My first post here. Warning, tedium ahead! I did a search for a possible solution to the issue I was having with my power liftgate on my brand new 2019 Ouback. I noticed lots of posts here and some had general reference to cold weather as a possible factor. That was the issue with mine. The liftgate would open ever so slightly when the temps were below around 35 degrees then it would beep three times, and close. Once it warmed to above 40 to 45, it worked fine. I took it in to the dealer to have it looked at and they reset the computer and said it was fixed. It wasn't. The dealer is down the hill from where we live, where it is much warmer than our mountain residence so they could not duplicate the problem. However I showed them a video I took of the liftgate not working and they concurred it was not user error but indeed a malfunction. However, as mentioned, they thought a reset would fix it. So, here I was, an hour and half away from the dealer, not wanting to take it back down there for another "reset" and pat on the head, knowing they couldn't duplicate it. So I did what I do. I obsessed. I learned via the manual that the three quick beeps means that the gate senses resistance (hitting something). It is supposed to stop, beep three times quickly, and close. I duplicated this when the temps warmed up and the gate was functioning by standing in front of the gate, letting it hit me after it was barely opened. It did exactly what it was supposed to, it stopped, beeped three times and closed. My conclusion, the gate feels undo resistance when the temps are cold. So first I sprayed everything with a light silicone lubricant. Hinges, pistons, a little on the motor itself, and on the latch. Next morning, 22 degrees F (-5 degrees C) the problem still existed despite lubricant. Opens slightly, stops, (sensing resistance) beeps three times, closes. So, now, I thought, it's time to introduce temperature to the situation. I used a hair dryer to heat up the motor. Not a lot of heat, just to get it up to 50 degrees or so. I didn't want to melt or warp anything. This did not fix it. Now I'm looking at the gas charged pistons. I really did not want to heat those up much as they can explode if over heated. So I just warmed them with the hair dryer to the point that they were warm to the touch, not hot. Ta da! It worked. I let things cool again, didn't work, warmed with hair dryer second time, worked. I did this three times (remember I said I was obsessed) and all three times warming the gas charged pistons solved the issue. Anyway, I hope this helps the one person who endured all these words to get to one possible solution. But also a question: Does anyone have a suggestion on how to resolve this? Have the dealer put in new pistons hoping they're less resistant? Open the liftgate using the button on the liftgate itself through the rest of the cold season (this works) then hope that a warm season of use will "relax" the pistons? Thanks in advance for any ideas!
sellersdave
sellersdave,
You say the gate always opens if you use the button on the lift gate but not when using the other buttons (I assume you mean the Key Fob Button or Rear Gate button on the dash). If warming the gas lift pistons works, how does pressing the open button on the rear gate warm up the gas pistons?
The warming is a clue but warming only the pistons would not be the fix if you can open with the gate button without any warming. Replacing the lift pistons may fix the problem but a failure would be rare on a new car (although it could happen) and would not explain why the rear gate open button works.
I think a more likely cause of the failure is freezing moisture / humidity or "gluing" dirt on the gasket at the sides of the gate. Warming the gas pistons would also warm that gasket and both loosen the grip between the gasket and the body of the car as well as making the gasket more flexible. Similarly, pulling up on the rear gate open button, even slightly, would serve to loosen the grip when using the rear gate button to open.
While I have not seen this happen yet on my 2019, I have seen it very often on my 2010 Outback. In cold humid weather or after a rainy period, the rear gate (a non-powered version) can become very hard to open. I have to apply considerable force a time or two when pressing the rear gate open button and pulling the gate open.
A couple of things that may help for you is to keep the body area of the rear gate scrupulously clean, apply a fresh car wax coating there, and clean up and dry the gasket material. I wipe my rear gate gasket periodically (when it starts acting up) with a very mild soap and water cleaning followed by a quick wipe with a cloth slightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol. (Don't use an oil-based cleaner or oil-based gasket treatment. They can get even gummier in wet weather and cause even more sticking. You could also consider a very light dusting of the gasket itself with a dry release material like talc or similar.)
John
I think you have identified the mechanism of the failure to open but do not think you have found the actual root cause. The failure is caused by too much force being needed to open the gate. The motor is sensing the extra force and fooled into thinking there is a blockage, making it reverse.
You say the gate always opens if you use the button on the lift gate but not when using the other buttons (I assume you mean the Key Fob Button or Rear Gate button on the dash). If warming the gas lift pistons works, how does pressing the open button on the rear gate warm up the gas pistons?
The warming is a clue but warming only the pistons would not be the fix if you can open with the gate button without any warming. Replacing the lift pistons may fix the problem but a failure would be rare on a new car (although it could happen) and would not explain why the rear gate open button works.
I think a more likely cause of the failure is freezing moisture / humidity or "gluing" dirt on the gasket at the sides of the gate. Warming the gas pistons would also warm that gasket and both loosen the grip between the gasket and the body of the car as well as making the gasket more flexible. Similarly, pulling up on the rear gate open button, even slightly, would serve to loosen the grip when using the rear gate button to open.
While I have not seen this happen yet on my 2019, I have seen it very often on my 2010 Outback. In cold humid weather or after a rainy period, the rear gate (a non-powered version) can become very hard to open. I have to apply considerable force a time or two when pressing the rear gate open button and pulling the gate open.
A couple of things that may help for you is to keep the body area of the rear gate scrupulously clean, apply a fresh car wax coating there, and clean up and dry the gasket material. I wipe my rear gate gasket periodically (when it starts acting up) with a very mild soap and water cleaning followed by a quick wipe with a cloth slightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol. (Don't use an oil-based cleaner or oil-based gasket treatment. They can get even gummier in wet weather and cause even more sticking. You could also consider a very light dusting of the gasket itself with a dry release material like talc or similar.)
John
Dave,
Based on your added information and descriptions (thanks!), I think your assessment is likely correct. You may have a bad, or at least weak, lift strut(s).
If replacing one or both lift struts does not fix the problem, then the next likely suspects will be a binding motor lift assembly or simply a weak drive motor / lift spring. Since you have already tried lubricating the lift assembly, if new struts don't fix it, maybe the drive motor should be replaced next. (I have not looked at the parts diagrams; the motor and lift spring assembly may be the smallest unit that can be replaced.)
Good luck. let us know what works after you get it completely sorted out.
John
Based on your added information and descriptions (thanks!), I think your assessment is likely correct. You may have a bad, or at least weak, lift strut(s).
If replacing one or both lift struts does not fix the problem, then the next likely suspects will be a binding motor lift assembly or simply a weak drive motor / lift spring. Since you have already tried lubricating the lift assembly, if new struts don't fix it, maybe the drive motor should be replaced next. (I have not looked at the parts diagrams; the motor and lift spring assembly may be the smallest unit that can be replaced.)
Good luck. let us know what works after you get it completely sorted out.
John
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