4 Common Range Rover Tailgate Problems (Explained)

The Range Rover is a beautiful car. It’s known to combine luxury and flexibility. Being an SUV, the Range Rover has got ample cargo space.

You can transport almost anything in your trunk. However, complaints have been made against the Range Rover tailgate.

If you are considering buying a Range Rover or you already own one, you need to familiarize yourself with these issues. Our guide will look into some of the common Range Rover tailgate problems.

1. Malfunctioning Tailgate

On various forums, there are several complaints that the Range Rover tailgate malfunctions from time to time. That is, at times, it doesn’t open or close correctly.

It could open halfway or even decline to open when using the key. It may also fail to close when using the same functions.

The funny thing about this problem is that it only appears occasionally. It’s not a permanent issue. This often leaves many Range Rover Owners confused, not knowing what to do.

If your Rover behaves this way, you can start with this quick fix – reset the tailgate. According to Land Rover, the method of resetting the tailgate is as follows. Close the tailgate manually and then click on the release button.

Give the tailgate room to power open either to the set position or up. Follow by pressing and releasing the closing button.

Let the tailgate power close completely. That should reprogram your malfunctioning tailgate. Check on it for the next few days to see if you got rid of the malfunction.

2. Tailgate Not Closing or Opening

If your Range Rover Tailgate remains shut when you open it with the key or use the driver’s buttons. Then this is a more serious issue that may involve the hardware components.

For a tailgate that isn’t opening or closing, the first culprit would be a blown fuse. Refer to your Range Rover manual to check which fuse belongs to the Range Rover. Swapping it out with a new one should resolve the issue right away.

Suppose you change the fuse and the tailgate isn’t opening or closing. You need to check if your key fob’s battery is working.

The battery in your key fob will wear out after some time, making it ineffective when you want to open or close the trunk.

There is one way you can rule out that a dead key fob battery isn’t working. And that’s by testing if it unlocks the doors. If it does, then the key fob is okay, and you have to move on to the next culprit.

A faulty tailgate lock solenoid can also prevent your tailgate from closing or opening. For tailgates powered electronically, the solenoid is in charge of locking and unlocking the tailgate.

It is often activated when you press the key or the buttons on the driver’s side door. This solenoid converts electrical current to a magnetic field which activates the locking mechanism of the tailgate.

New models of the Range Rover incorporate this solenoid which makes locking and unlocking the trunk very convenient.

When the solenoid isn’t receiving electric current, it may make it harder for you to open or close the tailgate on your Range Rover. The solenoid is complicated because its malfunction can be caused by a malfunctioning relay switch.

So, check on it only if you have relevant knowledge and experience in electronic components. Otherwise, it would be best to take it to a mechanic for an expert diagnosis.

3. A Stuck Tailgate

Some Range Rover owners have also brought about the issue whereby the liftgate gets stuck at a particular position when opening. This forces them to either continue pressing on the key fob so that it can move higher, or they have to do it manually.

This can either be a problem or an instruction you or the previous owner may have set.

Remember when we talked about programming the tailgate in the first tailgate issue? These tailgates are often programmed to open up to a certain height level. Yours may be programmed to reach that level.

To reprogram the tailgate, you should open it manually or use the key to the level you want. Leave it that way for around three to five seconds. Set your preferred opening height by pressing and holding the close button.

You should hear a chime. Let it close. In modern Range Rovers, you should hear a single beep to confirm that you have reprogrammed the new opening height for the tailgate. But if it beeps three times, repeat the process one more time.

Land Rover is a company that has included lots of new technology in their vehicles. The tailgates are meant to stop when they sense some obstruction.

The reason why your tailgate isn’t opening fully could be because of an obstacle, and that’s why you may realize some resistance.

Always open the trunk in an open space without hanging objects. If there isn’t enough room, the tailgate can knock on objects and get damaged in the process.

Another thing that may help you fix a stuck Range Rover tailgate is lubricating moving parts on the opening and locking mechanism.

After a while, these parts can become more resistant to movement. Lubricating them should solve that in an instant.

4. A Noisy and Squeaky Tailgate

Whenever a mechanical part of your car starts to produce squeaking sounds, you should have it checked as soon as possible.

A noisy or squeaky tailgate isn’t a problem that affects new Range Rovers. It’s mostly common among those that have traveled for a few miles.

If the tailgate is making sounds when it’s being opened or closed, that means one of its components is broken.

The part that is affected the most is the strut. You should check on that. Alternatively, you can open the tailgate and try to find out where the noise is coming from. If it’s from the struts, they will need to be replaced.

Your mechanic can replace these parts for you. But it’s better to take the car to the dealer. They will have the correct struts that will fit perfectly.

Also, in case the vehicle is still warranted, you may not pay for the repairs or replacements.

If your Range Rover tailgate is squeaky, avoid opening and closing it until it’s fixed. The more you open and close it, the higher the risk of damaging the moving parts. Keep it shut and have it inspected as soon as possible.

Can a Faulty Actuator Cause Range Rover Tailgate Problems?

When approaching your Range Rover tailgate issues, you have to consider all variables involved. The actuator converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.

This part is what opens the tailgate when you press the trunk unlock button in your key fob. A faulty actuator can lead to some tailgate issues. You may realize that it will work okay sometimes. And at other times, it may completely fail to open or close.

If you have checked the fuse, and struts, reset the tailgate, and do everything possible but your tailgate is still misbehaving, have an expert mechanic inspect the actuator. If it was the problem, a replacement should solve all of your issues.

How Frequently Do These Range Rover Tailgate Issues Occur?

Even though these are the most commonly reported Range Rover tailgate problems, they don’t occur very frequently. More than three-quarters of Range Rover owners never encounter an issue with their tailgates.

Therefore, the above shouldn’t discourage you from buying a Range Rover. It’s a powerful and stylish car that can be used across various terrains.

It’s just that if you encounter some of these tailgate issues, it can be very annoying. Having a malfunctioning tailgate can interfere with your ability to utilize the Rover’s ample cargo space.

Is There a Way to Manually Open the Range Rover Tailgate?

As much as we appreciate the electronically powered tailgates, there is a problem that Range Rover didn’t oversee, and that is manually opening the tailgate. If you have a dead battery, it will be next to impossible to open the tailgate.

You will have to find your way there through the back seat and open the cover, giving you access to the actuator cords. In some models pulling these cords should pop the tailgate.

We should mention that opening your Range Rover tailgate manually will require a lot of work and mechanical skills.

You are better off offloading the cargo through the passenger door. For relatively oversized cargo, that will be impractical and very inconvenient.

How Effective is the Range Rover Gesture Tailgate Feature?

Before we wrap up our article on Range Rover tailgate problems, we must look at the recently introduced Range Rover gesture tailgate feature.

This feature opens the tailgate when you make some movements around your trunk. You can move your leg on the back of your car when you get close to the tailgate. By sensing the fob in your pocket, the tailgate will open on its own.

This feature is quite impressive, but it has a learning curve. It may not open on your first attempt, but with time, you will realize which type of gesture your Range Rover can easily notice.

So far, there haven’t been any complaints regarding this gesture feature. But since it was introduced recently, let’s give it some time.