Heather VM Posted April 6 Report Share Posted April 6 Hello, I got a new St-line a week ago. I was messing around with trying to get the hands free lift gate ti open with no luck. Stopped at the dealership and was told mine doesn't have that feature. It's part of the basic build of the ST-line. Dealership said to look at the window sticker and see what's listed. If the hands free lift gate was not listed, I would see a credit on the MSRP. Well my window sticker has just the basic power lift gate listed and no credit. I'm so mad about this. It's a small-ish thing, but why did I pay full price for missing options. Yes, I should have noticed before I took delivery, but who thinks a basic option would have been left off without warning. I have been a very loyal ford customer. For years, but this situation has burned me. I feel like I'm now dealing with a dirty company that hides things. The Dealership told me the part were probably not available... then a discount sounds logical, right? What are your thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TourGuide Posted April 6 Report Share Posted April 6 (edited) Unfortunately decontenting is part of the industry. I had heard mention of this being done - the hands free lift gate delete - but I think it was a mistake on Ford's part. I once bought a Buick Enclave and found that the light in the glove box was deleted in my model year - I was unhappy about that too. I was able to fix that issue - so it may be possible to add your hands free liftgate back in - but likely it will cost you some. Rotten luck I am afraid. Edited April 6 by TourGuide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabangsta Posted April 6 Report Share Posted April 6 The hands free liftgate was changed in 2021. 2021+ it was only available standard on the Titanium and in the 401a high level ST package. No longer available on SEL or ST-Line. Oddly enough it was standard on all ST-Lines in 2020. I doubt the dealer led you astray but there is enough information out there to know what is and isn't available. I am guessing you had outdated details on something that was removed 4 years ago. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim W. AZ Posted April 6 Report Share Posted April 6 1 hour ago, dabangsta said: The hands free liftgate was changed in 2021. 2021+ it was only available standard on the Titanium and in the 401a high level ST package. No longer available on SEL or ST-Line. Oddly enough it was standard on all ST-Lines in 2020. I doubt the dealer led you astray but there is enough information out there to know what is and isn't available. I am guessing you had outdated details on something that was removed 4 years ago. There's a huge library of order guides on the Blue Oval forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garycrist Posted April 6 Report Share Posted April 6 Ford had too many problems with false drops on the liftgate. No hands free, no more law suits. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will2U Posted April 6 Report Share Posted April 6 2 hours ago, Heather VM said: Hello, I got a new St-line a week ago. I was messing around with trying to get the hands free lift gate ti open with no luck. Stopped at the dealership and was told mine doesn't have that feature. It's part of the basic build of the ST-line. Dealership said to look at the window sticker and see what's listed. If the hands free lift gate was not listed, I would see a credit on the MSRP. Well my window sticker has just the basic power lift gate listed and no credit. I'm so mad about this. It's a small-ish thing, but why did I pay full price for missing options. Yes, I should have noticed before I took delivery, but who thinks a basic option would have been left off without warning. I have been a very loyal ford customer. For years, but this situation has burned me. I feel like I'm now dealing with a dirty company that hides things. The Dealership told me the part were probably not available... then a discount sounds logical, right? What are your thoughts? Be thankful you don't have it. The motion sensor cannot differentiate an intended kick from other movements. It's easily triggered while loading and unloading or just cleaning off the rear window. It's a real annoyance. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather VM Posted April 7 Author Report Share Posted April 7 Hmm, so I'm better off without it? Very interesting. Thanks for the info. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceonept Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 16 hours ago, Will2U said: Be thankful you don't have it. The motion sensor cannot differentiate an intended kick from other movements. It's easily triggered while loading and unloading or just cleaning off the rear window. It's a real annoyance. Yep. I had the tailgate come down on my head once because the cat walked under the car! It seems a good feature in theory, but in my experience it rarely works when you want it to, and often works when you don't. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim W. AZ Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 15 hours ago, Heather VM said: Hmm, so I'm better off without it? Very interesting. Thanks for the info. Do I sense a bit of cynicism in your reply? I've had it on two Ford vehicles, use it all the time and have never had a problem, either intentional or accidental. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haz Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 (edited) The Hands-Free Liftgate feature has generated a sufficient number of owner complaints to cause Ford to notify the Service community in February 2023 about the unintended-closure safeguard of keeping the keyfob away from the vehicle's backend when loading cargo. See Forum post SSM 51360 - 2021-2023 Edge Titanium/Nautilus - Unintended Hands-Free Liftgate Activation. And, while Edge/Nautilus is not specifically mentioned in this February 2024 message, Ford notified the Service community the Hands-Free Liftgate feature has been dropped from several other models... SSM 52269 Multiple Vehicle Lines - No Longer Equipped With A Hands Free Liftgate System 2022-2024 Explorer/Aviator vehicles built on or after 28-May-2022, 2022-2024 Expedition/Navigator vehicles built on or after 08-Jun-2022, 2022-2024 Escape vehicles built on or after 01-Jun-2022 and 2022 Corsair vehicles built on or after 01-Jun-2022 are no longer equipped with a hands free liftgate system. The vehicle is not misbuilt. The addition of any parts is not a warrantable repair. Do not submit a claim for this condition. And finally, the Feature Availability Guide for dealership personnel shows Liftgate variations, and Hands Free is shown as not available on the 2024 Edge ST-Line... Good luck! Edited April 7 by Haz 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edjunior Posted April 8 Report Share Posted April 8 I have it on my 2016, and use it all the time. My wife really likes it. I can see the accidental tripping of it and all, but still, we have had no problem with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruzr1 Posted April 8 Report Share Posted April 8 10 hours ago, edjunior said: I have it on my 2016, and use it all the time. My wife really likes it. I can see the accidental tripping of it and all, but still, we have had no problem with it. Same here on my 2019. No problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabangsta Posted April 8 Report Share Posted April 8 I have 2 small toy poodle(ish) dogs, that when we take them out (leashed) of their crate in the cargo area, and put them on the ground, they walk under the bumper and start it closing all the time. I make sure I don't have the key with me while washing it any more, and the number of times humans inadvertently trigger it is far fewer, it still happens rarely. If I am making multiple trips to unload, I always leave my key away from the vehicle, and have to take my loaded down arm and use the elbow to press the power close button, otherwise if I have the key one of the 3 or 4 times I return to the car I will step under the bumper and start it to close (when reaching far in to get stuff at the front of the cargo area). