Power lift gate, useful or just a useless gadget?
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Silicon Valley, CA
1999 C280 Previous / 2008 E350
Sorry guys, have to disagree...i have fallen for the power liftgate feature and it's nice not to have to get one's hands dirty when closing---
I hear what you're saying about the speed, especially if you're holding something heavy and waiting on it to open, however, it's worth it in my book...
I hear what you're saying about the speed, especially if you're holding something heavy and waiting on it to open, however, it's worth it in my book...
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Shropshire, UK
AUDI Allroad 3.0tdi
ubrs,
great thread for me - I've never had a full auto boot, however I've had soft close on my Touareg, RRS and now AUDI which I find very useful, however I've never considered a full close mechanism much benefit so wasn't going to consider it. Does the standard GL have a soft close boot mechanism? or is it all or nothing?
As a gadget though I must admit its pretty cool
Kaine
great thread for me - I've never had a full auto boot, however I've had soft close on my Touareg, RRS and now AUDI which I find very useful, however I've never considered a full close mechanism much benefit so wasn't going to consider it. Does the standard GL have a soft close boot mechanism? or is it all or nothing?
As a gadget though I must admit its pretty cool
Kaine
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Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Scottsdale, AZ
2007 GL320 CDI, 2001 TJ Rockcrawler, 2005 Scoobie STI
Used to travel there on business frequently, then I had to take the family a few times.
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From: Central Pa.
2013 GL450 (traded for 2015 Escalade), 2012 Corvette, 2014 Ford Fusion, Previous: 2007 GL450, 2011
I love it.......especially when it is raining ......you can have that gate open before you actually get to the vehicle instead of putting everything down and fumbling with latches, etc. to get it open when you get to the vehicle.
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From: Dallas, TX
GL320 CDI, SL550
Danno - That is awesome - I was really impressed by the Guinness Storehouse and had a great time touring the facility. Came back with all sorts of Guinness magnets, t-shirts, playing cards, hats, etc... - if I had drank directly from the source I might still be there
Had a blast in Dublin and think it is a great city - I am in Europe 2x per year but first time in Ireland - it was during the Rugby championships between Scotland and Ireland so the city was just going crazy - it was great and I want to go back soon. The Irish might be the most friendly folks I've ever met.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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2008 F-250, 2007 GL450
Maybe I’ll like it more when I get it fixed so it closes properly. Since this may be the most common defect in the GL it’s a big drag for a lot of people. That long wait for it to operate is only an issue because I have to stand there to see if it closes. Half the time it doesn’t, so I give it a push.
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Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Minnesota
2015 Ram 2500, former 2013 GL350, 2007 GL450
Maybe I’ll like it more when I get it fixed so it closes properly. Since this may be the most common defect in the GL it’s a big drag for a lot of people. That long wait for it to operate is only an issue because I have to stand there to see if it closes. Half the time it doesn’t, so I give it a push.
I have been patient with it lately and it seems to eventually fix itself. Once in awhile I'll put it up and down with the interior to give it another chance and it will work.
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Joined: May 2007
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From: Scottsdale, AZ
2004 RX330, 2008 Scion xB, 2001 Honda Insight Hybrid, 2010 Toyot Prius v ATP
Agree with this 100%. I like it, but wish it didn't try to measure itself like a baseball player's batting average where 3 out of 10 aint bad.
I have been patient with it lately and it seems to eventually fix itself. Once in awhile I'll put it up and down with the interior to give it another chance and it will work.
I have been patient with it lately and it seems to eventually fix itself. Once in awhile I'll put it up and down with the interior to give it another chance and it will work.
STP
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Shropshire, UK
AUDI Allroad 3.0tdi
maybe a silly question, but cant you just close it manually even though its got power lift - I popped into my dealer this evening and the told me you could do this to avoid waiting for it to open and close
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From: Scottsdale, AZ
2004 RX330, 2008 Scion xB, 2001 Honda Insight Hybrid, 2010 Toyot Prius v ATP
Besides, the argument is about the power liftgate, so ... in power mode, yes?
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From: Shropshire, UK
AUDI Allroad 3.0tdi
thanks Steve - my dealer showed me the power lift on a new C-Class and just through it up and down again quickly, then showed me the power function - he said he 'thought' the GL did the same (however couldn't confirm this as the two they had didn't have the power lift gate)
Thanks for confirming
Thanks for confirming
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2005
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From: San Jose, CA
2002 BMW 330i, and GL 450
So I came back from Lake Tahoe yesterday, and really loaded up the GL.. the wife, two toddlers, an infant, and all the luggage that comes with it. Once again, the power liftgate was up to no good. If a shoe lace from a snowboard boot, or a suit case was sticking out a tad (as in a half of a millimeter) over the sensor, the gate would do its thing, and the open right up. I forced it down a number of times. It then decided not to close on one of the days, so I shut it manually. This has only happened twice, so it does not warrant a trip to dealer, just yet. Anyhow, the liftgate is bipolar.
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2005
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From: San Jose, CA
2002 BMW 330i, and GL 450
just for the record. Two years later and I hate this gadget. Pain in the *ss!. I wished we had an option when buying. Manual is the way to go, fast and easy.
Tailgate takes forever to open and close, and then if you have a small object portruding out by a millimiter it won't close properly and it will pop back up.....
I have also taken it twice to the dealer for repairs, as it was not latching properly.
