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2003 Tourer tailgate won't open/. warning light on

Not sure if this is helpful but it helped me with my tailgate after I incorrectly diagnosed the faulty tailgate by replacing the locking mechanism. Can't remember the member who told me but make sure the tailgate handle isn't stuck as mine was as it wouldn't close automatically and led me down a whole heap of crap. Once the handle was unstuck and a good dose of WD40 sprayed up there, no problems at all.
 
Not sure if this is helpful but it helped me with my tailgate after I incorrectly diagnosed the faulty tailgate by replacing the locking mechanism. Can't remember the member who told me but make sure the tailgate handle isn't stuck as mine was as it wouldn't close automatically and led me down a whole heap of crap. Once the handle was unstuck and a good dose of WD40 sprayed up there, no problems at all.

Thank you for the tip. I will lubricate the handle mechanism just in case that is where the fault starts.
 
Im sure my lock mechanism/handle is free as it was fully lubricated before i diagnosed the broken wire in the summer.It was all like new in there anyway but i will take a good look at the outer portion behind the release catch...this area could potentially get damp/wet as spray gets sucked onto rear of car when driving in rain.thx antdad
 
Im sure my lock mechanism/handle is free as it was fully lubricated before i diagnosed the broken wire in the summer.It was all like new in there anyway but i will take a good look at the outer portion behind the release catch...this area could potentially get damp/wet as spray gets sucked onto rear of car when driving in rain.thx antdad
Where did you find the broken wire? Was the tailgate still occasionally working ok before you fixed it?
 
Where did you find the broken wire? Was the tailgate still occasionally working ok before you fixed it?
It was working fine then one day the tailgate went up n never came down! I eventually decided to strip it all down at the beginning of lockdown and eventually found my fault.
The broken wire is a well known cause of tailgate failure...many of us have had this happen at some point.On the left hand hinge there is a wiring loom the runs around said hinge,hidden behind a protective black sleeve.Carefully prize it apart and you will find around 15/20 wires of various colours.Problem is over time and relentless use these wires become brittle and snap....mine was a red wire.I think they designed the loom to remain still at hinge but it doesnt.Very easy fix once found using some speaker wire and soldering iron.
Take time and study hard as the offending wire may not be visible at first glance but youll eventually find it.The tailgate is complicated but very well designed and built,just a shame a few crappy wires causes so many owners headaches.A lack of a manual mechanical bootlid catch is rediculous....only way to open if any component fails is crawl through car removing inspection panel and flicking a tiny lever,grrrr lol
 
Haven't managed to check mine yet but all these tips are great! these tail gates are a real pain!
I shall definitely be stripping the trim and checking/cleaning all wires/fixings/mechanisms etc first. I did manage to get it to close when it was open by the button on the boot, not sure what this means but obviously there is power there. I would never take it anywhere to be ripped off, these can be fixed with a little time and detective work although they do have quite a locking mechanism so hope it's not that otherwise I'm gonna design a manual release somehow :D it's not fun climbing over those back seats, especially after Xmas!
 
Hi Maybe worth spraying lubricant over the tailgate lock, flip the panel out and operate the the manual release lever,(white plastic) a few times. Cheapest and quickest option for me.
Another possible is the gas struts x2 are on the way out and overloading the motor over time. with the tailgate opened with the motor, can you lift/push the tailgate further up? Theres a supplier SGS in Derby that make new struts, no idea if any good or competitive on price. I have no personal interest with SGS :) or needed to purchase any yet.
 
I have a tailgate problem that I can't find on any forums so it would be great if anyone can help!

The problem is that when I try to activate the tailgate from the fob, it does open and starts to lift but then after a few cms it starts beeping and shuts itself and then stops responding completely to either the fob or the button when opened.
It doesn't jam locked or unlocked and manual activation is fine.
I have tried the reset as suggested on this thread by disconnecting t he battery while the boot is open but it didn't do anything.
I don't think it is is a wire as it is essentially working up to a point.
Any ideas?
 
Any ideas?

I'm only guessing but your tailgate fouling mechanism/sensor is being activated as soon as it opens and then closing and then the tailgate is completely failing to respond? That indicates to me you probably have a controller issue ie check the wiring loom at the tailgate hinge for physical breaks or shorts, I think that is still your first port of call as it appears to be an electronic issue imo.
 
I'm only guessing but your tailgate fouling mechanism/sensor is being activated as soon as it opens and then closing and then the tailgate is completely failing to respond? That indicates to me you probably have a controller issue ie check the wiring loom at the tailgate hinge for physical breaks or shorts, I think that is still your first port of call as it appears to be an electronic issue imo.
Thanks. I was hoping for an idea that didn't involve getting into the wiring. but I fear you may be right!
 
@HondaAccordTourerOX

Oh, just read Acowner's response above about struts being tired and on their way out, tired struts would possibly overload the motor and activate your tailgate to start closing prematurely.

Try this then... as soon as the tailgate starts to lift tuck your fingers underneath and see if you can help lift it open to stop it prematurely activating to close.
 
@HondaAccordTourerOX

Oh, just read Acowner's response above about struts being tired and on their way out, tired struts would possibly overload the motor and activate your tailgate to start closing prematurely.

Try this then... as soon as the tailgate starts to lift tuck your fingers underneath and see if you can help lift it open to stop it prematurely activating to close.
Good idea. Although I'm hoping its not the struts!
 
Empty the boot, remove the lower trim and check there is no water in the wheel well first.

It would also be worthwhile keeping the boot and driver window down for an hour or so, give the interior an airing.
 
What is the software required to read this manual?

Internet Explorer

Open with IE>Execute IE>Say no to close window.

Navigating is a bit odd, chose your model year then model, select workshop manual then topic and use the magnification search button in the top left of window to search that topic.
 
Success! It was actually very easy and I am very lucky, but here's what happened:

To recap: The power tailgate stopped responding to the key fob and the button. After a battery reset, it would start to open (from fob) but after a few inches of lift, beeps (as if there was an obstruction) and close. After then, the power lock would not work and no buttons again.
The Fix: After some recommendations to have a look at the wiring, I popped off the trim and plastic cover to open up the wiring on the left hinge. It all looked pretty clean with nothing worn and stretched or even dirty to be honest. Now, I am not a very advanced amateur mechanic, so the thoughts of pulling out the wiring and soldering is beyond me, so with no obvious visible frayed wires, I was resolved to taking it to the Honda dealer. So i packed it carefully back into the plastic cover and closed the boot. And when I closed the boot the power lock enabled. So I tried the key fob and button and everything is hunky dory again! Hopefully it lasts.

Thanks very much to honda_saj for giving me the impetus to at least have a go. And antdad for his advice also. Saved me a trip to the mechanic and a potentially expensive diagnostic!
 
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