tailgate thus making it a manual liftgate as they preferred that. So it can be done as an option if it bothers you that much.
 
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#17 ·
You might want to E-Mail that message or this post to Subaru.
I'm not sure what Subaru's reply would be, but I would bet dollars to donuts that the reply, whatever it is, will be worded so politely that you won't be able to help feeling good about it.

I'm also experiencing growing pains with the power liftgate. It's quite slow when you're standing there holding something heavy and waiting for it to open enough to get in. Also, about a week ago, I somehow messed it up and it pulled open just enough that it looked closed (maybe about 2 millimeters?), but wasn't, so none of the buttons would open or close it any further. I had to haul it out a couple of feet so it would actually register being open, closed it again with the trunk switch, then opened it fully from the key :confused:
 
#7 ·
If the hatch is locked, neither the outside latch nor the driver's button will open it; only the fob will open it. This makes sense. Locking the doors with the front-seat door lock pushbutton or pressing the lock button on the fob will also lock the hatch.

The long-short dichotomy even makes some sense if you think about it. I doubt you'd want the hatch to unlock or pop open if you accidentally give the fob button a quick press, so it requires a deliberately long press to operate. Similarly, opening the hatch with a quick tap of the dashboard button by mistake is not a good thing, either. You really want a "yes, I really mean it" sustained push in both these cases. Standing at the back of the car, however, just pressing the button at all indicates a desire for the hatch to open.

That said, requiring a long press at the tailgate, just for consistency, might not have been a bad strategy; using short tap as "unlatch but don't open" and long press as "unlatch and open" has a certain logical appeal, too.

Nonetheless, it isn't really that hard to operate, is it?

One thing to be aware of, is, after locking the car then opening the hatch using the fob, the hatch is no longer locked! If you want the car secured, hit the lock button again after operating the hatch. There are sensible reasons for this, but it's something that I was surprised to find out after I'd owned the car for a while.

Also, I find the range of the fob sufficient that the hatch is fully open by the time I walk up to it. I don't walk particularly slowly.
 
#42 ·
Yes... I had this in fact, I got in the car and started driving. Got a few feet and something was off.. Sure enough the tailgate had got hung up and opened like your garage door does when it hit something trying to close. I had started driving with it side open.

It was a dusty gravel road. Lucky I only drove a very short distance so there wasn't much dust in the back to wipe down.
 
#10 ·
Furthermore, the three ways to open the hatch have three differing logic paths.
1) Your logic.
2) Subaru's logic.
3) Everybody else's personal logic.

Bottom line ... you can rant all you want about deficiencies in the present design, or you can adapt to the way it actually works and get on with your life. Your choice. A polite note to Subaru of America wouldn't hurt, either.
 
#12 ·
Imo, it's not a big deal. You figure it out and conform to it... It may not be the best design, but It has a work around that is easy to figure out. Once you're used to it and it becomes habit then you really appreciate the fact it's powered. The speed of the hatch is also a simple issue that just needs a bit of adjusting in your usual procedures.

The things that are real issues are things you can't find simple workarounds for. For example, scrolling through your music on the infotainment unit. It is so useless that I seriously want to change it out all the time.
 
#13 ·
Well thee are enough people complaining so that they may just have a point.

FWIW I went car shopping with a friend who wants an SUV and it must have a power liftgate. Went to stores of Subaru Toyota, and Kia.

All the liftgates opened/closed at the same speed far as i can tell. AFAIK the car makers agree amongst each other on things like that and it's never going to be much faster, for fear of something/one getting caught.

STRATTEC Power Access - Power Liftgate

I did some reading and the Subaru power gates use the "third strut" method, to me this looks like the retrofit solution, that a car maker would add to an existing, older body design as Subaru did here to play catch-up. Toyo Land Cruiser, an ancient design, had this too, but not the newer Toyos or Hyundais, which use the system where the lifter/closer is built into the struts. More tidy but the struts are much larger diameter than non-power struts, so the unit body would have to be designed from the get go with deeper rain channels, and the Outback/Forester weren't.

Just standing behind the car and opening/closing all these gates worked about the same even the switches on the gate look and feel the same and are in the same locations. As for the other details there was no time to test fobs and read manuals for 30 min. for each vehicle, that's what it comes down to these days (look at the size of the eyesight manual) and I grant you it can be a PITA to learn it but maybe you can invent your own?
 
#15 ·
Well thee are enough people complaining so that they may just have a point.
I would bet that if you took the number of posters complaining, and compared it to the total number of OB owners who have the power tailgate, you would be very close to zero. Today's cars/trucks are complicated, believing you can use all the features without some work/effort on your part is delusional.
 
#16 ·
I never had a power tailgate and never owned a car with CVT. Wasn't keen on either but you do adapt and even grow to like it. The CVT was easier to like because it's awesome. I test drove other cars with CVT and nothing compares for the price point. The tailgate... I've gotten used to its operation and it is convenient.

Improvise, Adapt and Overcome


 
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#18 ·
I took the time to learn the three different logic methods for opening the hatch. It was the 4th unintuitive logic of the default-foot-high-memory-setting that really ticked me off.

I did relay the first part to Subaru in a survey. Car manufacturers DO read forums. They sometimes reply in the forum. Maybe not here, but I've seen them on other sites.

Also, I want the feature. I just want it to be user-friendly. We've never had an issue with our Honda's or Toyota's power hatches.

I'm still learning the idiosyncrasies.

