16GTCS Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I have a 17 Explorer with the automatic lift gate. Is there a way to turn that feature off for closing? I like being able to open it that way, but while putting items in the back it keeps closing on me. Any ideas? It's kind of hard not to move your feet while loading items.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 That's strange - I've never had it close on me while loading/unloading on our Edge/MKX/Escape. They removed the menu option to disable it from the Edge and MKX but Explorer might still have it. Check the left hand vehicle settings menu. Otherwise you'll have to remove the fob or just be more careful with your feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKX1960 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 It is pretty easy to trigger it if you stand very close to the vehicle. I'm pretty sure it can be turned off as you say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 There is no mention of it in the owner's manual so it may not be possible to turn it off. Just check the left hand vehicle settings menus to be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
16GTCS Posted February 8, 2017 Author Share Posted February 8, 2017 Thanks for the replies. I checked the menu and nothing there. I guess it's just kind of sensitive. Seems to only happen when you have to stand close to reach all the way in to the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKX1960 Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Thanks for the replies. I checked the menu and nothing there. I guess it's just kind of sensitive. Seems to only happen when you have to stand close to reach all the way in to the back. I think I found it. Go to "vehicle" "settings" scroll down to "liftgate switch" and uncheck. I didn't try it to see the result though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 I think I found it. Go to "vehicle" "settings" scroll down to "liftgate switch" and uncheck. I didn't try it to see the result though. I think that may only disable the switch inside the vehicle. Try it and see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMShu Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 This is about lift gate sensitivity on a '16 Explorer sport. After reading the above report I turned off my lift gate because my garage door is a bit low and the lift gate would hit the retracted door when it went up. Since my garage is short and I have a screen door for the opening( a Florida thing) I just have enough room to get by the truck in the back. I carry the key fob in my pocket. The interesting thing that happens is that sometimes the lift gate will open as I am trying to get by it in the space between the truck and the screen. The Fob requires two clicks to open the lift door. I really don't think I hit the Fob--particularly twice-- in going by the Truck. The other thing is that my dog has been just behind the truck right at the lift sensor ( slightly right of center looking at lift gate) wagging his tail and I was on the same place on the left side of the rear. The lift gate went up. This has happened 4 times now and I am interested if any one else has seen this problem. The dog was there 2 out of the 4 times. before I submit this post i went out to the garage to see two things --- at what height is the Fob when I walk by----I'm short and the Fob is in my pocket just above the swell of the bumper. I turned the buttons out and bumped the Fob against the bumper at least 6 times and all I could get was the horn to blow. Anybody out there have a similar problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92merc Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 In the manual of my Escape, there was a procedure to adjust the lift gate height at full open. Maybe adjusting that will prevent you from hitting the garage door? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 Definitely adjust the door so it doesn't hit the garage door as 92merc pointed out. The procedure is in the owner's manual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMShu Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 Ok I'll check that out. Thanks More to the point I don't want the lift gate to go up when I walk by. I think I'll try hanging the Fob around my neck--rather than in my pocket and see if this is really a bump thing or a "close by" thing. Generally I've been unloading in the driveway and that way not having to deal with the lift gate opening height with the truck in the garage. More information: just went to the garage to measure the distance from the bumper to the screen(17"). Just to check i waved my foot back and forth just behind the sensor and the lift gate went up. Then I checked to see if the sensor was turned off in the dash "vehicle" selection --left side of dash. YES it was, so the turn off is not working. Another test: Pulled the truck out of the garage so nothing else was close to the rear end. Waved my foot just behind the bumper sensor area the lift gate opened. Tried it again in the middle and it opened. However when I pushed the down button on the gate it would NOT close. The down button worked normally with the dash selection in lift gate "ON" position. Seems like the "OFF" logic has been directed to the wrong device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMShu Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 A related statement; With the lift gate turned off on the dash, a side to side foot movement unlatches the lift gate on my car but the lift motor does not move the gate, nor does pushing the down button on the gate close the gate. That's not as far off as I would like the lift gate. OFF to me means manual only---you need to push the unlatch button to open the lift gate. Perhaps Ford doesn't think that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 For some reason they've chosen not to allow the driver to turn off the rear kick sensor completely, separate from the power liftgate. Same with the front/side parking sensors. No way to permanently disable them. Probably some potential liability issue the lawyers don't want to risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKX1960 Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 Ok I'll check that out. Thanks More to the point I don't want the lift gate to go up when I walk by. I think I'll try hanging the Fob around my neck--rather than in my pocket and see if this is really a bump thing or a "close by" thing. Generally I've been unloading in the driveway and that way not having to deal with the lift gate opening height with the truck in the garage. More information: just went to the garage to measure the distance from the bumper to the screen(17"). Just to check i waved my foot back and forth just behind the sensor and the lift gate went up. Then I checked to see if the sensor was turned off in the dash "vehicle" selection --left side of dash. YES it was, so the turn off is not working. Another test: Pulled the truck out of the garage so nothing else was close to the rear end. Waved my foot just behind the bumper sensor area the lift gate opened. Tried it again in the middle and it opened. However when I pushed the down button on the gate it would NOT close. The down button worked normally with the dash selection in lift gate "ON" position. Seems like the "OFF" logic has been directed to the wrong device. It seems like the only way to avoid triggering the kick function is to not have the fob with you. I think the car senses the fob some distance away, so no matter where you carry it, the car will "see" it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 It's supposed to be 3 feet or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMShu Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 It's probably smart for me to quit carrying the fob while working in the garage. There is no way I can stay more than 3 feet from the back of it. Thanks for everyone's help. It was a curious problem and it was good to define exactly what was going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 (edited) I've only had that problem when standing very close to the bumper or working to hitch a trailer. Never from just walking by. Although that's on a MKX not an explorer. Edited May 9, 2017 by akirby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rojorin Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 I asked the dealer about this and they told me it can't be turned off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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