Kenn

What do you guys think of this mod??

Installing an automatic tailgate on the 4runner, like the one on the RX330. My friend at work has one and I thought that it would cool if the 4Runner had one. Dont know if it is possible.

For those who do not know about this on the RX 330, basically you can open it via the car alarm or automatic door lock remote, I think. My wife has it on her car and it comes in handy.

I think that it would come in handy.

Perhaps there is also an aftermarket company that can do this???

Ken

rondo221

picture or link would be nice..

Kenn

sorry,

should have been more specific. The wife does not have a RX 330. she has a mercedes that has the trunk release. Sorry, no pics.

I think the Armada has this as an option ~$600. Ouch

What do you guys think of this mod?

Ken

jharris2

It's the one big complaint my wife has with the 4Runner. Most of the rental cars she gets has this feature for the trunk, and her 1994 Concorde had it.

If you can figure it out, it will be really helpful. Maybe you could reroute the "rear window down" on the key fob to the tailgate release?

After that, a button inside the cabin to release the tailgate would be nice, too.

EDGE

You just want it to pop open like a trunk, or open and close by a click of a button.

I think the rear door having that electric closing feature is just a pain in my azz cause I can't just slam the door:pat: I have to be gentle

4Runner2003

I agree 100%

jharris2

All I care about is having it open with the click of a button. It's a pain that there is no other way to open the tailgate than to go back there and open it manually. Even a lever inside would be nice -- even my 97 Camry has that!

JGage

I hate it because if you battery is dead, you can't open the rear cargo door.
The dealer tried to tell me this wasnt true, until I disconnected the bat and the door wouldn't open.

DrumheadAR

The only concern i would have about it opening automatically would be obstructions behind it. ex: garage door, other cars, children!, etc...

Maybe a sensor that would keep this from happening would be a good idea.

I bet a mod like this would also work for 3rd gens.

FirstToy

Gosh is it that bad you guys?
I LIKE the auto closing latch. I think it's pretty cool you can just gently pull it down and the latch grabs it. My relatives saw that and said "Wow, everything on your truck is smooooth."
I like not having to slam shut the hatch. I kinda think they did it to save wear and tear on the heavy rear window brackets and motor mounts- so things don't loosen up.

You can slam the hatch shut if you want, btw. It doesn't break anything to close it like a normal hatch, like a 3rd gen.

HOK

i never thought of the dead battery issue... Thats so stupid...

FirstToy

That's true but barring someone stealing your battery, a "dead" battery usually has enough juice to open power door locks and the rear hatch release.
It would have to be really, really dead to not have any current left in it.

I agree some manual lever on the inside would be a great mod tho! Listen, who is going to be the first to install a manual pull on the inside of the hatch? Just buy one from a Corolla or Camry and install

Cebby

How does the rear liftgate open on 3rd/4th Gens? With the key only? You can mount a solenoid inside the tailgate that will open the latch with a remote button. Guys that shave their door handles use these.

A full opening and closing gate isn't feasible due to the trouble and expense of installing all the safety stopgaps so no one gets injured...

Good Times

Wha? I just slam the door.... hmmm you think i'll break anything?

I just feel more secure knowing that it's slammed... hehe

pbm317

I love the assist latch closing. People are always impressed! Hahah Slamming shouldn't harm anything, they expect people to do so, and so it can compensate for both soft close and a slam. As for an RX330 type open/close mechanism... I think it would be very hard and expensive to add this and have it look nice.

FirstToy

Agreed. When someone else closed the hatch they always slam it. It doesn't hurt anything.

I have the opposite feeling though Lance. I feel secure when I just let the latch hook it.
On my old truck, sometimes I would slam it shut and couldn't tell it WASN'T closed until I saw the dash light.

This way, I know it's fully locked no matter what I do. I guess it doesn't matter since you will see it on your dash idiot light if it's not closed.

Good Times

I guess I'm abit old school..... :cry:

crmartin9

I had the opportunity to drive my folks' new RX330 on a roadtrip to Santa Fe over the holidays, so I know exactly what you're describing with the auto-open/close rear hatch. My wife and I absolutely hated it. You lose part of your view in the upper driver's side corner when looking in the rear view mirror due to the protruding housing for the mechanism. The auto open/close takes forever to move the tailgate, and you have to listen to annoying beeps everytime you tell it to do something. If you were to drive someone to the airport and drop them off at the curb, you'd block traffic for an hour with how long it takes that darned door to go up and down! Spend your time and money modding something else, in my opinion.

I do really enjoy the auto-latching device to close the tailgate on our '03 4Runner. I get the nice piece of mind that the tailgate is securely closed without having to slam it shut.

jharris2

Either the key or the key fob to unlock, then you need to trigger the tailgate to unlatch from outside. No way to open it other than being back there and doing it manually.

Got a link or write up?

Fair enough....I'd just like it to unlatch by itself. I'd be worried that if it lifted by itself that the tailgate could hit something and be damaged.