Power liftgate provides you with the facility of opening and closing it without getting out of your car. Unfortunately, sometimes the power liftgate of the Jeep Grand Cherokee may encounter some issues. Those issues may get worse if not fixed early.
So, what are the Jeep Grand Cherokee Power Liftgate Problems? The liftgate can have issues like getting stuck, broken control, malfunctioning sensor, etc. Sometimes, the liftgate can open even without any input signal, and sometimes it also closes automatically after a few seconds of opening.
We are going to provide an in-depth discussion about the possible causes of those problems and ways to resolve them in your Jeep Grand Cherokee. So stay tuned!
Table of Contents
How Does Power Liftgate Differ From A Manual Liftgate?
A liftgate is electrical or hydraulic system equipment that is located on the rear of the Jeep. It lifts the load from the ground to the height of the Jeep floor. The opening mechanism of the liftgate can be both electrical and manual.
A power liftgate opens and shuts down electronically. You just need to press or hold a button inside a car, the hatch, or the key fob. In older iterations, you need to unlock the car with a key fob before activating the hatch. You can also disable the power operation if you desire to close it manually.
On the other hand, a manual liftgate has a similar design to a power liftgate, but it doesn’t have any motor. You need to engage with the handle for opening and closing it.
Jeep Grand Cherokee Power Liftgate Problems: At a Glance
Here, we are going to mention some common troubles that you may find on the electrical liftgate of the Grand Cherokee. You will also find some causes of those issues here.
| Problems | Reasons |
| The liftgate Doesn’t Open and Close Accurately | The rubber lining of a power liftgate gets damaged due to dust, particles, debris, and moistureFluid droplets passed into the control modulesThe alternative flow of the voltage |
| Key Fob Stops Working | Drainage of batteryCracking of the internal switchesErroneously Closing or opening a liftgate manuallyLack of coordination between key fob and sensors |
| Liftgate Closes within Seconds after Opening | Blown-out fuseThe modified flow of voltageExcessive current load from the corresponding circuitFaulty electrical routeWires can tangle due to elevated temperature |
| Liftgate Open Without Any Input Signals | Faulty latch actuatorA cluster of particles and debrisOscillations of voltage flowAbsurd grease and grime on the actuator |
| The malfunctioning Liftgate | When excess electrical power flows, it stops supporting the powered control activity of a liftgateErratic 12-volt meterBroken hatch due to a sudden oscillation of power |
| Gate doesn’t move after pushing the Button | Cracked button due to excessive or improper usageFluctuations of the voltage flow |
| The malfunctioning sensor of a liftgate | Excessive heat damages the sensorsExcess use of sensors elevates the internal temperature |
How To Identify Jeep Grand Cherokee Power Liftgate Problems?
You need to identify the troubles first before fixing them. Here are a few methods for detecting faulty parts.
Power Liftgate button Checking
The first thing that you need to do is check if your remote key is functioning properly or not. For this, click on the other key fob buttons along with pressing the lock and unlock buttons one after another. If still the liftgate doesn’t open, there might be an issue with the buttons.
Checking the switch of the electrical Liftgate
Sometimes, everything could be alright with your Jeep. But, just because the switch is turned off, the liftgate doesn’t operate. So, we suggest you check the placement of the switch position before you decide that the liftgate is damaged.
Using an advanced Scan Tool
The scan tool is very helpful in detecting problems as it provides a record of failure. Therefore, you can quickly decide where the troubles could arise.
You can command the scan tool to show the “last open fail data”. Then, you will be able to access the information regarding the car’s module failure.
Opening the power liftgate manually
After opening the liftgate yourself, you will be able to inspect the interior parts of the rear gate. In this case, you need to pull out trim plugs that are placed on the liftgate’s interior sides. Hence, you must press a screwdriver that has a flat-blade head on the rear gate while pressing the release for this.
Checking for blown Fuse
Once you are done with opening the liftgate, check the DSPLY fuse of the fusebox. You can do this in two ways.
- First, touch the two sides, testing the light kit on each side of the fuse. If the testing kit radiates lights, it means the fuse is in a good condition.
- Even if you don’t have a testing light kit, you can still check the fuse condition. For this, inspect the interior wires of the fuse. If the wires are broken, it means it’s a blown fuse.
Removing of Liftgate panel
It is the process of removing and reinstalling the liftgate panel. You need to remove it to check if there is any issue with it. After checking, you need to put the liftgate panel again into its place.
