Tailgate opening with accidental button bump $$$

imadebogey · February 19, 2020

8 minutes ago, Gutshooter said:

What if your trailer is hooked up and plugged in? Can you still drop the tailgate on the tongue jack?

Yes! I learned that this weekend.

Ultimate 2022 · February 19, 2020

I totally get this, and it sucks. However, when thinking about it in a "What would I do situation?," I feel that this is like being upset at GM because you accidentally hit someone and do not have forward collision on your truck. I just think we can always try to blame someone else or the manufacturer when they weren't the one who accidentally hit the button.

DogMom · February 24, 2020

19 Silverado RST and mine does not have the alert either. I have to make sure to slam my tailgate closed due to the dealer installed tonneau cover, otherwise it will click and look closed but has come open while driving. I have tried every way possible to get an alert including hitting the interior button, exterior button, not fully latched then driving, engine on or off first... Nothing.

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L86 All Terrain · February 24, 2020

Personally I position my rear-view mirror so that I can just see the top of the tailgate in bottom the mirror. If I see road or airspace, I know my gate is down. But this trick was learned after I have been there too as a contractor, leaving tools on my tailgate and taking off without doing a proper 360 circle check. Lost a set of impact sockets one time but luckily found the set on my customers mile long driveway. This is why unionized contractors in Canada place orange cones at the front and rear of the truck when parked so you always do a circle check to put your cones away.

DogMom · February 24, 2020

Personally I position my rear-view mirror so that I can just see the top of the tailgate in bottom the mirror. If I see road or airspace, I know my gate is down. But this trick was learned after I have been there too as a contractor, leaving tools on my tailgate and taking off without doing a proper 360 circle check. Lost a set of impact sockets one time but luckily found the set on my customers mile long driveway. This is why unionized contractors in Canada place orange cones at the front and rear of the truck when parked so you always do a circle check to put your cones away.

Good call on the rear view. With a hard tonneau cover you only see a slight lip in the middle of the tailgate that sticks about 1/2 inch higher than the matching black tonneau. In my case it's easier to hit my backup camera button that switches the screen view for about 6 seconds while driving to make sure it hasn't opened. Still would be nice to have the dash alert to alleviate the paranoia. Fortunately my tool bag was secured behind my bed extender or I might have lost it on the highway when my tailgate fell open.

Sorry you lost your tools L68, that sucks!

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DogMom · February 24, 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?

What truck do you own that gives you this alert?

Thanks.

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OnTheReel · February 24, 2020

3 minutes ago, DogMom said:

What truck do you own that gives you this alert?

Thanks.

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2019 Silverado LTZ. Wondering if maybe only trucks with the power-up tailgate give that alert.

bgsntth · February 24, 2020

My issue with the tailgate button is that I frequently have expensive mountain bikes and surfboards strapped to the tailgate, and it would be massively "not good" were one of my teenagers to accidentally hit the button while attempting to turn-on the heat/cooled seats while cruising on the highway.

At the very least GM should deactivate the button while the vehicle is moving.

OnTheReel · February 24, 2020

It is deactivated when moving.

DogMom · February 24, 2020

2019 Silverado LTZ. Wondering if maybe only trucks with the power-up tailgate give that alert.

The LTZ has power-up as well? Awesome!

Just wish these tailgates had a manual option as a backup for when electronics fail or if the battery dies.

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jjkGURU · February 24, 2020

3 hours ago, OnTheReel said:

2019 Silverado LTZ. Wondering if maybe only trucks with the power-up tailgate give that alert.

Ahhh. Maybe that’s it. We don’t have power up (or at least don’t think so... lol)

On 2/19/2020 at 12:30 PM, 2020SilveradoCC said:

I totally get this, and it sucks. However, when thinking about it in a "What would I do situation?," I feel that this is like being upset at GM because you accidentally hit someone and do not have forward collision on your truck. I just think we can always try to blame someone else or the manufacturer when they weren't the one who accidentally hit the button.

It’s like unlocking the doors when your truck is parked in a shady area. Sure you forgot to lock, but you can see the cap sticking up, so there’s a way to check. With her bag hitting the button there is absolutely no way to tell until the gate dropped while driving.

I’m not starring a lawsuit or anything, but these trucks warn me there might be ice when it’s 34, tell you when the fluid is low, tell me when the multipro is open (because long boards are sticking out), they tell me a kid might be in the back seat because I put my backpack there - it simply sucks that it doesn’t say the gate is open.

If there was a way to defeat this stupid button, I would - to prevent this

It's Tim · February 25, 2020

Look at the bright side, at least the kid wasn't in the stroller...

aczr2k · February 26, 2020

So what happens if the battery goes dead, are you able to use the tailgate? My jumper cables are in a toolbox under a tonneau cover, cant open it without opening the tailgate.

Accidently bumping the switch and dropping the tailgate onto the trailer jack would really piss me off.

DogMom · February 26, 2020

So what happens if the battery goes dead, are you able to use the tailgate? My jumper cables are in a toolbox under a tonneau cover, cant open it without opening the tailgate.

Accidently bumping the switch and dropping the tailgate onto the trailer jack would really piss me off.

One of the first questions to my dealership was how do I open the tailgate if/when the electronics fail or when the battery dies. The head of maintenance looked at me like he had never heard that question before and didn't know how to answer. I asked him if there was not a way to open it manually if I could replace the push button with a manual patch like earlier models... "Ummm, no I don't think so".

The manual states "In the case of a dead battery, the tailgate can be opened manually. Contact your dealer or roadside assistance."

Clearly not helpful when the dealer has no clue how to open with a dead battery. I'm also assuming that you would have to get to the inside of the tailgate to remove the cover for manual entry like I had to do with our Tundra at work. This would be extremely difficult with a tonneau cover which is why I keep my jumper cables in the cab.

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