Opening power tailgate with dead battery

[Ghurst]

I’ve searched using the title of my post with no results so thought I’d just ask. I put a hard folding tonneau cover on my truck last week. Today it just occurred to me that if I was ever out and the battery in the truck happened to take a crap, of the module that opens the tailgate went out…. How can I get into the bed of the truck to get my tools. I’ve searched the Internet and unless I’m missing something, it looks like I’m pretty screwed! Lol are the Ford engineers really that stupid? Do they not realize some of us use these trucks for work? Luckily, as of right now, it’s a non-issue! Lol

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[jhelrey]

Good question... and I have a power retractable bed cover on top of that!

 

[Eskram]

Jump pack?

 

[powerboatr]

Good question... and I have a power retractable bed cover on top of that!

Yes great question. Even in manual mode the switch kicks the locking mechanism
We need a test

 

[Rinn69]

@Ghurst , what tonneau cover do you have ? I have the Bakflip G2, and if I needed to break into the bed, all I need is a coat hanger or a piece of wire, bend a small hook and hook the cable that opens it, and lift while pulling on the wire.

 

[Ghurst]

@Ghurst , what tonneau cover do you have ? I have the Bakflip G2, and if I needed to break into the bed, all I need is a coat hanger or a piece of wire, bend a small hook and hook the cable that opens it, and lift while pulling on the wire.

I went with the leer hf650m so it couldn’t be opened with a wire. Thats my catch 22 lol

 

[scott011422]

You can remove the tailgate skin and open manually so i'm told.

On my 2pc Diamond back cover I'm making the section closest to the tailgate electric and tied into the door locks. I'm leaving the section towards the cab stock so If i do have a power issue I don't have to saw through the aluminum cover to get in. I can crawl back from the front.

 

[Bama Stripes]

This also concerns me. I have a 3 hole stainless dogbox bolted to the bed of my truck. Mounted toward the tailgate. How do I open my tailgate to let my dogs out if I have a tailgate opening failures.

 

[powerboatr]

The panel to open is on inside of tailgate
Surely even a dead battery has enough to release the catches if you press in on tailgate.
Maybe ????

 

[mwf5888]

I just had my new truck Line-X'd and the one issue they had was that once the tailgate was unplugged the button wouldn't open the PAT door so they couldn't just remove that door using the two bolts because they couldn't get it open.

My question is the same: if there is no power to tailgate, how do you get the tailgate or PAT door open?? I looked through the manual with no results.

I am taking the truck into the body shop tomorrow to install the retractable tailgate step (forgot it at the factory even though it's on my sticker) and plan to ask them if they know how to open the tailgate or PAT door without power.

 

[Buyer2021]

Behind the rear seat, accessible by key alone, no rattles, doesn't interfere with any use of rear seat area. Just in case ....

And yes, I have a DIY 'lanyard extension' to make releasing the rear-seat latch easy.

 

[Ghurst]

Behind the rear seat, accessible by key alone, no rattles, doesn't interfere with any use of rear seat area. Just in case ....

And yes, I have a DIY 'lanyard extension' to make releasing the rear-seat latch easy.

Great idea if it’s the battery…. But what if the module for the tailgate fails?

 

[imnuts]

Great idea if it’s the battery…. But what if the module for the tailgate fails?

First, your thread title and primary point in the OP is related to a dead battery. Second, if the module dies, opening the tailgate will be the least of your problems. Unless you keep a laptop and cable to connect to the truck in your tool kit, is not getting fixed on the side of the road.

 

[Ghurst]

First, your thread title and primary point in the OP is related to a dead battery. Second, if the module dies, opening the tailgate will be the least of your problems. Unless you keep a laptop and cable to connect to the truck in your tool kit, is not getting fixed on the side of the road.

Pretty sure I mentioned the module in the op. The whole point of the post is what was ford thinking. ?

 

[PNGento]

If you have access to the inside of the tailgate, I'm told you can remove the black plastic cover and access the opening mechanism, but I have not yet tried this.

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