Liftgate opens by itself???

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[wemiles]

Several times recently we've woken in the morning to find the liftgate cycling open until it hits the garage door.  It'll then close, go through its latching noises, then reopen.  The cycle repeats endlessly until the liftgate is put in manual mode and manually cycled open and closed.  That'll keep it quiet for a few days.

I've checked for obstructions, for damage to its various sensor surfaces, for ice and water.  Nothing. 

Anyone seen anything like this?

[GoldEnclave]

I do not have any obvious answers or ideas. To me it sounds like it could be a ghost from Buick past.

Pardon my lame attempt at humor. I would recommend a visit to the dealer and to put the console liftgate switch to the off position to avoid any more unwanted and unexpected liftgate activity in the meanwhile.

[wvbill]

Any chance that the liftgate button on your remote is stuck down? - - Just a thought...

[GoldEnclave]

I thought of that but I do not think that likely since the problem stops for long periods if the system is "reset" by switching to manual mode and then back to automatic.

[wemiles]

The first night, I put it in manual mode and left it there but the liftgate latch motors cycled all night, accompanied by the interior lights.  Pulling the fuse under the hood didn't solve that (actually made a motor at the rear run continuously) -- apparently this thing has more fuse panels than the space shuttle.  Around 2AM I read the manual cycle trick in another thread on this forum and summarily exiled the car to the snow.  At least there the liftgate can't hit the garage door.

We've never seen the behavior away from home.  Not in the garage at work, not out and about town.  There are one or two GM vehicles conceivably within range (Hummer across the street and a Rendezvous several houses down).  I can't imagine we've got compatible keyless remotes though. 

Button above the license plate is clean, dry, seems normal.  The one on the liftgate itself is like brand new (only 6K miles on the thing).  Key fobs sit on a counter and aren't in a pocket.  Weird.

Three GM dealers in a 20 mile radius and none have Saturday service hours, so that trip waits until Monday. 

[wemiles]

And the winner is ...

TSB 09-08-64-024, reprogram update to correct condition.

At least, I hope that's it and I'm not in for endless gremlins like some have experienced.

[gmdealerdude]

I am an Assistant Manager at a GM store. My fiancees' Enclave is having issues with the lift-gate. It opens randomly. My own service department said there was no bulletins, but after finding this thread and the TSB number, printed it and getting the tech to re-program the module. Will advise if it works.

[Enclave111]

Are there only certain years or production intervals that are impacted by the lift-gate issue and TSB?  I haven't had the problem in our 2010 but if it were to open in the garage, it would probably get scratched by the gararge door and I'd be steaming mad about it...

[GoldEnclave]

Based on the TSB code #09-08-64-024, it is for the '09's.

[Enclave111]

Pardon my TSB illiteracy, but does the 08 in the TSB code #09-08-64-024 mean that it applies to 2008's as well?  What might the other number fields denote?  I had assumed (apparently incorrectly) that the 09-08 meant the TSB was issued in August of 2009.  Thanks for the clarification.

[GoldEnclave]

Enclave111 , for illustration, #08-07-30-022 is the TSB for the transmission reflash issued on May 8, 2008 for the '08 Enclave. The first two-digit group refers to the model year involved in the bulletin, which is '08 in this case. I am not sure what the other groups denote, though it is possible that the second group provides a model year range for the TSB.  Regardless, the '10's are not involved in the lifgate TSB based on the MY outlined in the TSB code.  

[Enclave111]

Thank you GoldEnclave... glad to know that the liftgate issue doesn't apply to my new ride but also appreciate the explanation.

[wemiles]

Nope.  Just went outside to find the liftgate partially open.  I guess what that TSB does is cause it to stop trying open/close cycles after a certain number.

It's closed, in manual mode, with the dome light cycling every ten minutes like it did that first night.

Back to the dealer with it. 

[GoldEnclave]

Not good, wemiles, not good. Let us know what the dealer thinks now.

[wvbill]

I happened to catch the PBS series MotorWeek the other day and the guy who does the mechanic's section was talking about things hanging on ignition keychains causing wear.  He also mentioned people who have keyfobs that activate security system access locks, etc. "interacting with the car's electonics".

Made me wonder if things like EZPass toll devices might also be culprits?

[kidsenclave]

I happened to catch the PBS series MotorWeek the other day and the guy who does the mechanic's section was talking about things hanging on ignition keychains causing wear.  He also mentioned people who have keyfobs that activate security system access locks, etc. "interacting with the car's electonics".

Made me wonder if things like EZPass toll devices might also be culprits?

I saw that too, I just flipped over at the end of what he was talking about....will have to search for that episode, maybe on Youtube, but I'm thinking this is what's causing people's "dead batteries".  Never know.

[GoldEnclave]

Good thought, guys.

[wvbill]

Here's the link to the transcript from the program:

http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/goss/2923.shtml

Here's the Quote:
" The only thing you should have on your key-ring is the ignition key and, if your car has one, a door key-and nothing more! Especially nothing like this… this is a transponder that opens the door to the office. Well, that transponder can talk to the car before the one in your key, and you'll have this mysterious intermittent no-start problem that nobody can find. Just the two keys on your key-ring! "

Not much to go on.  Think I'll e-mail Pat Goss to see if he can provide more info....

[wemiles]

As an aside, when I saw what the liftgate was doing that first night -- cycling motors and all that -- my first thought was this would explain some of the dead battery mysteries.  Let that go on for a week or so and the battery wouldn't start the car.

Re: the liftgate.  Now it's developed a whole new level of malfunction.  The switch above the license plate only occasionally works and the one on the edge of the liftgate doesn't work at all.  Neither does the dash control.  This sounds more like a bad switch or motor than something correctable by a software patch.

I'm giving Buick one more chance to fix this then it's off to the Ford dealer to trade it for a Lincoln MKT.

[johnb]

For what it's worth, I have an 08 that had the mysterious liftgate cycling problems soon after purchase. They replaced the switch on the bottom of the liftgate and no more problem. Also had dead battery problems. At first they thought the battery checked ok but they eventually replaced it and haven't had any more problems.