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Rear power lift gate failure due to battery issues?

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NullReferenceError

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I have a 2020 Rav4 Hybrid Limited. About 6 months ago I noticed my power rear lift gate wouldn't open, it would just let out one long beep. The strange thing is if I started the car it opens just fine. So that fact combined with what I read on this forum, and because I take a lot of short trips, I replaced my battery with a EverStart Max battery. This one, EverStart Maxx Lead Acid Automotive Battery, Group Size H4 12 Volt, 480 CCA - Walmart.com

That didn't seem to fix the issue and when I went in for service a mechanic said the battery wasn't performing very well, it's only 3 months old now. I guess the CCA was low?

So is it possible the battery isn't powerful enough? I noticed a cold day plus a short trip would cause the lift gate to get stuck.

I'm thinking about returning the walmart battery and getting a costco interstate, possibly AGM?

Costco | Interstate Batteries

costco.interstatebatteries.com costco.interstatebatteries.com
 
#4 ·
Did your service advisor mention ever hooking up your car to their diagnostic machine and see what happened when they tried to open the hatch? Did they run any load tests on the new battery to see if it was appropriately charged? Did you car ever get the DCM fix? Define short trips? Weather conditions? What accessories are on? Does the car otherwise drive ok? Is there any change just after you drive for a half hour at 55 MPH or more? Are all recalls up to date?
 
#5 ·
NullReferenceError said:
That didn't seem to fix the issue and when I went in for service a mechanic said the battery wasn't performing very well, it's only 3 months old now. I guess the CCA was low?

So is it possible the battery isn't powerful enough? I noticed a cold day plus a short trip would cause the lift gate to get stuck.
Click to expand...
1. The lift gate motors take very little power. Any battery in almost any state of charge will run them

2. How did he determine the new battery was not "performing well"? The proper way to check a battery is with a load test which most auto parts stores will do for free. Did your mechanic do a load test? What were the results?

3. Sounds like you have an obstruction or some resistance in opening the hatch. That is what the beep means. Might lube the hinges but most likely it may be in the struts.

4. When ever the battery is disconnected, the rear hatch is one of the items that must be reinitialized. Look in your owner manual for the procedure to do that.

Bottom line: your new battery is probably not the problem. Find the cause of the obstruction or resistance.
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
FKHeath said:
1. The lift gate motors take very little power. Any battery in almost any state of charge will run them

2. How did he determine the new battery was not "performing well"? The proper way to check a battery is with a load test which most auto parts stores will do for free. Did your mechanic do a load test? What were the results?

3. Sounds like you have an obstruction or some resistance in opening the hatch. That is what the beep means. Might lube the hinges but most likely it may be in the struts.

4. When ever the battery is disconnected, the rear hatch is one of the items that must be reinitialized. Look in your owner manual for the procedure to do that.

Bottom line: your new battery is probably not the problem. Find the cause of the obstruction or resistance.
Click to expand...
2. The mechanic did a load test and said it's underperforming, said it's only returning 380, which I assumed meant CCA?

3. I'll try lubing the struts and cleaning the hinge.

4. Will do, thanks!
 
#8 ·
Hello "NullReferenceError", I have a 2020 Rav4 Hybrid XLE, and have exactly same issue as your power pack door. on 1/8, 1/26 and 2/6 (today), it wouldn't open and just let out, with one long beep. if I started the car it opens just fine. Do you fix this issue after replace battery?

I take a lot of short trip as well. Thanks for your reply : )
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
peiming2008 said:
Hello "NullReferenceError", I have a 2020 Rav4 Hybrid XLE, and have exactly same issue as your power pack door. on 1/8, 1/26 and 2/6 (today), it wouldn't open and just let out, with one long beep. if I started the car it opens just fine. Do you fix this issue after replace battery?

I take a lot of short trip as well. Thanks for your reply : )
Click to expand...
Hi, a new battery did not fix the issue. I've found short trips and possibly cold weather makes the issue worse. If I start the car it usually opens just fine.

have you tried starting the car to see if that makes a difference?
 
#10 ·
peiming2008 said:
I have a 2020 Rav4 Hybrid, and have the same issue, did you solve this problem after change new battery again, thanks a lot.
Click to expand...
When you disconnect the 12 volt battery, the back hatch must be reinitialized. Your owners manual tells you how to do it.
 
#11 ·
Hello "NullReferenceError", when the car is driving for a while and warms up, the liftgate is open without issue. I went to a local Toyota dealer (2/8/2024), battery measured 391 CCA (rated original battery 345 CCA), result is good. They took few hours clean and lube hatch weatherstrip, where dealer fund the weatherstrip tacky and could be effecting opening when cold. I will update here couple months later, if the liftgate won’t open again.
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
peiming2008 said:
Hello "NullReferenceError", when the car is driving for a while and warms up, the liftgate is open without issue. I went to a local Toyota dealer (2/8/2024), battery measured 391 CCA (rated original battery 345 CCA), result is good. They took few hours clean and lube hatch weatherstrip, where dealer fund the weatherstrip tacky and could be effecting opening when cold. I will update here couple months later, if the liftgate won’t open again.
Click to expand...
Hi,

Thank you for update. I'll try lubing the weatherstrip and see if that helps. Keep me up to date if anything changes!
 
#13 ·
2/24//2024,power back door cannot open again, I have to manually open and close the lift gate to get it to work again. Back to Toyota dealer and check again, but they could not diagnose this issue.

Replaced new 12V battery (and re-set), no slight mis-alignment, power liftgate actuator is good etc.; but anyway the power back door still work intermittently (very very frustrated).
 
#14 ·
peiming2008 said:
2/24//2024,power back door cannot open again, I have to manually open and close the lift gate to get it to work again. Back to Toyota dealer and check again, but they could not diagnose this issue.

Replaced new 12V battery (and re-set), no slight mis-alignment, power liftgate actuator is good etc.; but anyway the power back door still work intermittently (very very frustrated).
Click to expand...
Try lubricating the hinges at the top of the hatch. Lots of people are getting bend hinges and difficulty opening the hatch due to corrosion inside the hinges. The hinges can actually rust up inside with no visible problems.
 
#16 ·
Discussion starter · #18 ·
#20 ·
NullReferenceError said:
I have a 2020 Rav4 Hybrid Limited. About 6 months ago I noticed my power rear lift gate wouldn't open, it would just let out one long beep. The strange thing is if I started the car it opens just fine. So that fact combined with what I read on this forum, and because I take a lot of short trips, I replaced my battery with a EverStart Max battery. This one, EverStart Maxx Lead Acid Automotive Battery, Group Size H4 12 Volt, 480 CCA - Walmart.com

That didn't seem to fix the issue and when I went in for service a mechanic said the battery wasn't performing very well, it's only 3 months old now. I guess the CCA was low?

So is it possible the battery isn't powerful enough? I noticed a cold day plus a short trip would cause the lift gate to get stuck.

I'm thinking about returning the walmart battery and getting a costco interstate, possibly AGM?

Costco | Interstate Batteries

costco.interstatebatteries.com costco.interstatebatteries.com
Click to expand...
This happened to me at the carwash. I'm thinking it had something to do with the water maybe. It did open when I turned car on and pressed lift gate near the dash.
 
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