Liftgate Opens Fine. But refuses to close. I hear motor when trying to close
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Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 465
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2022 SL 55 AMG, 2020 AMG GT 53, 2015 GL 550
Liftgate Opens Fine. But refuses to close. I hear motor when trying to close
I've searched and come across many threads but nothing seems to quite match my issue.
When opening the liftgate inside, outside or from FOB it opens fine.
It will however refuse to close no matter how you try. You have to manually push it down. And even then it's pretty tough to get down. If you press the red button or the button in the vehicle you hear the motor try, and beeping it just doesn't go down. I'm thinking it's not the struts since it lifts up no problem to 90% of it's appropriate height.
Any suggestions? I haven't checked the fluid in the pump yet.
When opening the liftgate inside, outside or from FOB it opens fine.
It will however refuse to close no matter how you try. You have to manually push it down. And even then it's pretty tough to get down. If you press the red button or the button in the vehicle you hear the motor try, and beeping it just doesn't go down. I'm thinking it's not the struts since it lifts up no problem to 90% of it's appropriate height.
Any suggestions? I haven't checked the fluid in the pump yet.
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Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 173
Likes: 36
2014 GL550; 2010 GL450
I've searched and come across many threads but nothing seems to quite match my issue.
When opening the liftgate inside, outside or from FOB it opens fine.
It will however refuse to close no matter how you try. You have to manually push it down. And even then it's pretty tough to get down. If you press the red button or the button in the vehicle you hear the motor try, and beeping it just doesn't go down. I'm thinking it's not the struts since it lifts up no problem to 90% of it's appropriate height.
Any suggestions? I haven't checked the fluid in the pump yet.
When opening the liftgate inside, outside or from FOB it opens fine.
It will however refuse to close no matter how you try. You have to manually push it down. And even then it's pretty tough to get down. If you press the red button or the button in the vehicle you hear the motor try, and beeping it just doesn't go down. I'm thinking it's not the struts since it lifts up no problem to 90% of it's appropriate height.
Any suggestions? I haven't checked the fluid in the pump yet.
- It works better when car has been started to charge the battery and battery voltage is high
- Key needs to outside and near the hatch for it to close
- You need to push and hold the button for two to five seconds for it work
- Lift struts are worn (I replaced mine because the ball joint looked worn but the behavior hasn't really been different)
- The lock actuator is faulty (mine isn't, I'm sure)
- The lift pump is bad, water logged, or out of hydraulic fluid. Mine opens 100% of the time with the push of any button or lever and when I inspected the pump it was in pristine condition with ample amount of fluid.
There is really no rhyme or rhythm to what makes the hatch close automatically. I've all but given up on this until your post. Let's hope others will chime in if there is a secret to pressing a button to close a hatch.
BTW: Mine doesn't beep until it actually starts to close so perhaps you symptom is a little different. The latch actuator makes a closing or opening sound with each successful/unsuccessful button press but does not actually beep until it is closing.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,116
Likes: 782
NGL450 w/EORP, S550
I've searched and come across many threads but nothing seems to quite match my issue.
When opening the liftgate inside, outside or from FOB it opens fine.
It will however refuse to close no matter how you try. You have to manually push it down. And even then it's pretty tough to get down. If you press the red button or the button in the vehicle you hear the motor try, and beeping it just doesn't go down. I'm thinking it's not the struts since it lifts up no problem to 90% of it's appropriate height.
Any suggestions? I haven't checked the fluid in the pump yet.
When opening the liftgate inside, outside or from FOB it opens fine.
It will however refuse to close no matter how you try. You have to manually push it down. And even then it's pretty tough to get down. If you press the red button or the button in the vehicle you hear the motor try, and beeping it just doesn't go down. I'm thinking it's not the struts since it lifts up no problem to 90% of it's appropriate height.
Any suggestions? I haven't checked the fluid in the pump yet.
The hyd pump (located in the deep well under the spare tire) has two circuits, so it can open normally or close normally, depending upon which circuit is intact.
So you have a leak in the closing circuit.
One of mine does this what yours is doing; as well as open slowly and not completely. I hear the pump, and all the requisite bings.
All that really means for me is that I have to close it manually. With no fluid in the closing circuit, it works just like a normal tailgate.
Last edited by Max Blast; Jun 24, 2020 at 09:11 AM.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 465
Likes: 121
2022 SL 55 AMG, 2020 AMG GT 53, 2015 GL 550
Thanks guys. I'm going to look into Max's suggestion. I'm pretty sure I don't meet tadi's suggestion with the exception of number 6. Worse case like you said Max opening automatically with my hands full is more important than manually closing.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,116
Likes: 782
NGL450 w/EORP, S550
if you’re like me it leaks from the actuator, which necessitates removing the interior panels, headliner and perhaps the side curtain airbags - all of the above is a major hassle.
