Wife's '04 lift gate opens about 1/3 then closes every time, works fine by hand. HELP!

 

Replace the shocks.

Try this.....Go the opposite way....Raise it all the way by hand, and try to close it with power.... If it reverses and raises again, youve found your culprit.

 

It closes fine with the remote, just opening is the problem. Ihad planned to replace the lift supports anyway just due to age. No local part store has them, Advantage and Pep Boys both say they're unavailable to them, Auto Zone can order them bu they want more than the dealer, so m calling the deal in the morning. My business has a wholesale account anyway.
Thanks for the answer.

Anyone else?

 

Gee...Thats probably because they're sending someone across the street to buy them from the dealer....

What happens is this.....Safety requirements mean that the Liftgate, or power sliders, or Auto -UP windows, HAVE TO REVERSE, in the event a small hand , Or Head , were to get stuck in it....This goes in both directions....Based on Drag and Current flow.

If your Shocks, or Lift supports are worn, the added (Or DEAD) weight of the door is seen as an OBSTRUCTION and reverses the door.

I see them all the time, and eventually, they do come crashing down, so dont wait on it...

 

Thanks, I'll be calling them in this morning. I'm a car guy and have learned a lot of things in the last 40+ years of working on them, my biggest lesson is that I'll never know it all.

 

New Mopar struts, no change!

 

Ok....

"Re-Learn" the power liftgate module...

Typically this can only be done with a factory scantool, but you can try this. Disconnect the battery for 30 seconds.

Raise the liftgate fully , By hand. From inside the vehicle, press and HOLD the liftgate Switch until the Gate is Latched and an additional 2 seconds. Release the button. Press and HOLD the gate button until it has reached the top of its travel, and an additional 2 seconds.

close the gate by hand...and retry.

 

I'll try it, thanks. Got the struts for $35.74 for the pair, Auto Zone had to order and wanted $39.99 ea.

 

Did the manual re-learn, no change. Looking for more ways to go.

 

There HAS TO BE something Binding....Latches are common, but would NOT cause your issue.

Take the shocks back off....and try the gate without them....Just stand back away from the vehicle...when it reaches the top it WILL come slamming back down... but we have to find the point where the door Binds Up......

The only other explanation would be a worn motor, But Not too likely since it works from Up to Down, but not down to up.