Add Tailgate Release Button on the 2025's?

[MikeyAero]

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[KBKEITH]

I’m a little late to this party, but I was pretty disappointed when I realized that my new ‘25 XLT did not have a tailgate release button like my former ‘22 had. I used that button quite often. I guess I’ll just have to adapt to using the button on the fob.

 

[jhelrey]

If it's anything like my truck, the fob works 50% of the time, the button the tailgate works 50% of the time, and the button in the truck works 100% of the time.

 

[MikeyAero]

Here's a pic of my 2025 F-150 Lariat dash. No tailgate release button.

 

[RDan25]

I discovered the FOB tailgate release accidently then started looking for it on the dash. Did the same mistake with the Cargo light switch. Would have liked a tailgate release switch. Wonder if you could just add a buttton somewhere using the other wire?

 

[kingsfan33]

Is there any way to program a soft key on the screen using Forscan?
I'm in a 2025 powerboost XLT.
Could really use that tailgate release button...
Thx in advance.

 

[MDCheddar]

So I noticed above the headlight switch on my 2025 powerboost was this plug I found a tailgate switch on eBay to see if it would work would anyone smarter than me know what I would need to change in forscan to get this switch to work? If I can get it to work the panels with the switch opening are readily available on eBay.

 

[FirstTimeFord]

So I noticed above the headlight switch on my 2025 powerboost was this plug I found a tailgate switch on eBay to see if it would work would anyone smarter than me know what I would need to change in forscan to get this switch to work? If I can get it to work the panels with the switch opening are readily available on eBay.

There's hope! Thanks for sharing!

Would love to know what is actually happening to trigger the feature as well. Meaning, is it just shorting two of the wires together? Perhaps the other two are + & - for light inside the switch?

 

[MDCheddar]

There's hope! Thanks for sharing!

Would love to know what is actually happening to trigger the feature as well. Meaning, is it just shorting two of the wires together? Perhaps the other two are + & - for light inside the switch?

I already tried that i did remote start installs for years and was thinking the same thing when i saw the brown wire that was listed on a prior post but no luck. it most likely needs to be programmed to tell it what to do since that is the same plug used for the auto stop feature for non powerboost trucks.

 

[FirstTimeFord]

I already tried that i did remote start installs for years and was thinking the same thing when i saw the brown wire that was listed on a prior post but no luck. it most likely needs to be programmed to tell it what to do since that is the same plug used for the auto stop feature for non powerboost trucks.

Makes sense, now we know. Times have changed for sure. Same here, I did years of stereos, alarms, and lots of "mobile phones" lol Long time ago. You could get a lot done with some Kleins, butt connectors, and Bosch relays . Not so much anymore.

 

[FirstTimeFord]

So I noticed above the headlight switch on my 2025 powerboost was this plug I found a tailgate switch on eBay to see if it would work would anyone smarter than me know what I would need to change in forscan to get this switch to work? If I can get it to work the panels with the switch opening are readily available on eBay.

I would gladly put my useless stop/start button behind the panel and replace the button with the tailgate release you found.

Some on this site frown upon posting AI info, but here's what Grok had to say about FORScan. Maybe this helps Keep us posted!

This looks to be the part number. Is this the one you have: NL3Z-13D730-JA

OEM Parts Online has it for $28.95, $34, including shipping.
Tailgate Switch

 

[FirstTimeFord]

So I noticed above the headlight switch on my 2025 powerboost was this plug I found a tailgate switch on eBay to see if it would work would anyone smarter than me know what I would need to change in forscan to get this switch to work? If I can get it to work the panels with the switch opening are readily available on eBay.

Was about to look at FORScan to see if I could verify the tailgate option, figured I'd verify the harness first. I dropped the Stop/Start switch, hoping to find a blank harness like the one you show in your photos. Looks to be attached to my S/S button. Didn't see another one in that area. The wire colors appear to be the same as yours. I assume this means no go for me. Since you have a PB and NO S/S, maybe it works for you, no idea. Maybe there's something inside the switch that tells the truck what it wants to do? Haven't seen the inside of one of these switches.

 

[MDCheddar]

Soo I was able to get the tailgate release to work on my 2025 lariat powerboost with the pro access tailgate. I must warn i cannot guarantee this will work for all f150s the non powered tailgates are wired differently and non hybrids have the auto stop start button where as the powerboost it’s a blank panel above the headlight switch with a open connector that is used for the auto start stop button.

if your not comfortable with testing electronics I strongly suggest have a professional (iv been working on low voltage electronics for 25 years and figuring this out was a challenge but not impossible) In the drivers kick panel the wire harness that runs from the kick panel to the rear there are several solid brown wires about 26g I have a power probe with a tiny piercing probe see the picture. I strongly suggest using this or something similar to test cause I had to test several brown wires and after cutting the first wire i tried to strip back I went and grabbed my power probe and was able to test 3 more brown wires till I found the correct one.
Once I probed the the correct wire it sounds like a data line on the power probe (listen to the audio you can hear what I’m talking about)

but once you hit the button on the tailgate you will notice the tone on the probe change that’s the correct wire. Test several times to confirm that you notice the ground signal tone when the tailgate button is pressed. Once confirmed you’re on the right line try applying ground to the wire. It will open the tailgate tap ground again and it should close the tailgate if you have a power tailgate.

now tap onto this wire and run it up to the connector above the headlight switch to the connector plugged into the blank space above the headlight switch

I purchased a tailgate button off of eBay for it to work correctly you need to wire up the tailgate wire to pin 2 is what I did was depin the brown wire from pin one cut it back about an inch from the connector to repurpose the pin to attach to the tailgate wire. Don’t forget to cap off the brown wire on the wire harness.



(be extremely careful stripping because of how thin the wire is.

 

[Chrisy]

Wow, an actual solution finally!!

 

[FirstTimeFord]

Soo I was able to get the tailgate release to work on my 2025 lariat powerboost with the pro access tailgate. I must warn i cannot guarantee this will work for all f150s the non powered tailgates are wired differently and non hybrids have the auto stop start button where as the powerboost it’s a blank panel above the headlight switch with a open connector that is used for the auto start stop button.

if your not comfortable with testing electronics I strongly suggest have a professional (iv been working on low voltage electronics for 25 years and figuring this out was a challenge but not impossible) In the drivers kick panel the wire harness that runs from the kick panel to the rear there are several solid brown wires about 26g I have a power probe with a tiny piercing probe see the picture. I strongly suggest using this or something similar to test cause I had to test several brown wires and after cutting the first wire i tried to strip back I went and grabbed my power probe and was able to test 3 more brown wires till I found the correct one.
Once I probed the the correct wire it sounds like a data line on the power probe (listen to the audio you can hear what I’m talking about)

but once you hit the button on the tailgate you will notice the tone on the probe change that’s the correct wire. Test several times to confirm that you notice the ground signal tone when the tailgate button is pressed. Once confirmed you’re on the right line try applying ground to the wire. It will open the tailgate tap ground again and it should close the tailgate if you have a power tailgate.

now tap onto this wire and run it up to the connector above the headlight switch to the connector plugged into the blank space above the headlight switch

I purchased a tailgate button off of eBay for it to work correctly you need to wire up the tailgate wire to pin 2 is what I did was depin the brown wire from pin one cut it back about an inch from the connector to repurpose the pin to attach to the tailgate wire. Don’t forget to cap off the brown wire on the wire harness.



(be extremely careful stripping because of how thin the wire is.

Congrats! Way to make it happen. Cool hearing the communications across the circuit. Thanks for the great write-up.

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