double clicking on liftgate

[dougpark714]

My liftgate began to double or even triple click when I unlock from the remote. If I manually unlock from the liftgate, no issues.

I adjusted the rubber stoppers 4 rotations counter clockwise but only helps occasionally.

Anyone else with this same issue? I tried to search and only found 1 other person with this issue so far.

Is this an indicator of a failing part or just requires adjustment?

DP

[AW8]

DP,

I had this problem on my 12/01 build car............long post but not straightforward at all as it can be due to taligate catch &/or taligate switch &/or alignment issues. Others may not want to read unless very bored or insomniacs !

I'm the 3rd owner but some cunning detective work on phone to bmw uk when I first bought and studying invoices showed my car had been into dealers with taligate issues beifre I owned it.

I fsoon encountered double clicking and failed opening and found initially that if I applied just the slightest up upward finger pressure on upper tailgate when pressing boot release that the upper tailgate would open properly and single click as it should thus I was adamant it was an alignment issue.

I tried turning out bumpstops manually but by the time I had raised it enough to only single fob controlled click to open I had upper tailgate so high it looked odd ( too high) when shut- I also had trunk/boot bulbs illuminated and bootlid open display. My car has full bmw history which I have kept up & so I booked it in and paid for for diagnosis (no warranty) and explained all to dealer showing the issues to the technician who was allocated my car. He diagnosed a faulty taligate catch.

BMW agreed to foot 100% of the bill under goodwill and car was booked in for new catch.

A different technican was allocated the job and he misread the job sheet ending up only stripping down taligate button assembly and attemting to clean it out suspecting this as cause. On early cars these units can collect water as water from rear glass runs down taligate and collects in gap above number plate trim surround. Anyway car comes back and still problematic and double clicking albeit intermittently. I query this and dealer apologises states technicain failed to read the job sheet and instead of changing the tailgate catch he strippped down the switch unit with the button in it. The fact it wasnt as bad may have meant he had the right idea but I reject the car and it goes back to dealers who fit the new tailgate part.

Car back with me and although no double clicking since new tailgate catch I find that the trunk/boot lights are always on.

I send it back again only to be told by a now fed up dealer that the car needs a new swich unit and this comes complete with the trim surround unpainted. I am told I also need complete replacement of all rubber gaskets around entire bootlid rubber..............at this point I am thinking they have given up and decided it's best to replace everything or quote me for lots of work and parts so I am put off and go away the delaer making it clear bmw will not pay goodwill anymore on this.

I had already takewn issue with other work and so I simply ask them to return my car as i want to diagnose matters.

I decide to do a diy attempt & strip down the taligate swirth assembly and unplug same seeing no no major signs of longstanding water ingress so no need to open it up with a knife or replace microswitches (available from Maplins and another common failure on a thread by another on here somewhere - honest !). I find the techician has caked the whole switch area and electric jack with non cured grease or sealnt and it is caked with grease and moisture. I clean the entire surround lifting carefully the small rubber gasket surrounding it and gently but thoroughly leaning out all dirt/grease/sealant thoroughly with an old toothbrush and degreaser. Once dried off with haidryer, (not too hot), I refit everything and then push connector home beore getting silicon out and ensuring the jack socket and all gaps surrounding it are neatly and consrvatively but properly plugged with silicon. I then refit and wind down stops to what I think is acceptable (between 2-4 turns from recollection).

Job done, new catch , no double clicking, all aligned and switch now watertight.

I wont bore you with the hours i spent on here traling threads in frustrated desperation but will share that I wasted hours messing with side catches to lower taligate and to no use whatsovever.

Total cost to me - 15 mins initial diagnosis, some silicon and some of my sanity !!!!

Total time invested countless hours if not days messing about, days without car, hours on the phone and emailing anfd messing about trting diy with mixed results.

Car sorted albeit I now struggle to talk to the dealer without awkardness (they also tried to get me to pay for other recommended unrelated work which I disputed & have since confirmed 100% this work was also not required).

Enjoy !

[AW8]

More older discussion here and links to other discussion re same http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e53-forum/...d-working.html

Too much typing from me..............the taligate made me do it .............I was sane before this................dribble dribble twitch twitch !!!!!!!!!.....................................

Good Luck - you'll need it ( there's a US TSB on the switch unit somewhere - BMW may deny it but they know its a problem I assure you - check my post history to access TSB's - read all posts on same thread)

[gse36]

Thanks for the information. My X seems to have the same problem (remote unlock just causes double clicking, but only half unlocks the tailgate). Would you happen to know what was the part # of the catch you replaced?

Thanks

[AW8]

Firstly & prior to deciding to replace the catch i would try the following :

Try adjusting bump stops by trail and error maybe 1/4 or 1/2 turn at a time initially together then maybe independently.

I would also recommend checking the swiotich area for water ingression and corrosion before doing as much as you can to check its water tight and rubber not distorted.


Finally lubrication of parts catches and treatment of entire rubber boot gasket may be of somr use.

As for the part number just spent agaes lookingn through all old paperwork and sadly this eeems to be only part I cant find paperwork for...doh!

Educated guess as they said they changed the tailgate catch 51248408492

[admranger]

I'd look closely at replacing the lift struts. This exact same thing happened on my wife's 2002 M3 and we couldn't figure it out. Then a gust of wind blew the trunk lid onto her head one day...

I changed the lift struts and all is well. No adjusting of the striker plate, etc. needed.

Of course, since I can't tell how old your X5 is (hint, hint), I'll just assume that it is in the realm of possibilities that the lift struts have gone buh-bye.

[gse36]

Thanks for the responses folks. Will give it a try! (2003)