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DTomanic

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
RAV4 XLE Hybrid 2021.
Found tailgate wide opened on parked vehicle five times so far. Once it was opening while I was driving.
First I assumed that may be due to inadvertently pressing the tailgate button on the car key. However when trying to open it by pressing this button, it requires to press and hold this button for 3 sec. in order to start opening the tailgate.
Complained about this at Toyota service shop recently. They replied that I will have to remove an after market installed remote starter wiring in order for them to do any investigation. Last winter I asked the same service shop to install remote starter, but they replied that Toyota service does not do this. They recommended me a shop that can do this so I had this installed by that recommended shop. Now they ask me to remove this?
I asked this shop if they had any similar issues with this installation on RAVs. They said that this kind of remote they installed on hundreds of Toyota RAVs but had never any issue of this kind before. They recommended that they will disconnect remote starter which will be enough for Toyota to continue investigating. So I plan to do this next.
I started suspecting that Toyota car key may be faulty, some sort of shorting and sending a signal to tailgate to open. This I can detect by simply swapping this key with the second (spare) key, but I don't want to do many things at the same time, I could not find the root cause.
Anyone with similar experience, or if somebody know what may be the cause of this malfunction?
 
#2 ·
I'm thinkin it's related to the aftermarket remote starter and the kick sensor that can be used to open the tailgate. Leave your key somewhere far away from the car, walk up to your car when it's locked or however you normally leave it, and see if you can use the kick sensor to activate the tailgate. (Like.. car must be able to detect key to remote start when you're not there, and the rear kick sensor also detects the key, allowing kick sensor to work at all times)
www.rav4world.com

4.5 Hybrid Limited, locked, alone, in garage, rear hatch...

The first time (maybe a month, maybe two months ago?) this happened, I did not write down a time or date but dismissed it as a mental holiday due to the amount of alcohol and drugs consumed at a much earlier age. Tonight, about 8:24, the Toyota App lit my iPhone up with an alert that a door was...
www.rav4world.com www.rav4world.com
 
#3 ·
I have read about other cases of this happening.

I think it might be related to the remote starter.
When purchasing my RAV4 my dealership refused to install an aftermarket remote starter and recommended I not take it somewhere else and have it done.
They told me the reason they don't install remote starts in hybrids is because it seems to mess with the electrical system of the car and they have had too many problems with cars with them installed.

Not sure how true it is, but I have the remote start through my fob and app anyways, so I didn't need it.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I have not added anything like that to my car, and I have had the tailgate open by itself probably 10 times in the last couple years. I blame the keyfob in my pocket pressing up against a key on my keyring. I am not sure what I can do about that.

It's especially annoying when it does it when the car is in the garage, and the door jambs up against my garage door, and I do not notice and press the garage door opener button, and the garage door jambs against the tailgate. I have lots of little nicks on the edge of the tailgate from when this happened.
 
#5 ·
camfused said:
I have not added anything like that to my car, and I have had the tailgate open by itself probably 10 times in the last couple years. I blame the keyfob in my pocket pressing up against a key on my keyring. I am not sure what I can do about that.

It's especially annoying when it does it when the car is in the garage, and the door jambs up against my garage door, and I do not notice and press the garage door opener button, and the garage door jambs against the tailgate. I have lots of little nicks on the edge of the tailgate from when this happened.
Click to expand...
I too have not added remote start, etc to my Rav4 and have had the tailgate open twice now. The most recent occurrence was a couple of night ago in my garage as I was removing something from the reardriver side floor. Lucky for me I heard the beeping warning and grabbed the hatch to stop it from hitting the closed garage door. Both instances I had another key in my pocket along with the key fob. I guess I may have to start carrying the key fob in an empty pocket.
 
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#6 ·
javadoo said:
I have read about other cases of this happening.

I think it might be related to the remote starter.
When purchasing my RAV4 my dealership refused to install an aftermarket remote starter and recommended I not take it somewhere else and have it done.
They told me the reason they don't install remote starts in hybrids is because it seems to mess with the electrical system of the car and they have had too many problems with cars with them installed.

