Tailgate opening with accidental button bump $$$

jjkGURU · February 13, 2020

So did anybody else ever have this happen:

Short story: the button on the center counsel got bumped by my wife’s purse before the truck was put in drive. No dash light, no notification, it just unlatched the tailgate. Our $650 double stroller slid out of the bed and got ran over. She didn’t know the gate was down until she got to her next destination, where she called me in tears. We found the pieces in the road where she pulled out.

So far GM customer care and GMC executive service have been of no help (financial or that this will get fed back to engineering).

If it was something heavier, it could have done serious damage to the cars behind her. Heck, the stroller could have done some damage to the cars that hit it, but we’ll never know...

More details for guys like me that have questions (lol):

Because it has a tonneau cover (dealer installed) it doesn’t even open when you hit the button - but as soon as she pulled out the main tailgate opened and there stroller slid out of the bed and got destroyed.

How is there not a light or something that says the gate is down - especially with a button inside the cabin now?? We had a K2xx Denali and currently have 2 T1xx Denalis. The extra stupid thing that if the tiny top piece of the MultiPro Gate is open (you know the one that nothing that could fall out of...) the dash lights up like a Christmas Tree.

Kevin0311 · February 13, 2020

I get a dinging and message on dash tailgate open, i have hit the button before putting in drive but with truck running when going for the start stop button next to it. 19 chevy with tonneau cover installed (aftermarket one). The cover is installed with 1/8 higher then gate so works correctly and doesnt hit, soft flap prevents elements from getting in and seals it

Edited February 13, 2020 by Kevin0311

smrr1 · February 13, 2020

That really sucks. Strollers aren't cheap! Much less the damage it could have done to other vehicles.

I don't understand the need for the button to begin with. I have no idea what happens or what lights may or may not be displayed because i have never used it. I do agree that there should he some kind of notification or maybe you hold it down for 3 seconds vs accidentally bumping it.

It's Tim · February 13, 2020

Seriously?

mike5511 · February 13, 2020

I have a 20 and i do have to hold the button to get the gate to open. Seems like there should be a light, kind of like the Door Ajar one......I'll have to check mine and see.

amxguy1970 · February 13, 2020

30 minutes ago, It's Tim said:

Seriously?

I guess so, people don't want to take responsibility for their own doings. They bought the feature, they hit the button and now they want someone else to pay for their mistake? People drive with the tail gate down often, no need for a light telling them on their cross country journey the tailgate is down because someone hits it by accident on occasion, just be more careful and strike it up as a lesson learned... This also applies to the little tailgate on the multipro tailgate and hitches, don't do it and be more aware next time. F150 owners are having the same issue from hitting it by accident to electrical issues opening it.

The auto lock feature on tailgates is nice, the soft open feature is good to, but remote opening/closing is utterly useless.

Tyler

OnTheReel · February 13, 2020

It’s not useless at all. If you know you’re going to have your hands full, it’s great to be able to open the tailgate remotely before you get there. For the inside release button...the tailgate opens slowly so it’s nice to push the button before you get out of the truck, and by the time you get to the back of the truck to grab your gear, it’s open. Power up? Love that too, I drag a bunch of parts into the garage and can just close it up with the remote from the warm indoors. Maybe it all seems stupid until you use it.

Either way, the truck dings 4 times and a message on the DIC says “tailgate open” UNTIL YOU DISMISS IT. If someone overlooks these alerts, what are more warnings gonna do?

jjkGURU · February 13, 2020

40 minutes ago, OnTheReel said:

It’s not useless at all. If you know you’re going to have your hands full, it’s great to be able to open the tailgate remotely before you get there. For the inside release button...the tailgate opens slowly so it’s nice to push the button before you get out of the truck, and by the time you get to the back of the truck to grab your gear, it’s open. Power up? Love that too, I drag a bunch of parts into the garage and can just close it up with the remote from the warm indoors. Maybe it all seems stupid until you use it.

Either way, the truck dings 4 times and a message on the DIC says “tailgate open” UNTIL YOU DISMISS IT. If someone overlooks these alerts, what are more warnings gonna do?

Woah! That is EXACTLY what I’m asking for. My 2 trucks DO NOT do that. That’s how this whole mess happened. Thanks for the pic! Now I have something a to say that is actually wrong, not just a complaint.

OnTheReel · February 13, 2020

1 minute ago, jjkGURU said:

Woah! That is EXACTLY what I’m asking for. My 2 trucks DO NOT do that. That’s how this whole mess happened. Thanks for the pic! Now I have something a to say that is actually wrong, not just a complaint.

Wow, really? I guess I can understand why you’d be upset then. Wonder if the GMC multi-pro just doesn’t support that? But if not, why? Certainly some questions to be asked...

It's Tim · February 13, 2020

1 hour ago, amxguy1970 said:

I guess so, people don't want to take responsibility for their own doings. They bought the feature, they hit the button and now they want someone else to pay for their mistake? People drive with the tail gate down often, no need for a light telling them on their cross country journey the tailgate is down because someone hits it by accident on occasion, just be more careful and strike it up as a lesson learned... This also applies to the little tailgate on the multipro tailgate and hitches, don't do it and be more aware next time. F150 owners are having the same issue from hitting it by accident to electrical issues opening it.

The auto lock feature on tailgates is nice, the soft open feature is good to, but remote opening/closing is utterly useless.

Tyler

"Our $650 double stroller slid out of the bed and got ran over. She didn’t know the gate was down until she got to her next destination, where she called me in tears. We found the pieces in the road where she pulled out."

This is the only part I believe, that the tailgate was left down, still not GMs fault.

jjkGURU · February 13, 2020

9 minutes ago, It's Tim said:

"Our $650 double stroller slid out of the bed and got ran over. She didn’t know the gate was down until she got to her next destination, where she called me in tears. We found the pieces in the road where she pulled out."

This is the only part I believe, that the tailgate was left down, still not GMs fault.

Lol. Believe it or not, it’s what happened, I’m not here to sell you anything, just asked if anything similar happened to people here.

She did not go in the truck bed at all that day (didn’t have the kids with her, so no need for the stroller).

I confirmed with both of our ‘19 trucks that there is no liftgate open chime or message. I also confirmed that it doesn’t open while in D (of course I tried that one with an empty bed...)

88junior · February 13, 2020

Same thing happened to me (minus the stroller). I hit my button by mistake in my parking garage at work. Its a tight garage so I back into a spot so its easier to get out. I somehow managed to hit the button and the concrete wall stopped the tailgate. Not much damage, just some scrapes that I covered with touch paint. I may have it repaired at some point. I did not get the warning message or any audible alerts either.

SILVER SLED · February 13, 2020

I see another McDonalds hot coffee lawsuit brewing.

sharkman · February 13, 2020

looks like the dash cluster showing the warning is the upper end one. Maybe the LT and below guys don't get that warning?

Vasa1 · February 13, 2020

I just checked my 19 Sierra with the multi pro. No warning with the main gate open but has inner gate open warning. You would think with all that technology, it would tell you the whole gate is open. Oh well. Maybe for the better. Just another thing to faak up.