glojo

The tastier gravy would be on the outside of the jacket

John

Goodnight

glojo

I hate to fetch this thread back to reality, but......

Please be aware when using the automatic tailgate opening option inside your garage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The tailgate will open to its full height and if you have a form of automatic garage door opening you will run the risk of a 'blameworthy' accident

Metal tailgate colliding with metal tracking bar of garage may prove to be an expensive meeting place. Just remember to get the name and address of the guilty party Or attach some nice thick padding to the underside of the garage tracking bar.

Good luck,
John
Light drizzle in Torquay

SCH

I watched in horror as the hatch and my garage door were about to meet. Fortunately there are actually a few inches of clearance in my situation.

Does the hatch stop if it encounters an obstacle or obstruction while opening or closing?

glojo

It certainly does!!!!! But only only if the other object is very firmly fixed. You can see for yourself how quickly the tailgate opens, and also how heavy it is, if it 'collides' with something there will be a 'thump' You can however stop the tailgate at any height as it is opening, or closing.

We always carry the dog in the rear of our vehicle until today. My wife is driving up to Lincolnshire and she put the luggage in the rear. Much to my surprise the rear cover closes electronically. No doubt Oslo and others already know this, but I was impressed watching the cover come down automatically.

What next?? Concealed headlamp washers that only come out when required???

John
Windy Torquay

Barry45RPM

I don't have this option, but I think I remember reading in my 10 tons of owners manuals, that there is a setting you can choose to make the trunk lid/rear hatch NOT open all the way to prevent such accidents. Do I remember correctly?

Oslo

Are you saying that until today, you left that useless pooch of yours (I think his name is Otis) under the luggage cover? How did he react to that?

glojo

Stoopid Boy :p
It's the first time that we have used the cover

My son is left baby sitting both myself and his Lordship (Otis) until Sunday

glojo

I have just been re-reading this thread and it still fetches a smile to my face.

A big thank you to both 'Oslo' and Fastbuck, and big, big apologies for never answering Barry's question.

Sorry the reply has taken so long, but your memory serves you correctly. You can set the tailgate to stop bfore it is fully open.

Oslo........ Could you please remind me of the official termology for the 'S' in S211 and 'W' also for the 211
Wagen and Stationwagen?

Regards to all concerned,
John

Nevada Jack

I just read this full thread and in the process of ordering a 2006 E350 Wagon, I am not sure of anything about the Automatic Lift Gate...:-) I don't see anything in the spec's (I have the new E350 Brochure) about the "moving floor" option...could this be a "decontent item for US?" As far as the button function and how many ( I will have the Keyless Go) I am confused and I know my salesman would have no idea of what I was talking about. No crisis here but I anxiously await my wagon and the first thing I will do is play with the tailgate...:-)

BTW Glojo...I have decided to go with the Platinum Blue with Ash Leather instead of the white.

Nevada Jack

I quote from the Individual Options List in the US 2006 E350 Brochure:

"Power tailgatge fully opens at the touch of a button on the driver's door or the Smart Key, and closes via button on driver's door or the underside of the open tailgate."

glojo

Hi Jack,
That is an interesting point you have raised. Every option that fails to make it onto US vehicles is blamed on 'lawyers' and the litigation atitude of US citizens.

Being able to close the tailgate from the drivers seat can be a major accident just waiting to happen. However I believe saloons have the option you discussed but of course there is hardly any chance of causing any injury to innocent members of the public by shutting the boot.

The tailgate comes down quite firmly and would cause a great deal of harm if closed at the wrong moment. (someone could quite easily walk into it as its coming down and suffer a terrible facial injury.

The sliding floor is a brilliant option that my wife uses every day. However it cannot be fitted if you have the extra seats, so perhaps that might explain why it is not offered.

We love the colour and as I keep saying it is well worth getting the interior treated as it makes cleaning so much easier.

I do not have Keyless go, but as can be seen by the pictures, I do indeed have four buttons on the base of the tailgate. Opening\closing the floor, shutting the tailgate and finally locking all the doors.

Take care, and I would offer to answer any questions, but you are doing well with all the literature.

I would be grateful however if you could keep me updated about the drivers door button closing the tailgate.

Nearly a News Flash
I mentioned this to my wife, and she said, "Of course you can close it from the drivers door!"

"Oh no you can't!" said I.
Oh yes I can!
Oh no you can't" said I.

Now this is where the rolling pin usually comes out, so before I received a fresh bruise I politely asked her to check.

Two minutes later a rather red face wife came back saying how she thought I meant 'opening' the tailgate from the drivers seat!!!!!!

Humble pie is not her strongest point, but the outcome was, our tailgate cannot be shut from the drivers position.

I looked my wife right between the eyes and said to myself, "I told you so!"

Take care,
John

Nevada Jack

Hi John...yes you are right, the third seat is standard on the US model and therefore the sliding floor would not be workable.

I can see your concern about closing the tailgate from the driver's seat. I guess with the first major accident with this setup, there will be a computer update to delete the option. With my other wagons (I have had 4) they did not have this option available but I always closed the tailgate after loading the back. So I would tend to assume that most closings of the tailgate would be done with the button on the gate itself.

Loved the narrative on the checking of the "button mystery" by your wife. Those confrontations are very common in married life but enjoyable to experience.

Jack