Not sure how true it is, but I have the remote start through my fob and app anyways, so I didn't need it.
Click to expand...
Interesting. One of the the deal breaker items we wanted installed on our 22 premium is remote start and heated seats. If we couldnt have those then we would find something else and the dealer said no problem. We didnt opt for the bigger infotainment and JBL. So im assuming its just an add on some place else.
 
#7 ·
TxStVanWilder said:
Interesting. One of the the deal breaker items we wanted installed on our 22 premium is remote start and heated seats. If we couldnt have those then we would find something else and the dealer said no problem. We didnt opt for the bigger infotainment and JBL. So im assuming its just an add on some place else.
Click to expand...
Multiple others have stated it’s happened to them without the remote start being installed so with people that have had that happen with the aftermarket remote start was probably a coincidence.
 
#8 ·
DTomanic said:
RAV4 XLE Hybrid 2021.
Found tailgate wide opened on parked vehicle five times so far. Once it was opening while I was driving.
First I assumed that may be due to inadvertently pressing the tailgate button on the car key. However when trying to open it by pressing this button, it requires to press and hold this button for 3 sec. in order to start opening the tailgate.
Complained about this at Toyota service shop recently. They replied that I will have to remove an after market installed remote starter wiring in order for them to do any investigation. Last winter I asked the same service shop to install remote starter, but they replied that Toyota service does not do this. They recommended me a shop that can do this so I had this installed by that recommended shop. Now they ask me to remove this?
I asked this shop if they had any similar issues with this installation on RAVs. They said that this kind of remote they installed on hundreds of Toyota RAVs but had never any issue of this kind before. They recommended that they will disconnect remote starter which will be enough for Toyota to continue investigating. So I plan to do this next.
I started suspecting that Toyota car key may be faulty, some sort of shorting and sending a signal to tailgate to open. This I can detect by simply swapping this key with the second (spare) key, but I don't want to do many things at the same time, I could not find the root cause.
Anyone with similar experience, or if somebody know what may be the cause of this malfunction?
Click to expand...
You said it opened while you were driving. Were you stopped at the time or were you moving?

I haven't tested this but I would assume that the activation of the power lift gate is blocked once the vehicle is moving.
 
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Discussion starter · #9 ·
Turtlepowa said:
I'm thinkin it's related to the aftermarket remote starter and the kick sensor that can be used to open the tailgate. Leave your key somewhere far away from the car, walk up to your car when it's locked or however you normally leave it, and see if you can use the kick sensor to activate the tailgate. (Like.. car must be able to detect key to remote start when you're not there, and the rear kick sensor also detects the key, allowing kick sensor to work at all times)
www.rav4world.com

4.5 Hybrid Limited, locked, alone, in garage, rear hatch...

The first time (maybe a month, maybe two months ago?) this happened, I did not write down a time or date but dismissed it as a mental holiday due to the amount of alcohol and drugs consumed at a much earlier age. Tonight, about 8:24, the Toyota App lit my iPhone up with an alert that a door was...
www.rav4world.com www.rav4world.com
Click to expand...
JFox562 said:
You said it opened while you were driving. Were you stopped at the time or were you moving?

I haven't tested this but I would assume that the activation of the power lift gate is blocked once the vehicle is moving.
Click to expand...
I remember, I was driving, just approaching the red lights. Stopped at red lights and my wife got out and closed the tailgate manually. it was scary!
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
Turtlepowa said:
I'm thinkin it's related to the aftermarket remote starter and the kick sensor that can be used to open the tailgate. Leave your key somewhere far away from the car, walk up to your car when it's locked or however you normally leave it, and see if you can use the kick sensor to activate the tailgate. (Like.. car must be able to detect key to remote start when you're not there, and the rear kick sensor also detects the key, allowing kick sensor to work at all times)
www.rav4world.com

