csavage7 Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 My C-Max has a power liftgate, but I am pretty sure it doesn't have a hands-free liftgate. That is, when I was shopping around for it, that was listed on the window labels of some units, but not the one I ended up buying. The dealer service dept, however, says that Ford has told it that I am due for a "REAR GATE TRUNK MODULE REPROGRAM" and they say this means Ford, at least. thinks it built that feature into this unit. Certainly when I wave my foot at/under the bumper, nothing happens. But I see that some hands-free liftgates aren't working for people, which is where this update is coming from. It occurred to me that the car does have 1) a power liftgate and 2) sensors along the back bumper, which cause the beep if you get too close to something while backing up. It's not clear to me why anything more than those two things, plus a computer, would be necessary to have a hands-free liftgate system. Is it possible this car has this, or is the dealer just confused? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salsaguy Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 power liftgate means you dont need to lift it like a normal car or push to close it all the way, it will be power assisted to open or close. the hands free is the kick under the bumper so you don't have to use your hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotomoto Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 If you have an SEL with option packages 302a or 303a, you have the hands-free lift gate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG ROCCO Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Is there a configuration where you have the power liftgate, but not the hands free feature? urs is an SEL with 302A, and has both, but I am just curious if maybe you could have one and not the other. The OP profile shows he has an SEL also... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceemax71 Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 You can get the power liftgate option without the hands-free option on the SE, SEL, & Energi.If you get the SEL or Energi 302A or 303A package, you get the power liftgate with hands-free option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csavage7 Posted May 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 I just dug out the PDF from the dealer for the C-Max and it turns out it *is* listed as having hands-free liftgate. (It is a SEL 303A.) I must have mixed it up with one I didn't buy. So, huh - didn't know that was there. It certainly didn't work when I tried it out the other night after the dealer said it was there. Maybe that is what this recall mod update will fix! Had there been no recall, I would have gone through the life of the car thinking that the feature wasn't there. silver lining to early-adopter problems that need recalls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotomoto Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 The hands free feature does not work without the FOB within a couple of feet of the lift gate. Also, you must be kicking near the center. The sweet spot is just below the backup sensor on the bumper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhackwyatt Posted June 1, 2013 Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 It occurred to me that the car does have 1) a power liftgate and 2) sensors along the back bumper, which cause the beep if you get too close to something while backing up. It's not clear to me why anything more than those two things, plus a computer, would be necessary to have a hands-free liftgate system.BTW, it doesn't use the back-up sensors for the hand-free lift-gate. There are are separate set of sensors for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csavage7 Posted June 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 Picked up the C-Max today. The main thing I wanted done - the upgrade to the MyFord Touch system was done, and seems to work fine - but the hands-free liftgate still didn't work. Sensor is there, software is ready. They said they had had trouble with it in updating the mod but had gotten it to work, were perplexed why it wasn't working again when I came to pick it up. I'll have to bring it in again when I have time. They said a lot of people were having trouble with it. ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armoredsaint Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 i've mostly given up using the hands-free because i needed to do that kick 2 times to open the damn thing and looking like an idiot at the parking lot. :yahoo: SOMD 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salsaguy Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 time to get the update from Ford that fixes that issue then, armor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csavage7 Posted June 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 So I brought the C-Max back last Thursday to get the hands-free liftgate fixed. They struggled with it all day, kept it overnight, and then told me Friday afternoon that they were going to have to order a new part. I picked it up, and brought it back this morning. This afternoon, picked it up again, and now at last the feature works. They replaced the "RFA Module" and also had to remove the interior trim to find a short on the wire. $64 in parts and $650 in labor, though all covered by warranty. So, apart from the stuff that was subject to recall like the MyFord Touch system, this brand new car has already had:1) driver's side door interior fell off and door had to be replaced2) discovery that a big moth was floating around inside a rear taillight that had to be replaced, and3) faulty RFA model that made the hands-free liftgate not work and had to be replaced. I am not shocked to see that J.D. Power & Associates ranked it dead last in initial qualityhttp://www.wzzm13.com/news/article/259231/2/Ford-C-Max-hybrid-ranked-last-in-car-quality Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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