Liftgate Problems on ML350 - Pump or Struts?
 

Hi All. Could use some guidance. The wife's ML350 liftgate started creaking and groaning as it went up for several months. Then it had problems lifting fully stopping after it was horizontal. Probably should have done something then. The switch is now getting stuck, and I will have to replace that. My question is, how do you know if it is the hydraulic pump going out, or the struts needing to be replaced? As I mentioned, it makes a lot of noise as it goes up.

i had issues with mine but not the same issues

seems like the struts on my 08 were not that expensive and maybe it would be worth starting there

sorry not much help, maybe someone with more experience with that will chime in

Thanks. Just to confirm, did you have the power liftgate? For the power liftgate the struts I think are dampers and are about $120. For the manual they are about $20. I think if I use the cheaper manual ones the tailgate will not be able to close under power, only manually and I would have to disconnect the piston. I really do not want to do that.

mine has the power liftgate and had issues where it would not open about half the time, it seemed the handle was not letting it go or soemthing and it would reclose
i also think the rubber was sticking sometimes and not letting it up

the handle part number on mine has been superceded a time or 2

so i went ahead, did the handle and the struts/shocks not knowing what the problem really was , just figured the shocks were getting old

and at some point i read weak shocks will eventually wear out the motor

after putting these new parts in the mechanic spent maybe 20 minutes getting it all adjusted correctly

i also make sure to put armour all or something on the rubber every month or so to make sure it does not stick

since doing all this mine has not messed up once in months, works perfect every time now
hated it before and now i love it

but i thought the newer ml's had most of the kinks worked out of the power liftgates...
my issues sound different than yours

lol, pretty much any part for my cars that is around 100 or under is cheap to me, sorry to be misleading

Update
 

Realized I never updated this, and probably should have in case someone else has the same problem. Strangely, I had the switch replaced and everything worked fine there after. Dealer did it, and did not think the pump or struts needed work. I dont know if they lubricated anything but after the switch was replaced the groaning stopped and the tailgate motion was fine.