Power Tailgate Issue: leaving it open over night and the next morning it will not shut

[tpmacleod]

This is an odd one and most likely a simple fix. I leave the power tailgate open over night in the garage and the next morning it will not shut. The remote won’t shut it, the two buttons on the tailgate won’t shut it and the button inside won’t shut it. I’ve tried turning the vehicle on and then all the buttons. I’ve moved the vehicle forward and nothing works. I thought it may be the sensors not letting it shut but cleared everything away. I had to manually push it down. The tailgate works the rest of the day. Any ideas?

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[Scrappopatamus]

Seems if it is left open the only way to close is manually. After doing so they operate as usual. Several threads here and on the 4Runner 6 Gen site

 

[RunnerRocks]

Yep. This happened to me twice after being left open overnight. Nothing worked to close it except muscling it down by hand which is awkward and a bit of a struggle.

Not sure what the point of this "feature" is, but it would be nice to be able to reset it without forcing it down by hand.

I'll bring this up during my next dealer visit.

 

[tpmacleod]

I was at the dealer today and the fellow did not have an answer.

 

[HVLA]

I am just more confused at the tailgate being left open over night at all. Especially multiple times.

 

[mjssss]

I am just more confused at the tailgate being left open over night at all. Especially multiple times.

Camping

 

[gmarcucio]

Here is why your 2025 4Runner tailgate requires this manual reset:

• Safety and System Calibration: The power tailgate requires a manual, full-closed cycle to re-calibrate its position sensors. If left open for an extended period, the system may lose its "home" position or the sensors may become desynchronized, requiring a manual closure to re-learn the latching point.
• Preventing Battery Drain: After a period of inactivity (such as being left open overnight), the motorized tailgate system enters a "standby" or sleep mode to conserve the battery. Manually closing it initiates a "hard" wake-up call to the system, restoring electronic functionality.
• Sensor Sensitivity to Environmental Changes: If the tailgate seal is compressed overnight, or if the vehicle is parked on an incline, the system may detect resistance. The safety sensor, being highly sensitive, might prevent the automatic motor from fully closing to avoid damage.
• Reinitialization Requirement: If the power backdoor is left open and the battery discharges, or if the system hits a minor fault, the system requires a manual, firm closure to "re-initialize" and function automatically again.

Recommendation:
This behavior does not necessarily indicate a defect. To avoid this, try not to leave the tailgate open overnight. If it happens, you must manually push the door down to the fully latched position. If the issue persists even after manual closing, it may indicate a malfunctioning actuator that requires a visit to the dealer.

 

[tpmacleod]

It is parked in my garage over night. I pull things out at night and put back during the day. Much easier when dealing with little kids.

Here is why your 2025 4Runner tailgate requires this manual reset:

• Safety and System Calibration: The power tailgate requires a manual, full-closed cycle to re-calibrate its position sensors. If left open for an extended period, the system may lose its "home" position or the sensors may become desynchronized, requiring a manual closure to re-learn the latching point.
• Preventing Battery Drain: After a period of inactivity (such as being left open overnight), the motorized tailgate system enters a "standby" or sleep mode to conserve the battery. Manually closing it initiates a "hard" wake-up call to the system, restoring electronic functionality.
• Sensor Sensitivity to Environmental Changes: If the tailgate seal is compressed overnight, or if the vehicle is parked on an incline, the system may detect resistance. The safety sensor, being highly sensitive, might prevent the automatic motor from fully closing to avoid damage.
• Reinitialization Requirement: If the power backdoor is left open and the battery discharges, or if the system hits a minor fault, the system requires a manual, firm closure to "re-initialize" and function automatically again.

Recommendation:
This behavior does not necessarily indicate a defect. To avoid this, try not to leave the tailgate open overnight. If it happens, you must manually push the door down to the fully latched position. If the issue persists even after manual closing, it may indicate a malfunctioning actuator that requires a visit to the dealer.

I appreciate your thorough response and explanation of why the tailgate won't go down. I understand the rationale behind it but just disappointed that it sounds like there is no workaround as I was hoping to make life a little easier and streamline with leaving the tailgate open for the kids to get their gear in and out at night and in the morning. Thank you.

 

[Nodak]

so in other words the rear door was shutoff by the master battery drain shutoff function and locked out.

the master shutoff happens at 20 mins (if the engine is not running)

this has been a feature on the 4R since the 5th gen at least and on most toyota models for a while now.

 

[Gene S]

I can see this at tailgating or a picnic when you want long access to the storage area.

While not a fix you could try lowering the window before you open the door. That puts the weight of the window at the end and might help with pulling it down. I did that with my previous 4Rs when I had a bad shoulder and it helped.

 

[HVLA]

I can see this at tailgating or a picnic when you want long access to the storage area.

While not a fix you could try lowering the window before you open the door. That puts the weight of the window at the end and might help with pulling it down. I did that with my previous 4Rs when I had a bad shoulder and it helped.

Power liftgate wont work if window is down.

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