Foot activated liftgate - two kicks to open?

[From Speed6ing 2 C-Maxing]

Hi all. Let me know if this is "normal."

 

- Car is locked.

- Approach car from the rear and "kick." Liftgate unlatches but does not open.

- Kick again. Liftgate opens.

 

Whereas

- Car unlocked.

- Approach car from the rear and "kick". Liftgate unlatches and opens all the way.

 

It would seem to me that the foot activate liftgate should be programmed to open with a single "kick" even when the car is locked. Anyone care to comment? I did not see anything in the manual saying that a second kick would be necessary if the does are locked.

[cgul]

I went out and tried mine. Locked the doors and it opened with one kick. Kicked again and it closed.

[From Speed6ing 2 C-Maxing]

How "loud" is the liftgate when it unlatches and again when it closes? Mine seems loud. I haven't had a chance to listen to another one, may need to make a trip to dealer and see.

[cgul]

Not very loud at all, just a click. There have been a couple of times mine needed a second kick to open the first week I had the car but now it works ok. Yours might need an adjustment of some kind.

[FoutsNC]

I have the same issue with the 2 kick thing.  It will activate with 1 kick every now and then (locked or unlocked), but it usually takes 2.  The first kick will make it unlock and release from the latch, the next will lift it.  I wouldn't say it's loud, yet it is louder than the same setup in the 2013 Escape we have.  I will also mention that the Escape works on the first kick, every time.

 

I have it on a short list of little things I need the dealership to address when I take it in.  Hopefully they will have a quick and easy fix for it. 

[From Speed6ing 2 C-Maxing]

I went to check again at lunch.

 

Seems like the first try will necessitate a second kick... Whereas if the the liftgate was just activated (locked or unlocked), one try will do.

 

A first try = not recently activated (within last 5 min)

When I'm done with work today, will unlock doors then try the kick. The power liftgate buttons however work every time?

 

[RachelnLa]

Make sure after you are swinging foot you are stepping back away from the car.

[kechair]

I started a thread on this forum with the same problem weeks ago. Someone suggested two kicks and I've been living with that compromise ever since. I actually took my cmax back to the dealership - they spent all day looking at it and could not figure out the problem, so they ordered another latch mechanism for me. It's been over a month now and I'm still waiting for a call back from the dealership. My wife thinks it's not worth the hassle to bring it back, for them to take out the existing latch and to replace. I am tending to agree with her so if the dealership does not call back I give them a bad grade for service follow up but I may not pursue further.

 

This is apparently a common problem.

 

 

 

[Laurel]

Only one kick needed locked and unlocked for our SEL.  The sound is a click and quiet hum as it goes up and down.  I stand right in the middle of the bumper about 18" back and give a kick.

[FoutsNC]

Make sure after you are swinging foot you are stepping back away from the car.

 

It's not about the proximity to the sensor.  There's another issue going on.  I have tried it several different ways, some without being close to the sensor at all.  I also have the same system on the Escape and it doesn't matter whether you are close to the sensor or not.  It could be as simple as an adjustment, yet it seems like Ford doesn't know what's causing it just yet.  Hopefully they will know before I take mine in.  I don't want to wait a month for it either.

[CassidyB]

Mine is random...sometimes one kick, other times 4 or 5 kicks.. People stare at you when you appear to be kicking your car.

[kechair]

:)

 

It's even funnier when your kids try their turns at kicking, then the adults.  Apparently the sensor is even worse at sensing little feet.

[From Speed6ing 2 C-Maxing]

Well, I guess the thing is not "not activating" the hatch.  I am sure the hatch is activated as something happens, be it the hatch opening completely, or the hatch only popping up from latched to unlatched.  I've adjusted the maximum lift to height down slightly, will continue to monitor and report.

[Ravizza]

I had the two kick problem until I realized that I had both key fobs in my pocket. With one fob it worked with one kick

[Arthur]

When my car is locked, the tailgate only unlatches and does not lift

when the car is unlocked the tailgate opens all the way, with one kick.

[Bob999]

I had the problem.  It seemed that the latch operated but that the tailgate was hanging up on something and the motor didn't have the power to lift it.

 

I treated/lubricated the weather seals around the tailgate with silicone grease.  I also applied a thin coat of silicone grease to the rub areas on the latch mechanism and on the blocks that help position the tailgate located on each side.

 

Haven't had a problem since.

[Jus-A-CMax]

When my car is locked, the tailgate only unlatches and does not lift

when the car is unlocked the tailgate opens all the way, with one kick.

 

I had this as well, I needed a second kick to open it once it unlocks.

 

Now, I've also has one example where the car is locked and then I kicked it once (using the back-to-engine direction and it unlocked AND opened. The only thing I can think where 2 kicks was needed was when I actually walked away for about 5 mins and then returned. The second example was a 30 second one. May be it has something to do with the car "settling" in locked mode or something. 

