You can power open or close the liftgate with the following controls:

• Instrument panel control button
• Transmitter button
• Outside liftgate control button
• Control button in the rear cargo area

Opening and closing the power liftgate:

WARNING: Make sure all persons are clear of the power liftgate area before using the power liftgate control.

WARNING: Keep keys out of reach of children. Do not allow children to play near an open or moving power liftgate.

The liftgate will only operate with the vehicle in P (Park).

When the liftgate is being power closed, a chime will sound three times as the liftgate begins to power close. A single chime indicates a problem with the close request, caused by:

• the ignition is on and the transmission is not in P (Park);
• or the battery voltage is below the minimum operating voltage;
• or the vehicle speed is at or above 3 mph (5 km/h).

If the liftgate reverses and starts to close after an open request, a fast continuous chime indicates excessive load on the gate or a possible strut failure. If any excessive load is removed and you still have a faster chime, have the system serviced immediately by your authorized dealer.

Do not attempt to manually force the liftgate to travel faster than the power system will permit. This will activate the obstacle detection feature.

Note: Cycling the ignition prior to completely latching the liftgate could result in damage to the liftgate and/or its power components. Make sure the liftgate is fully latched before operating the vehicle.

Care should be exercised in starting the engine before the liftgate is fully closed (latched). If the ignition is cycled during a liftgate power close cycle and the liftgate is 6–10 inches (15–24 cm) from being latched, the liftgate may reverse to the full open position. Verify that the gate is closed before operating or moving the vehicle, especially in an enclosure, like a garage or a parking structure. The liftgate or its components could be damaged in an enclosure if the liftgate is open while the vehicle is being operated.

When power operating the liftgate at temperatures below 32°F (0°C), the liftgate may stop about 5 inches (12.7 cm) from the full open position.

The liftgate can be fully opened by pushing it upward to the maximum open position.

The power liftgate feature can be enabled or disabled using the message center controls. With the setting turned off, power operation is disabled from the liftgate handle button and from the rear cargo area button. The transmitter and instrument panel switch will still continue to operate the liftgate regardless of the position state of the message center. Refer to Message center in the Instrument Cluster chapter.

To power open or close the liftgate from the instrument panel:

Press the button, located to the left of the steering column, once to power open or close the liftgate.

To power open or close the liftgate with the transmitter:

Press twice within three seconds to power open or close the liftgate.

Refer to Remote entry system in the Locks and Security chapter.

To power open the liftgate with outside liftgate control button:

1. Unlock the liftgate with the transmitter or power door unlock control. If the intelligent access transmitter is within 3 feet (1 meter) of the liftgate, the liftgate will unlock when you press the liftgate release button.
2. To open the liftgate, press the control button located in the top of the liftgate pull cup handle.

Note: For the best performance allow the power system to open the liftgate after pressing the control. Manually pushing or pulling the liftgate may activate the system’s obstacle detection feature and stop the power operation.

To power close the liftgate with the rear cargo area control button:

Press and release the control on the left rear quarter panel to close the liftgate.

Note: The rear cargo area control button is disabled when the liftgate is latched.

WARNING: Keep clear of the liftgate when activating the rear switch.

Note: The liftgate movement direction can be reversed with a second press of the instrument panel, or the rear cargo area control button, or a second double press of the transmitter button.

To manually operate the liftgate:

1. Disable the liftgate power function. Refer to Message center in the Instrument Cluster chapter.
2. Open and close the liftgate as you would a standard liftgate. Refer to Manual liftgate operation in this chapter.

Note: In case of operation in extreme cold -40°F (-40°C), or on extreme inclines, manual operation of the liftgate is suggested.

Obstacle detection:

The power liftgate system is equipped with an obstacle detection feature.

If the power liftgate is closing, the system will reverse to full open when it detects an obstacle. A chime will sound three times when an obstacle is detected as the liftgate begins to reopen. Once the obstacle is removed, the liftgate can be closed under power.

If the power liftgate is opening, the system will stop and a chime will sound three times when an obstacle is detected. Once the obstacle is removed, the liftgate can again be operated normally.

Resetting the power liftgate:

The power liftgate may not operate properly and may need to be reset if any of these conditions occur:

• a low voltage or dead battery
• disconnected battery
• the liftgate is manually closed and left ajar (unlatched)

To reset the power liftgate:

1. Disconnect the battery for 20 seconds then, reconnect the battery.
2. Manually close and fully latch the liftgate.
3. Power open the liftgate by using the transmitter, or the instrument panel control button.

Note: If the power liftgate system is turned off in the message center, the system cannot be activated with the outside release handle or rear cargo area control button. The system will need to be turned on to resume operation with the outside release handle or rear cargo area control button. The power liftgate is still operational through the use of the remote entry transmitter and instrument panel button when the power liftgate is turned off in the message center.

Manual liftgate operation

The liftgate cargo area is only intended for cargo, not for passengers.

To open the liftgate, press the button located in the top of the liftgate pull cup handle to unlatch the liftgate, then pull on the handle.

• Exercise care when opening or closing the liftgate in a garage or other enclosed area. The liftgate could be damaged against a garage door, low ceiling or wall.
• Do not hang anything (bike rack, etc.) from the spoiler/glass or liftgate. Doing so could cause serious damage to the liftgate and its components.
• Do not leave the liftgate open while driving. Doing so could cause serious damage to the liftgate and its components as well as allowing carbon monoxide to enter the vehicle.

WARNING: Make sure that the liftgate is closed to prevent exhaust fumes from being drawn into the vehicle. This will also prevent passengers and cargo from falling out. If you must drive with the liftgate door open, keep the vehicle well ventilated so outside air comes into the vehicle.

Liftgate ajar signal

If the liftgate is not fully latched, you will receive a “LIFTGATE AJAR” message on the instrument panel. If you see this message, check the liftgate door to ensure it is fully latched.

Note: In the event of a power failure, the latch can be accessed and released from the inside using the access panel on the liftgate trim.