In my opinion, useless gadget.
Tailgate takes forever to open and close, and then if you have a small object portruding out by a millimiter it won't close properly and it will pop back up.....
I have also taken it twice to the dealer for repairs, as it was not latching properly.In my opinion, useless gadget.
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Joined: Sep 2007
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2007 ML 500
just for the record. Two years later and I hate this gadget. Pain in the *ss!. I wished we had an option when buying. Manual is the way to go, fast and easy.
Tailgate takes forever to open and close, and then if you have a small object portruding out by a millimiter it won't close properly and it will pop back up..... I have also taken it twice to the dealer for repairs, as it was not latching properly.
In my opinion, useless gadget.
Tailgate takes forever to open and close, and then if you have a small object portruding out by a millimiter it won't close properly and it will pop back up.....
I have also taken it twice to the dealer for repairs, as it was not latching properly.In my opinion, useless gadget.
i was lucky and got mercedes to agree to repurchase my ml500 due to the power liftgate. i'm in san jose as well and actually returned the ml500 a week ago.
bought a 09 gl550 and was told by my techs who always work on my car that mb changed the design and some of the components in the liftgate to make it smoother, quieter, and more realiable. so far so good.
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: B.C.
GL 320cdi, Chevrolet Avalanchero, GLE 350 (on order)
I'm one of the few guys that does not have a power tailgate and I don't miss it. It lifts on it's own pretty easily, and has a power "soft close" feature that closes the tailgate after you have pulled it down about half way anyway... I think I would be going bonkers waiting for that thing to go up and down all the time....
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Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Oakville, ON
'12 ML350
I am ashamed to admit that I like the power trunk/tailgate feature on our cars/van and soon to be GL.
When I have my hands full of kid and bags or just bags, it's convenient to just push a button and close the trunk without much effort, especially if in inclement weather like rain or snow and outside of the house.
I am also one of those people that thought parking sensors was a superfluous feature until I had it first on my '04 Audi A8L and never looked back - plus backup camera now...how sad is that??
When I have my hands full of kid and bags or just bags, it's convenient to just push a button and close the trunk without much effort, especially if in inclement weather like rain or snow and outside of the house.
I am also one of those people that thought parking sensors was a superfluous feature until I had it first on my '04 Audi A8L and never looked back - plus backup camera now...how sad is that??
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From: LA LA Land
'07 GL 450, '02 S 80 T6
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2005
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From: San Jose, CA
2002 BMW 330i, and GL 450
I am ashamed to admit that I like the power trunk/tailgate feature on our cars/van and soon to be GL.
When I have my hands full of kid and bags or just bags, it's convenient to just push a button and close the trunk without much effort, especially if in inclement weather like rain or snow and outside of the house.
I am also one of those people that thought parking sensors was a superfluous feature until I had it first on my '04 Audi A8L and never looked back - plus backup camera now...how sad is that??
When I have my hands full of kid and bags or just bags, it's convenient to just push a button and close the trunk without much effort, especially if in inclement weather like rain or snow and outside of the house.
I am also one of those people that thought parking sensors was a superfluous feature until I had it first on my '04 Audi A8L and never looked back - plus backup camera now...how sad is that??
Member
Joined: Aug 2004
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Let's face it you buy a MB, not because of some great german engineering. It's a great car, but it is also a status symbol. Buying a Luxury suv such as this requires a certain amount of luxury equipment found in other luxury suvs. If the GL didn't have power liftgate, I would never hear the end of it from my Navigator owning friends.
Overall, this feature is very useful, though, especially if you have a5 feet tall wife who weighs 100 and would barely be able to lift that sucker.
Most complaints here has to do with speed of closing the door.
The best solution for Mercedes is to do what the Navigator has (and many Fords). Keep the power liftgate but also have the ability to open the glass door independently. I use to have an aviator with that (and no power liftgate) and I used it a lot more than ever lifting the entire liftgate. It's quick, light and easy to use. It also allows to open the gate without fear that something already in the back won't roll out. lastly, when you are parked in a cramped space such as your garage with the garage door down, you may not have enough room to open the liftgate, but you would have enough room to open the glass door. Happens to me all the time.
I was actually shocked when i went from my 04 aviator to an 09 GL, that it didn't have an idependent openable glass door in the back!!!
Overall, this feature is very useful, though, especially if you have a5 feet tall wife who weighs 100 and would barely be able to lift that sucker.
Most complaints here has to do with speed of closing the door.
The best solution for Mercedes is to do what the Navigator has (and many Fords). Keep the power liftgate but also have the ability to open the glass door independently. I use to have an aviator with that (and no power liftgate) and I used it a lot more than ever lifting the entire liftgate. It's quick, light and easy to use. It also allows to open the gate without fear that something already in the back won't roll out. lastly, when you are parked in a cramped space such as your garage with the garage door down, you may not have enough room to open the liftgate, but you would have enough room to open the glass door. Happens to me all the time.
I was actually shocked when i went from my 04 aviator to an 09 GL, that it didn't have an idependent openable glass door in the back!!!
Last edited by superflysocal; Oct 2, 2009 at 03:07 PM.
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Northern NY
2010 GL450
The power lift gate is a pure luxury to me. I like it but I would rather have had a remote start. That is the single most useful option I have ever had on a vehicle, since power windows. I use my remote starter almost every day, especially when there are people loitering in front of my truck. LOL