 

I recall once at the market that it did not open when I came back from the market with both my hands full. 

 

Weird.

[Jus-A-CMax]

So this is interesting. I went to Costco & Best Buy this afternoon. Parked the car.

 

1. Got out of the car, didn't lock it at all and just walked to Best Buy. Checked out a few things and came back to the car. One kick and the talilgate opened. Sweet.

 

2. Locked the car with the remote this time, pressing it twice to hear a beep. Walked to Costco. This time I brought back stuff with both hands full, cool, time to test the tail gate. One kick - unlock only. 2nd kick needed to open it.

 

Now, the only thing I did different is that the first case, I didn't bother to lock the car, using the proximity mechanism to lock it, but the second cae I did manully press the lock button. May be this is why we get 1 or 2 kicks.

 

Can anyone else replicate this or is my Max just weird?

 

PS I presume by walking away, the Max automatically locks. Hmmh...I never tested this.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Jus-A-CMax

[From Speed6ing 2 C-Maxing]

My understanding is that the Cmax does NOT automatically lock when you walk away (I was hoping that it would as that was the case w/ my Mazda).

 

So, if my above statement is indeed correct, then for you today,

1) When the doors were not locked, one kick to open.

2) When doors were locked, two kicks to fully open.

 

In my experience, it has nothing to do with the doors being locked or unlocked in that

1) With the doors locked, I can do 1 kick, liftgate unlatches, 2nd kick liftgate opens, 3rd kick liftgate closes.

2) Right afterwards, I would unlock the doors, then lock them again.

3) 1 kick to unlatch AND unlock -> seems like it is because it was recently opened?

Edited December 16, 2012 by From Speed6ing 2 C-Maxing

[roninsd]

 

PS I presume by walking away, the Max automatically locks. Hmmh...I never tested this.

Unfortunately, it doesn't.  To lock the car, you can either:

1.  Press the lock button on the fob, or

2.  Press the rubber "button" on the outside handle of either driver or passenger door.

[dtorres]

I think it's more related to an issue with the latch mechanism than with whether one or two kicks are required.  I have an SE model without the foot activated open/close option but with the power lift gate.  I open and close my liftgate using the button on the key and I've the same problem.  Sometimes after activating the button from the remote (it requires two presses) the liftgate unlocks and opens normally.  Other times is unlocks and pushes out just a little but does not lift up.  I then have to press the button on the key again (two times) and it opens.  Never a problem with closing only with opening.  So I assume the latch is some how binding up.

[zhackwyatt]

I solved it.  When you are just playing with it, it will unlock with one kick.  When you have your hands full, you need two kicks.

 

Seriously though, today was the first time that it required two kicks for me, and I did nothing different than I do when it requires 1 kick.

 

What about the angle the car is parked?  If it's parked downhill a little bit, maybe it's harder for it to open?

[Jus-A-CMax]

Unfortunately, it doesn't.  To lock the car, you can either:

1.  Press the lock button on the fob, or

2.  Press the rubber "button" on the outside handle of either driver or passenger door.

 

Spot on. I tried that last night when I gave the keys to my wife to walk into a party and I went out to check the car. Pffffff.....c;mon Ford, this was one thing you could have stolen from the Jaguar XF when you owned it - a very nice to have and convenient feature. Lesson learnt. 

 

So yeah, I agree with the other posters: for locked car - 1 kick to unlock and then 1 more kick to open the gate. I can live with that now that I know whats going on. 

 

Someone start an FAQ for this car, please....

Edited December 17, 2012 by Jus-A-CMax

[GoingMachE]

I have the "two kick" problem, too.  Sometimes the lift gate opens on the 1st attempt, sometimes not, and this does NOT depend on the doors being locked or unlocked.  My current theory is that this problem may be related to the difference in air pressure, inside the cabin versus outside the cabin.  I say this for two reasons: 1) I had a VW Bug a few years ago and experienced a similiar problem with the hatch.  VW told me that it was related air pressure differences and that there was not much they could do and 2) I have never seen the "two kick" problem if I open a window (thereby equalizing air pressures) before opening the lift gate with the kicking motion.  In any event, I am in contact with Ford Customer Care to see if there is a simple fix and if Ford has recognized this as a broader C-MAX problem.

[Bob999]

I am skeptical of the differential pressure theory.  To have differential pressure between the inside of the car and the outside of the car while it is sitting in a stationary position all openings would have to be incredibly well sealed--to a degree that I don't believe exists for air intakes for the climate control system to name just one source.

 

However, a well sealed car can make closing a door difficult and a sell sealed car could provide a bit of resistance for that brief moment before air can rush in around the seals when opening a door (or hatchback) so I can see how a very well sealed car could contribute to this issue--particularly if the obstruction detection mechanism is overly sensitive.