Testing the electrical connectors
The actuator transfers the signals to the power close button of the lifting gate’s latch. Mainly, thicker wires are responsible for activating the actuator. So, you need to place a testing kit on these thick wires to check the connectors’ condition.
How To Resolve a Jeep Grand Cherokee Power Liftgate Problems?
The problems with a power liftgate can be very discrete. Below we’ll discuss 7 of the most common issues and their solutions.
The power liftgate Doesn’t Open and Close Accurately
There is a rubber lining around the frame of a Cherokee power liftgate. It is useful for better adjustment, but it is very vulnerable to moisture and debris. It can even cause burning and short circuits in the system.
Solutions
- Tidy up the rubber lining of a liftgate using a cleaning agent or duster
- Dodge any kind of accumulation of water
- Maintain the electrical module of your car dry from the interior
Key Fob Stops Working
Jeep Cherokee has push buttons for opening and closing the liftgate. You have to push the button two bits within 4-5 seconds to open the liftgate. But, when this issue occurs, the regulators stop functioning.
Solutions
- Fix the drainage of the battery or replace that
- Examine if the switch is functioning well. If not, replace it with a new switch
- Inspects the functionality of the module and sensors of the liftgate
- You can also install an upgraded module and new control buttons
Liftgate Closes within Seconds after Opening
When this problem occurs, a power liftgate shows erratic behavior. Thus, when you press the button, it opens, but within a few seconds, it starts to shut again. Considerable electric amenities are kind of responsible for this.
Solutions
- Extract the blown a fuse and replace it with a new one
- Replace the damaged and non-insulated wires
- Consult with a mechanic
Liftgate Open Without Any Input Signals
The latch actuator helps in lifting the liftgate with the assistance of a remote. So, when it becomes damaged, the signal-receiving system faces issues. Thus, the rear gate may open automatically without any signal.
Solutions
- You have to withdraw the screw from the lowermost side of the gate
- Then pull out the damaged, broken, and worn-out actuator
- Install a new actuator and attach that to the control module
Malfunctioning Liftgate
A 12-volt high-performance motor provides constant power to the rear gate, but this motor is very vulnerable and tiny.
So, it can’t withstand the extra voltage than the routine value. Hence, it causes malfunctioning of the rear gate if there is any impulsive difference in voltage.
Solutions
- Troubleshooting motor performance with a specialized meter
- If you find any issues, extract them from the system
- To stabilize the current flow, you need to replace the motor
Gate doesn’t move after pushing the Button
The push buttons on the instrument panel send a digital signal to the liftgate when you press them. But, if any issue occurs with these buttons, you can’t shift the liftgate no matter how forcefully you press those pushing buttons.
Solutions
- First, manually open the liftgate
- Take a digital meter and monitor the current flow and internal switches
- Next, you ought to alter the internal switches to consistent and high-quality ones
Malfunctioning Liftgate In Hot Weather
The liftgate sensor can identify the signal for shifting the liftgate. However, when excessive heat damages the sensor, it can’t recognize the signal.
Solutions
- If the sensor or detector of your liftgate is damaged, you need to alter it
- Accommodate the sensors in a particular network
- Try to enhance the stability of the sensor
- Ask for help from experts
FAQs
In this FAQ section, we are going to answer a few common questions asked by people about problems with the electrical power liftgate of the Grand Cherokee.
Q: Is it Ok If I Close the Power Liftgate Manually?
It will be alright to do so unless you don’t slam it shut. Also, it can prolong the durability of the motor that closes an automated liftgate. But make certain that you are not shutting it manually when the automatic process is going on. It will damage the car.
Q: What is the Cost of Fixing A Power Liftgate in a Grand Cherokee?
It varies with the part that you are going to rectify. If you want to fix the pull-down motor of your Cherokee liftgate, you need to pay approximately $237 to $250. On the other hand, replacing the support strut of your car’s liftgate will cost you nearly $112 to $119.
Q: Will It Drain The Battery if I Leave Jeep Grand Cherokee Power Liftgate Open?
If you are using an old grand Cherokee, leaving a power liftgate open for a longer duration will drain the battery. The reason is, the older battery has less available power. However, if your car or battery is new, you won’t encounter battery drainage for leaving the liftgate open.
Final Thoughts
In this article, we talked about some common Jeep Grand Cherokee Power Liftgate Issues. As soon as you identify those problems, try to fix them. That is because if you let those problems linger, it might result in more severe issues in your vehicle shortly.
Besides, as we already spoke of the ways for fixing them, you can get rid of these problems by following those steps. So good luck and drive safe!