4.5 Hybrid Limited, locked, alone, in garage, rear hatch...

The first time (maybe a month, maybe two months ago?) this happened, I did not write down a time or date but dismissed it as a mental holiday due to the amount of alcohol and drugs consumed at a much earlier age. Tonight, about 8:24, the Toyota App lit my iPhone up with an alert that a door was...
www.rav4world.com www.rav4world.com
Click to expand...
My car does not have the kick sensor. To eliminate the remote starter, it was disconnected today by the shop where it was installed. Now I need to monitor for 5-6 months if the tailgate self-opening going to re occur, if so, I can bring it to Toyota service for investigation.
 
#12 ·
Try replacing the battery in the key fob. The battery is supposed to last 1-2 years. See p. 120 of the manual. I have a 2021 Rav4 Hybrid. It started randomly opening the rear door on its own a month or so ago, which was about 15 months after I got it. I looked in the manual, which states, "If the key battery is depleted the following symptoms may occur: The smart key system (if equipped) and wireless remote control will not function properly. The operational range will be reduced." I replaced the battery in the key fob (it's a CR2032) and it has stopped randomly opening. See p. 618 of the manual. It's supposed to give an alert when the battery needs replacing, but I didn't get one.
 
#13 ·
I have a stock XLE that is not quite 2 months old. No remote starter nor a kick sensor. Other than a dash cam I've installed no after-market accessories. This has happened to me once.

Details are: I went out to walk my dog one evening and saw the the tailgate was open--I had had the car for less than two weeks (Bought March 20 and key hook delivered from Amazon on March 30, so, yeah. Right after I got it.). Like you I thought I had pressed the button on the fob accidentally while bending over, as I kept it in my pocket pretty much 24/7. I used to set off the car alarm on my previous car, a Kia Sportage, all the time (like, weekly) bending over with the fob & other crap in my pocket.

I put a key hook next to the door and I'm getting in the habit of hanging my key there when I return home, and it has not happened since.
 
#14 ·
camfused said:
It's especially annoying when it does it when the car is in the garage, and the door jambs up against my garage door, and I do not notice and press the garage door opener button, and the garage door jambs against the tailgate. I have lots of little nicks on the edge of the tailgate from when this happened.
Click to expand...
You could maybe try to set-up the max height of the tailgate to open? I don't recall the procedure to do so, but I believe it's possible to limit how wide/high the gate will open. This might save your paint :)
 
#15 ·
Chemicalstorm said:
You could maybe try to set-up the max height of the tailgate to open? I don't recall the procedure to do so, but I believe it's possible to limit how wide/high the gate will open. This might save your paint :)
Click to expand...
Or hang a cork by a rope from the roof of the garage to show you how far to pull into the garage so it doesn't happen.
 
#17 ·
DTomanic said:
RAV4 XLE Hybrid 2021.
Found tailgate wide opened on parked vehicle five times so far. Once it was opening while I was driving.
First I assumed that may be due to inadvertently pressing the tailgate button on the car key. However when trying to open it by pressing this button, it requires to press and hold this button for 3 sec. in order to start opening the tailgate.
Complained about this at Toyota service shop recently. They replied that I will have to remove an after market installed remote starter wiring in order for them to do any investigation. Last winter I asked the same service shop to install remote starter, but they replied that Toyota service does not do this. They recommended me a shop that can do this so I had this installed by that recommended shop. Now they ask me to remove this?
I asked this shop if they had any similar issues with this installation on RAVs. They said that this kind of remote they installed on hundreds of Toyota RAVs but had never any issue of this kind before. They recommended that they will disconnect remote starter which will be enough for Toyota to continue investigating. So I plan to do this next.
I started suspecting that Toyota car key may be faulty, some sort of shorting and sending a signal to tailgate to open. This I can detect by simply swapping this key with the second (spare) key, but I don't want to do many things at the same time, I could not find the root cause.
Anyone with similar experience, or if somebody know what may be the cause of this malfunction?
Click to expand...
We have found our tailgate open three times over the past 6 weeks. Twice in the garage pressing against the garage door, and once outside while parked on the street. (2022 RAV4 XLE we bought end of September 2022)

On other vehicles we have owned, I have inadvertently had the panic buttons pushed while in my pocket with other keys. So I think that is the problem with having the Tailgate Lift button on the key FOB. So on another post I read that the cars computer can be programmed so you can disable the key FOBs Tailgate lift. I found information where the Dealership can program the cars computer to disable the remote tailgate lift in the user manual "Power back door 9-2 Customization page 689".