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather VM Posted April 8 Author Report Share Posted April 8 On 4/7/2024 at 10:53 AM, Tim W. AZ said: Do I sense a bit of cynicism in your reply? I've had it on two Ford vehicles, use it all the time and have never had a problem, either intentional or accidental. No, I think I'm just trying to find the brighter side. 😊 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather VM Posted April 8 Author Report Share Posted April 8 On 4/7/2024 at 3:18 PM, Haz said: The Hands-Free Liftgate feature has generated a sufficient number of owner complaints to cause Ford to notify the Service community in February 2023 about the unintended-closure safeguard of keeping the keyfob away from the vehicle's backend when loading cargo. See Forum post SSM 51360 - 2021-2023 Edge Titanium/Nautilus - Unintended Hands-Free Liftgate Activation. And, while Edge/Nautilus is not specifically mentioned in this February 2024 message, Ford notified the Service community the Hands-Free Liftgate feature has been dropped from several other models... SSM 52269 Multiple Vehicle Lines - No Longer Equipped With A Hands Free Liftgate System 2022-2024 Explorer/Aviator vehicles built on or after 28-May-2022, 2022-2024 Expedition/Navigator vehicles built on or after 08-Jun-2022, 2022-2024 Escape vehicles built on or after 01-Jun-2022 and 2022 Corsair vehicles built on or after 01-Jun-2022 are no longer equipped with a hands free liftgate system. The vehicle is not misbuilt. The addition of any parts is not a warrantable repair. Do not submit a claim for this condition. And finally, the Feature Availability Guide for dealership personnel shows Liftgate variations, and Hands Free is shown as not available on the 2024 Edge ST-Line... Good luck! Wow, this was so much more helpful then when I stopped at the dealership. Now my question is..... why is the Ford website still showing the hands free as standard option on the ST-line. That's where it all started. Thank you for this info. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handfiler Posted April 9 Report Share Posted April 9 12 hours ago, dabangsta said: I have 2 small toy poodle(ish) dogs, that when we take them out (leashed) of their crate in the cargo area, and put them on the ground, they walk under the bumper and start it closing all the time. I make sure I don't have the key with me while washing it any more, and the number of times humans inadvertently trigger it is far fewer, it still happens rarely. If I am making multiple trips to unload, I always leave my key away from the vehicle, and have to take my loaded down arm and use the elbow to press the power close button, otherwise if I have the key one of the 3 or 4 times I return to the car I will step under the bumper and start it to close (when reaching far in to get stuff at the front of the cargo area). I keep a Faraday pouch in the car for those times I take the car to the self serve car wash. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haz Posted April 9 Report Share Posted April 9 Sure enough, there it is, shown as "Included" in the Exterior section of Ford's 2024 Edge ST-Line Build & Price website... Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omar302 Posted April 9 Report Share Posted April 9 7 hours ago, Haz said: Sure enough, there it is, shown as "Included" in the Exterior section of Ford's 2024 Edge ST-Line Build & Price website... Good luck! This, in my opinion, proves that removing it was for cost cutting first. They do state in the disclosure that the information provided might include errors: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STBEAST Posted April 9 Report Share Posted April 9 Be glad you don't have it. Half the time it doesn't open or close when you want it to. Trust me, you are not missing out. Double clicking the FOB or pushing the button is as easy as it gets. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabangsta Posted April 9 Report Share Posted April 9 2 hours ago, STBEAST said: Be glad you don't have it. Half the time it doesn't open or close when you want it to. Trust me, you are not missing out. Double clicking the FOB or pushing the button is as easy as it gets. When you have your arms full of groceries or your giant key fob is buried in your purse or murse (man purse) because you never need it out because of Intelligent Access and hands free? Need to go to a door first (didn't they decontent the rear door sensors?) to open the lift gate with the button? Just playing devils advocate as to when and why it is handy. I didn't want it on my last vehicle but it was a very common standard option on vehicles sitting on lots, so it came with it, and we got used to it, even with all the weirdness. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omar302 Posted April 9 Report Share Posted April 9 31 minutes ago, dabangsta said: Need to go to a door first (didn't they decontent the rear door sensors?) to open the lift gate with the button? If the key fob is with you, you don't need to unlock the doors first. The button should work even if doors are locked. And yes, they did decontent the rear door intelligent access sensors. Just don't remember which year I personally like the hands free lift gate and I don't have issues with it accidentally opening or closing, maybe a few times only during the ~6 years of ownership. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabangsta Posted April 9 Report Share Posted April 9 3 hours ago, omar302 said: If the key fob is with you, you don't need to unlock the doors first. The button should work even if doors are locked. And yes, they did decontent the rear door intelligent access sensors. Just don't remember which year Oh, I hadn't tried that. Yes, it has a proximity sensor that only allows the lift gate to open, doesn't unlock all the doors. Would be handy without the hands free sensor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handfiler Posted April 10 Report Share Posted April 10 (edited) I love the hands free lift gate, especially when I approach the car with a case of beer in each hand. TBH I've never had an issue with it, Faraday pouch at the car wash workaround aside. Edited April 10 by handfiler 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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