Electric tailgate

[TerryMcK]

My new car has an electrically operated tailgate. Great if you want to open it with your foot from the outside while carrying a load of lumber (note not shopping I am a woodworker after all) - wave it under the rear bumper and it opens - fantastic. 
Another wave of your foot under the bumper and it closes - you just have to have the remote control in your pocket while doing these.
Open it with the remote - no problem. Close it with the remote - no problem.
Open it from the inside by pressing a button - no problem.

 

It does have issues though in that although you can press a button in the car to open it pressing the button again does NOT close it. Apparently the manufacturer think that if somebody or something is in the way then you might not see them and clout them on the head! You have to get out and press a button on the tailgate!

Well put it this way I will not be going to any wild animal Safari Park anytime soon until I get VAG to reprogram the tailgate. A friend of mine who also has the same car mentioned this in a recent post:

"We had a bit of a heart thumping couple of minutes today. All down to human error rather than the car, ultimately, of course; but nonetheless I hate the stupid electrical tailgate feature even more now. We'd taken our girls (aged 2 and 1) to the local safari park again today. Usually we let the 2 year old free roam the rear (she's sensible and holds on, plus we don't generally exceed 10mph with frequent stops), and the 1 year old sits on my wife's knee. Usually, at a suitably safe place away from other traffic and animal areas (it's always dead on wintry days like today), I tend to let my 2 year old sit on my lap and 'drive' the car for a straight or two (with help from me, obviously). It's a fond memory of my own youth, and helped shape me into the car/driving/petrol head I am today."

"No bother, right? Well no. Not until we saw the next 'section' (gated area) approaching signifying another group of loose animals. Right little one, back in the rear you go. No problems... until our 1 year old decided now would be a completely hysterical time to press the remote tailgate release as she tried to stop her sister moving into the rear compartment. The familiar 'beep, beep, beep' made my wife's and my blood run cold instantly. One thing you never, ever do in the safari park is open your vehicle or open your windows. Except today. A hasty glance to the horizon in every direction confirmed nothing nearby (it had started to drizzle so the animals had thankfully taken shelter). Can you press the button a second time to close the trunk from the comfort and safety of your cabin? Don't be daft... So out I go, like a stabbed rat up a greasy drainpipe. Trunk close button hit and back in the front of the car in just about the same movement haha. Suffice to say the kids were strapped in the back after that, especially as the lions enclosure was up next. "

"Lesson learnt, and as I said ultimately human error founded on a mild gamble in a 'safe' section of the park (herbivore area). I really did wish Volkswagen Audi Group allowed the tailgate to close again, at that moment though. Never. Again. On the plus side the kids thought it was hysterical and no harm done. At least it didn't happen in the lions' enclosure! Overall another nice little day out for them... and new shorts for me haha."

[wtnhighlander]

I'm in agreement, Terry. My wife's car has such a tailgate, and I despise it.

[TerryMcK]

I've not done it yet but imagine you are in a line of traffic waiting at traffic lights and inadvertently press the tailgate open button, it opens. You then have to turn off the ignition, get out the car, walk around the back and press the tailgate button on the tailgate to close it. In the meantime the lights have changed and you have a line of irate people tooting their horns while you get back in the car only for the lights to go back to red.

What were VW/Audi thinking about? It is crazy. I think until I get chance to get it re-programmed I'll tape a coin or something over the button with gaffer tape to hopefully stop such a mishap.

[Tom King]

Have you checked the manual to see if there is a built in way to reprogram it?

[Immortan D]

That's why I drive cars with no software.

[thatCharlieDude]

21 minutes ago, Immortan D said:

That's why I drive cars with no software.

That's getting harder and harder to do. 

[wtnhighlander]

1 hour ago, Immortan D said:

That's why I drive cars with no software.

So, you drive cars made in the 1960s???

[Chet]

On our 2013 Ford Escape the button to operate the rear gate will open AND close the gate.  Another nice (safety) feature to ours is the button only works if the car is in park or shut off completely.

[Immortan D]

1 hour ago, wtnhighlander said:

So, you drive cars made in the 1960s???

My 97 diesel 4runner has no computer, no EFI, only digital thing in it is the clock with the green numbers.

The rear window opens and closes electrically just like any other window, from a switch in the console. Wonderful thing.

[Tpt life]

40 minutes ago, Immortan D said:

My 97 diesel 4runner has no computer, no EFI, only digital thing in it is the clock with the green numbers.

The rear window opens and closes electrically just like any other window, from a switch in the console. Wonderful thing.

So you stripped the ECU?

[Immortan D]

20 minutes ago, C Shaffer said:

So you stripped the ECU?

I don't think I have one of those. I know there's no EFI though. It was introduced in the model immediately following mine.

[drzaius]

I don't know that there were any vehicles produced without computerized engine controls since sometime in the 80's

[Tpt life]

24 minutes ago, drzaius said:

I don't know that there were any vehicles produced without computerized engine controls since sometime in the 80's

If memory serves...he is in Argentina. The diesel variants of the 1-Kd, KD-1 (or whatever that motor was, I was in high school driving a Chevy diesel at the time) was lusted after. It was high torque and indestructible...but not available in the US. I thought they were electrically choked, but that was not necessary, so maybe not. 

Edit: I think KD was the update...97 may have been KZ. 

[Bankstick]

Something else to go wrong and cost a fortune to fix....obviously at the dealer.  Chrysler started the electronic ignition, if you want to call that computerized, in the early 70s.  My boss had Chrysler in Huntsville, AL, as a customer for some electronic components.

[Immortan D]

19 minutes ago, C Shaffer said:

If memory serves...he is in Argentina. The diesel variants of the 1-Kd, KD-1 (or whatever that motor was, I was in high school driving a Chevy diesel at the time) was lusted after. It was high torque and indestructible...but not available in the US. I thought they were electrically choked, but that was not necessary, so maybe not. 

Edit: I think KD was the update...97 may have been KZ. 

My unit is imported, 100% Japanese. Of course there's electronics in it, but far less than in other vehicles of the same generation. It's closer to a Land Rover Defender than it's to a Cherokee if you know what I mean.

[Chestnut]

Something being electronic are nice. I never understood the draw of electric doors or gates on minivans or suvs. In my mind there should always be a "oh shoot i need to slam this thing now" override.

I like electronic iginition and engine control. I know some hate but the amount of control you can have and the stuff you can do with it is awesome .

[Marmotjr]

An ultrasonic range finder would be trivial for them to have engineered into the back door.   It would be programmed to know the minimum safe distance at each angle of the door.  I know I could have one built by tonight from just what I have sitting on my bench....  Not the whole door, but just the system to tell the door to stop closing!

[Bankstick]

My son's Honda van has power side doors...........he has five kids so they are handy.  I asked why he didn't get the power hatch.  It was about $4K extra.

[wtnhighlander]

@chestnut, the gate on my wife's Murano can be opened and closed manually, I don't know about VW. And yes, ECM is great for wringing the most from your engine. Until it doesn't, then you need a tow truck. And a fat wallet.

I'd love to drive a non-EFI diesel like @Immortan D, but being a '97, I bet it still has OBD. 

Engine management is bad enough, but when they start talking drive-by-wire and self driving, it scares me silly.

[sjeff70]

If it helps me from getting stranded I'm all for the electronics.  Now if I had a muscle car I'd upgrade to electronic ignition and EFI.  That's about it, but it wouldn't be a daily driver.