bjork55308

we just bought a Lexus RX 350. The power rear lift worked for a few days. Now the power lift works going closed but it will not work when opening. We've tried the reset in the glove box but it will still only work while closing. Any ideas? The fuses for the rear lift have other features running off it and they appear to work so that doesn't seem to be the issue

salimshah

Is the lid balanced? When you try to lift manually, does it go up easy and stay up? The motor is supposed to work on a balanced hatch [struts provide the counter to the weight.

Salim

raylor4

We have the same year RX 350. Our struts are showing wear, but all is working. Hope it's something simple like the struts.
Ray A.

salimshah

Ray:
If I understand it right, then with weak struts, your motor is overworking in the lift operation. If not addressed, in the long term you may loose the motor. Stitch in time saves nine is very much applicable,

Salim

bjork55308

Thanks, Salim, it does go up evenly, stays up, and when power works going down it is also smooth. When pressing the button in back to try and go up we can hear the motor but it doesn't seem to engage movement.

salimshah

So in manual up you dont feel that you are fighting any force. Then it is the motor or some safety issue which tells the motor to quit.

Salim

F250

If it's not difficult to lift by hand and stays up when raised, I'm with Salim on this one... either motor or motor control logic is not allowing it to do it's job.

bjork55308

F250, thanks for the input we'll be checking it out!

ukrkoz

Hmmm.. I just replaced both hood struts on our 2011 RX350. They will not hold hood in full up position. Now, here's caveat. Vehicle has only 56 000 miles. But, it was rather cold outside and I know that gas charged struts loose some of their efficiency in cold weather. I had to "pump" hood up down few times for struts to hold hood.
That said - I am suspicious that your tailgate struts did same. Lost SOME of their efficiency, what tripped motor safety into safe mode. We recently had tailgate issue because cargo net got too close to latch. I saw how sensitive that power lift is.
It may be hard to tell the difference raising it by hand. But, if our struts for hood went bad that soon, I'd more lean towards struts. Cheap replacement, by the way. And easy. Tailgate ones are $37 or so Amazon.

bjork55308

We have 126,000 on our 350. It is new to us but we're loving it and after salim's suggestions, F250's and yours we're thinking replacing the struts first is the way to go. We may not know the vehicle well enough to really know if it's going up smooth enough and with age it makes sense it could be getting less efficient and the vehicle has always hung out in the land of 10,000 frozen lakes so the cold has had its way with the vehicle. Gonna try struts!

Thanks we appreciate all the input and we have a direction! Again thanks!

ukrkoz

Take a fine flat head screw driver and pry spring clip half way open. Then strut head easily slides off the ball. Also, my struts had some oily dirt residue where piston comes out of the strut body. It's hard to notice when on car, but when I had them off, I could clearly see it what tipped me to believe that there was some leak.
I am actually surprised they lost function that soon. I bought used Dodge RAM with 150 000 miles and struts pop hood like nothing.