Our dealership Service Rep was unaware of this ability to "customize". I had even photocopied the page in the user manual with yellow highlighter for what we needed, but the Service Rep's assistant failed to give it to him and left it on the console for the first mechanic who must of missed seeing the photocopy. An hour later, the Service Rep said it couldn't be done without completely disabling the key FOB remote. So I showed the Service Rep the photo on my cell phone of the user manual page, then he came back saying the Master Technician could do it for one hour service fee of $189.19 because it was customization and not warranty work. (Oh brother). Be prepared to educate them. Most are newer employees.

One more thing. While walking out to the car I tried the remote Tailgate button and it still hadn't been disabled. The Master Technician forgot to save the file while he was showing us other options that could be changed. LOL. It happens when you get distracted. But he should have tested it after programming.
 
#18 ·
camfused said:
I have not added anything like that to my car, and I have had the tailgate open by itself probably 10 times in the last couple years. I blame the keyfob in my pocket pressing up against a key on my keyring. I am not sure what I can do about that.

It's especially annoying when it does it when the car is in the garage, and the door jambs up against my garage door, and I do not notice and press the garage door opener button, and the garage door jambs against the tailgate. I have lots of little nicks on the edge of the tailgate from when this happened.
Click to expand...
I recommend the Silent Pocket Faraday key fob case in extra small size. I buy mine at Amazon.ca as they are hard to find in Ontario, Canada. I keep all my Toyota fobs in these. The material is somewhat stiff so the buttons will not be pressed accidentally and also protects them from other metals/keys you may have in pocket or purse since these wireless fobs are NOT to be with metal.
 
#19 ·
So I have found my tailgate self opened 3 times so far. The only constant variables are that I had just used the tailgate and closed it with the button on the rear hatch, and the weather was light rain and cool temps around 40F. I had parked the car overnight and come out the next morning to find the hatch wide open.

Key fob has always been on a table where accidental presses would not happen. No aftermarket add ons. no kick to open option.
 
#20 ·
DTomanic said:
RAV4 XLE Hybrid 2021.
Found tailgate wide opened on parked vehicle five times so far. Once it was opening while I was driving.
First I assumed that may be due to inadvertently pressing the tailgate button on the car key. However when trying to open it by pressing this button, it requires to press and hold this button for 3 sec. in order to start opening the tailgate.
Complained about this at Toyota service shop recently. They replied that I will have to remove an after market installed remote starter wiring in order for them to do any investigation. Last winter I asked the same service shop to install remote starter, but they replied that Toyota service does not do this. They recommended me a shop that can do this so I had this installed by that recommended shop. Now they ask me to remove this?
I asked this shop if they had any similar issues with this installation on RAVs. They said that this kind of remote they installed on hundreds of Toyota RAVs but had never any issue of this kind before. They recommended that they will disconnect remote starter which will be enough for Toyota to continue investigating. So I plan to do this next.
I started suspecting that Toyota car key may be faulty, some sort of shorting and sending a signal to tailgate to open. This I can detect by simply swapping this key with the second (spare) key, but I don't want to do many things at the same time, I could not find the root cause.
Anyone with similar experience, or if somebody know what may be the cause of this malfunction?
Click to expand...
My tailgate opened on its own while I was sitting in the car, unlocked, not running. I closed it with the button on the dash panel and about 2 minutes later it did the same thing. Not sure what to do, except keep the doors locked at all times!
 
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