Cheers, nf
 
#20 ·
It was the 4th unintuitive logic of the default-foot-high-memory-setting that really ticked me off.
Until I messed with the height setting, mine was set to to full open. Is the default really only one foot? Why would they do that?

I'm still learning the idiosyncrasies.
I think I found most of them after a few months! I'm sure there are still a few surprises left. Good luck!
 
#22 ·
I would have preferred manual, but I just hope it keeps working long beyond warranty.
 
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#23 ·
My preference would have been to have manual opening with the same ease as power. At first we had an issue with finding the power button. A piece of Velcro in front of the button fixed that. I find the opening speed to be on par with other vehicles I owned.
What was funny the other day walking thru Walmart's parking lot this lady walks up to her Ford ? with hands full of bags. She kicks her foot under the rear to open the gate.... nothing happens. She does it again. Still nothing. By this time she's dancing on one leg. Finally she found the sweet spot and the gate opened. At least we can plan ahead!
 
#24 ·
What was funny the other day walking thru Walmart's parking lot this lady walks up to her Ford ? with hands full of bags. She kicks her foot under the rear to open the gate.... nothing happens. She does it again. Still nothing. By this time she's dancing on one leg. Finally she found the sweet spot and the gate opened. At least we can plan ahead!
That kick-switch seems like a pretty good idea to me, but I've never tried to use one.
 
#26 ·
I never have a problem opening the gate from the inside button because I never try. I can't ever remember which button is which and with all 8 of them mounted way down on the bottom left end of the dash I can't read the icons without reading glasses and maybe a flashlight. I can't imagine why anyone would think that's a good place to mount those controls. There's a lot I like about my new-to-me OB but there's a few things I think a 10 year old could have done better on. I'm not keen on the power lift gate either but I recognize it's an option that works better for some than others.

Has anyone yet figured out how to make the bluetooth music not play automatically as soon as the phone connects with the car?
 
#28 ·
I never have a problem opening the gate from the inside button because I never try. I can't ever remember which button is which and with all 8 of them mounted way down on the bottom left end of the dash I can't read the icons without reading glasses and maybe a flashlight. I can't imagine why anyone would think that's a good place to mount those controls. There's a lot I like about my new-to-me OB but there's a few things I think a 10 year old could have done better on. I'm not keen on the power lift gate either but I recognize it's an option that works better for some than others.
I use the inside button all the time. Just remember it is top row - far left. A few tactile practice sessions and you will be good to go - no need to ever look. It actually seems a logical place for it; middle bottom - not so good.
 
#35 ·
My Bluetooth music does not play when I get in. I have the radio set to XM most times.
I guess when it happens is when I specifically choose the bluetooth option on the infotainment system. I never listen to music from my phone (intentionally at least) but I do like google maps to play over the car's speakers. So I think if I use maps or have it on when I last turned the car off, it was automatically coming on. So I would start bluetooth, press pause (to stop the music) get my maps destination set and I'd be good as long as I didn't get a call, stop/start the car or possibly turn the volume up because the music would restart after those events. I have found a solution through my phone's settings though and it seems to be working so that issue is resolved.

I use the inside button all the time. Just remember it is top row - far left. A few tactile practice sessions and you will be good to go - no need to ever look. It actually seems a logical place for it; middle bottom - not so good.
There's another space right above where the buttons are now (a wood grain strip) which would be a better spot. As it is now, when sitting in the driver's seat, I can't see the lower row of buttons which are recessed below the first row unless I bend down and crane my head sideways. That's when the reading glasses become necessary... I'm sure I'll learn them eventually but for now I have to crouch down with glasses and maybe a flashlight to figure the buttons out. I won't get started on the tiny clock.
To be clear, there are more things I like about the 2015 OB than I dislike and I'm happy to have it. Also, if it were perfectly designed I might not own it... the previous owner was so frustrated with the electronics that she sold me this one so she could go back to an older model Volvo. :laugh:



I can see that the fact that the other 3.6 owners are not allowing you to share the "secret wave" (because your Outback is blue) is really on your mind!
Wait, there's a secret wave? Oh, my car is blue...
 
#30 ·
I've never had a problem. I use the fob to open it at the grocery store as I'm walking towards the car. It's fully open by the time I get there. Otherwise, I always open it from the switch on the dash. It took a couple weeks of using the fob to train myself on how long to hold it down. I hardly ever open it with the button on the liftgate. It's covered with road salt all winter.
 
#43 ·
About the lift gate only being open a foot... Is there a way to stop the lift gate in its travel, like a garage door? I have hauled a few things that required me to travel with the lift gate open a foot or so, secured with strap or rope. I'm wondering, if I had to do the same with a new OB, would I have to travel with the lift gate full open/closed. Maybe the case of the lift gate only being open a foot or so was result of a feature to stop the door in its travel, or maybe someone crossed streams and opened another dimension. Too bad there isn't an emergency release like a garage door to allow you to unlock the gear drive and open and close it however you wish.


2008LTD/EJ253/"B"/116k/Diamond Grey
 
#52 ·
#46 ·
The gate is very slow, you have to be patient. I got impatient and started to lean my head into cargo area to grab stuff as hatch was opening. Then got clocked by the hatch on the top of my head. Must have been the edge or latch that gashed my dome and gave me a concussion. BE CAREFUL.
 
#47 ·
Sounds more like you may benefit from learning the virtue of patience 0:).

Seriously, if you can find a tailgate that opens much faster, let us know. I believe this is the kind of thing car makers agree on as voluntary industry standards, and there's not likely to be a faster action out there--though there may be more user friendly operating procedures, but those are also likely to be very similar among most brands too.
 
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