Trunk & Tailgate Lock Motors, Switches, Relays

Power trunks and tailgates are convenience features found on many newer vehicles that enable effortless access to the rear of the vehicle. With a simple touch, the trunk or tailgate opens within seconds, which is a real convenience when you’ve got an armload of groceries or gear to stow. For the ultimate convenience, the Ford Escape gesture powered tailgate only requires you to gently pass your foot under the rear bumper to open or close the tailgate, so you neither need to physically touch the vehicle nor take your key from your pocket.

The most basic power trunk has an electric motor that releases the latch, and the trunk still has to be manually raised. Some vehicles have springs that push the lid open when the latch is released. Instead of manually closing the trunk to the point it latches, vehicles with trunk pull down motors pull the lid closed when it is placed within a few inches of the opening. Luxury vehicles with full power trunks have electric or electro/hydraulic motors that fully open and close the trunk lid when a button on the key fob, or door or dash panel, is pressed. The trunk can also be closed using a button on the underside of the lid. All vehicles with conventional trunks produced since 2002 have an inside trunk release to prevent someone from becoming trapped in the enclosure. The release mechanism must be phosphorescent (glow-in-the-dark) so it can easily be located.

The proliferation of SUVs has made power tailgates ubiquitous. Like power trunks, such tailgates feature an electric motor that actuates the lock, and another that powers the door open and closed. When access to the rear of the vehicle is desired, a button on the key fob, or door or dash panel is pressed and the latch is released and the tailgate raised. On many vehicles, the raised height of the tailgate can be adjusted for greater convenience. To close the tailgate, the aforementioned buttons can be pressed along with a button on the underside of the tailgate. A built-in safety feature of most tailgates stops the closing process if an obstruction is detected, automatically reversing the direction. This is made for added comfort and safety.

As of this writing, the Ford hands-free tailgate may be one the most sophisticated systems on the market. Of course, not just anyone can present their foot under the bumper and open the tailgate, nor will it open when an animal wanders or an errant ball rolls under the vehicle. The vehicle must first detect and identify the operator’s remote key fob. Sensors at each end of the bumper form an electric field. When this field is interrupted by the kicking motion of the remote holder’s foot, a signal is sent to a control module that commands electric motors to unlock and raise the tailgate.

Power-operated trunks/tailgates make it quick and easy to load and unload your prized possession, since you have both hands free, eliminating the need to get out of a vehicle when your passenger wants to put or get back their belongings out of it. You won’t need to rush back and forth from your seat to the trunk or tailgate, as it often the case, somebody forgot to put or take something out there. The most high-end systems like Ford featuring next-generation gesture technology deliver the utmost convenience, enabling the driver to operate the tailgate from the kerbside. However, as with any kind of vehicle part, it is likely that at some point during its lifetime, a trunk or tailgate will need to be repaired or replaced. Imagine the frustration when heading out on a family/hunting trip or anywhere in-between, and being unable to open the trunk/tailgate with all your gear and equipment locked inside. That’s why swap out your failing or malfunctioning parts in time. Dozens of high-quality and functional power tailgate and trunk replacement components are right there waiting for you as soon as you need to perform a high-quality repair. They will help restore the proper functionality and smooth operation of your trunk or tailgate, making it safe and convenient to control it from the comfort of the driver’s seat.