Tailgate Clicking

[AW8]

When I bought the car I was told that rattling from the trunk/boot cover could be reduced by me ensuring the 2 rubber stoppers were turned anticlockwise by 2 turns, (I think). I did this and rattling reduced almost to nothing- result

Within the last few months I have noticed that my rear tailgate wont always open. I used to walk up to the locked car , hit the rear tailgate button and it would open. Now when I do it I reckon 80% of the time it seems to double click and when I go to lift the taligate it is locked again. Now this is a problem because I need to keep collecting beers from the local store and I want to be able to open taligate with one hand if carrying my supplies


I have done loads of searches against "trunk" "taligate" and "clicking" but nothing has convinced me I have found the answer. I am sure that it is just down to an adjustment thing as when I place my fingers under the trim by the plate lights and apply minimal pressure when hitting the button it seems to open with one just one click, ( I am not touching the external rubber covered trunk/tailgate button when doing this).

If I adjust the rubber stoppers higher ( Have done this up to 4.5 turns on both sides), it helps for a while then goes back to how it was. If I over raise the stoppers I end up with trunk lights on unless I push trunk down hard. To try to diagnose fault I opened the tailgate, (window section), physically pushed the catch/latch across ansd then manuallly actuated the swirch via the key. It just clicks once - effectively doing it's job prefectly and suggesting the mechanism is okay.


I don't want to break anything and don't want to spend hundereds or more at my dealer who will charge me loads to fail to diagnose it properly. I'm sure this is an adustment thing but I am open to any ideas.

Please help me fellow X5 owners of X5 world - you're my only hope

[cmyX6go]

Originally Posted by AW8

Now this is a problem because I need to keep collecting beers form the store and I want to be able to open taligate with one hand if carrying my supplies

Sorry, I don't have an answer for you but that is funny.

[AW8]

Heh I knew it - I've been telling my wife and kids for ages there's a funny guy inside me trying to get out - Seriously though I do collect lots of beers - they stop me going insane

I thought if experimented with humour someone might reply - you did

Now I just need the right answer

Here's hoping.

[AW8]

This thread seems to talk about airlocks but I'm not convinced it has all the answers

http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e53-forum/...TAILGATE+CLICK

[cmyX6go]

Originally Posted by AW8

Heh I knew it - I've been telling my wife and kids for ages there's a funny guy inside me trying to get out - Seriously though I do collect lots of beers - they stop me going insane

I thought if experimented with humour someone might reply - you did

Now I just need the right answer

Here's hoping.

Someone will be around with an answer. It's early here. Not many early birds on the weekends.

[BimmerDude]

When you open the trunk, are all your windows in the car closed? If they are, try to keep the window a little down on the driver side. This is because this happens to me all the time. Just crack the window a little so when you shut the door the air pressure will not suck the trunk closed. Try it, it will happen 80% of the time with the window up, with the window down, it will never happen. Good Luck.

[AW8]

Thanks but this still happens with the doors are open !

I adjust the 2 stoppers and it seems ok for a while- then it happens again later.

Perhaps I also need to look at the lower section being adjusted - not scared of diy but I really I don't know how sensitive the lower section is to minor adjustment and I am worried the slightest adjustment to the lower section may make thing worse to extent I cant close the trunk despite every effort to reinstate original adjustment settings. I am also not clear as to how to adjust the lower section albeit I have removed the 2 lower side covers and can see 2 nuts on each side with white paint on them and also on the mounting plates/catches.

Local dealer charges UK equivalent of 240 dollars and hour just to look and diagnose. I'm just not confident they will be able to sort it so a total waste of money and stuck as to what I should do.

I cant see how the lower tailgate would be out of adjustment it shouldn't need any adjustment if it left factory ok and was ok a few moths ago with no issues.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please help - even if it's just to tell dealer what they need to do.

I've spent about 4 hrs on here and on roadfly searching yet it seems nobody else has this happening when the doors and roof are open !

Even if someone can tell me I am not paranoid or insane it would be good - really scared of dropping beers on floor if I don't fix this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BimmerDude]

Maybe try to tighten the nuts that the stoppers have in the middle. Maybe you need to do that? Don't know what to tell you. I adjusted mine and put some felt tape on the stoppers and around the latch to stop my rattle crazy trunk. Now everthing is fine, but your situation is not major but something odd. Maybe try to lower the stoppers, to allow some space in between the latch and trunk so when you open the trunk, it wont pull the hatch down because it is so tight with the stoppers being all the way up... Good luck...

[Tomaz]

First, check to make sure that the reflectors on the top of the tailgate are not bowed. If they are they contact the hatch causing noise.
Second, Check all of the plastic interior pieces on the tailgate including the two interior lights to make sure they are not loose.
Third, instead of adjusting the stoppers, rough up the contact surface of the stopper and the mating landing on the hatch using some sandpaper. Noise is created by the two surfaces sliding against each other, by roughing the surfaces, it creates more friction. Good Luck

[AW8]

Thanks - just to clarify the noise is not a rattling. The main catch in the upper tailgate instead of clicking once is clicking twice if I press the key or dash button to release the tailgate which then remains locked or sometimes half closed. This indicated the 2 rubbers needed turning anticlockwise as the upper tailgate was not seperating from the lower tailgate. I've unwound them to an extent that the upper taligate was caused to sit proud of the rear quarter panels and the trunk lights stayed on - even then it failed to rectify it as did lowest settings.

I thought I sussed it out this afternoon when I realised the lower tailgate right side fixed latch is not always locking in place as i could pull slightly on the taligate on this side and not the left. I pushed it home and felt it lock home and repeated my testing - only to find it double clicking again when I hadn't reopened the boot.

Now here is where I am confused...............with the tailgate upper section when I repeatedly use my fingers to push the centre upper catch in and then depress the key fob button it opens the catch every time without fail so I know the electronic actiator/motor switch is working fine and so is the catch mechanism in so far as it's ability to open. I have visually inspected for signs of damage - perhaps resulting in a misalingnment issue requiring a new unit but it seems fine.

Driving me nuts - main dealer has car tomorrow for other work, (new bmw replacement screen fitted by RAC a couple of weeks ago and needs to go in due to rain sensor wipers not working), anyway I have asked them to look at the trunk/boot/tailgate issue although I have told them I have already spent hours trying to diagnose same !

I need professional help !

Thanks guys - any more comments really appreciated & especially from anyone else who has knowledge or experience of exactly the same problem.