[Superfan]

Hi,

Is it just me or does anyone else find the unlatching mechanism for the lift gate kind of fussy?

If you pull on the gate right after pressing the sensor and hearing the "unlock" sound it tends to be too early and the gate doesn't open. If you wait a second after hearing the unlock sound the gate is locked again.

Owners manual doesn't really add any useful information in this regard. Hoping there is something obvious that I am missing here that I can do differently so I don't have to make multiple attempts to open my lift gate.

 

[khansen30]

Do you have the auto lift gate?

 

[tradewind]

Yeah, I was wondering the same. I have an XE, so no auto lift. It works fine. The lift gate was pretty easy to open.

 

[Superfan]

Thanks for responding. No, as per the title of my post, its the manual gate.

I've figured out how to use it though - you have to pull up simultaneously as you hear the unlock sound. If you wait as I mentioned previously, the gate re-locks.

 

[blu3d3vil]

I have an XR but only have the manual lift gate. I just had Saturn to replace the switch on the liftgate before my warranty ran out. It was frustrating, it would only open about half the time.

 

[tradewind]

I too have a manual lift gate. Never had any problem with it. Inside the handle is a little switch. Press on it, after a little click, door is unlocked.

 

[blu3d3vil]

What little switch?

 

[khansen30]

Thanks for responding. No, as per the title of my post, its the manual gate.

I've figured out how to use it though - you have to pull up simultaneously as you hear the unlock sound. If you wait as I mentioned previously, the gate re-locks.

The reason I asked, and you may not be aware of it, even though there is the auto lift gate, it can be operated manualy. It took me a while to get used to opening manualy when I had the auto turned off.

 

[tradewind]

What little switch?

There is a handle in the middle of the lift gate. When you put you fingers in the handle, they should rest a rubber padding. Underneath that robber padding is a little switch. When you exert force to open the gate, you'd naturally be pressing on the rubber padding, engaging the switch underneath in the process, unlocking the door.

 

[khansen30]

There is a handle in the middle of the lift gate. When you put you fingers in the handle, they should rest a rubber padding. Underneath that robber padding is a little switch. When you exert force to open the gate, you'd naturally be pressing on the rubber padding, engaging the switch underneath in the process, unlocking the door.

This does not "unlock" the door. It is the door handle and opens the door. You must unlock the doors with your key fob (double click to unlock all doors) or via the switch on the driver or passenger door. Hint, if the back doors are locked, so is the liftgate.

 

[leobg]

Gear selector also must be on "Park" in order to open the liftgate.

 

[tradewind]

This does not "unlock" the door. It is the door handle and opens the door. You must unlock the doors with your key fob (double click to unlock all doors) or via the switch on the driver or passenger door. Hint, if the back doors are locked, so is the liftgate.

You are right, unlock is a poor choice of word. How does unlatch sound?.

 

[BBEL37]

I had alot of trouble with mine latch on my 2007. They had to replace the unit under warranty. I could not get my back door open at all sometimes.