[OddyPapa]

Good afternoon,

I am having a bizarre issue with my tailgate.

1. It will not open automatically AT ALL unless:
2. It will only open automatically ONCE AND ONLY ONCE if the battery is disconnected and reconnected. At which point it will go back to problem #1.
3. The tailgate close door button (on bottom of tailgate) has power and lights up but won’t close the tailgate.
4. The front drivers side button to operate the tailgate will neither open nor close the tailgate regardless of a battery disconnect.


The handle and key fob both work to open it automatically the one time after a battery disconnect.

Any ideas?

Vehicle: 2017 Honda Odyssey EXL W/RES

I have begun to search through the 28 pages on the 4th Gen forum section with the word “tailgate” but still can’t find a solution.

 

[phattyduck]

Likely a problem with the latch mechanism - there are multiple position switches, actuator, etc. in there.

To confirm - Can you open the door 'manually' by pressing and holding the button on the hatch and opening it that way, or is the only way you can open it to disconnect the battery? There is also an 'emergency' release that you can access by popping a plastic door near the latch mechanism and moving a lever.

I would start with the test procedures in the service manual focused on testing the latch mechanism.

-Charlie

 

[OddyPapa]

Likely a problem with the latch mechanism - there are multiple position switches, actuator, etc. in there.

To confirm - Can you open the door 'manually' by pressing and holding the button on the hatch and opening it that way, or is the only way you can open it to disconnect the battery? There is also an 'emergency' release that you can access by popping a plastic door near the latch mechanism and moving a lever.

I would start with the test procedures in the service manual focused on testing the latch mechanism.

-Charlie

Thank you for the quick reply. The latch works manually and the emergency latch works just fine as well. I have even tried operating the motor via HDS and still nothing. I am confused why it works after a battery disconnect and why only once. Attached are HDS shots.

 

[WiiMaster]

Yeah, so there's the issue right there with those DTCs. The latch mechanism is having issues apparently based on those code descriptions. Not entirely different to the rear latch issues that happen with the sliding door. Similar system.

 

[phattyduck]

The latch works manually and the emergency latch works just fine as well. I have even tried operating the motor via HDS and still nothing. I am confused why it works after a battery disconnect and why only once. Attached are HDS shots.

Look at those errors... It won't power open because it doesn't think the door is closed (well, fully latched).

Fix/clean/replace the latch mechanism...

-Charlie

 

[OddyPapa]

Yeah, so there's the issue right there with those DTCs. The latch mechanism is having issues apparently based on those code descriptions. Not entirely different to the rear latch issues that happen with the sliding door. Similar system.

So am I to rule out the motor completely and it's just the latch that is the issue? I have a spare latch and will try to bolt it on to see what I get.

 

[OddyPapa]

My other photos didn't

load. Here are a few more:

 

[WiiMaster]

If you already have a spare latch, no reason not to give it a shot really.

 

[OddyPapa]

If you already have a spare latch, no reason not to give it a shot really.

Will update tomorrow on what finding I get. Thanks for the input.

 

[dvpatel]

Wait. A 2017. How old is the battery and have you gotten a comprehensive battery test done? On the prior gen, the power tailgate starts to act finicky before a myriad of other symptoms show up on my friend's 2007 Touring.

If the battery is old or weak, I would either full charge the battery first and rule out low battery/power issue(s).

 

[OddyPapa]

Wait. A 2017. How old is the battery and have you gotten a comprehensive battery test done? On the prior gen, the power tailgate starts to act finicky before a myriad of other symptoms show up on my friend's 2007 Touring.

If the battery is old or weak, I would either full charge the battery first and rule out low battery/power issue(s).

Thanks for your comment. I do not know how old the battery is and can't find a sticker or anything on it anywhere. I will charge the battery tonight and see if there is a change. I did do an alternator test on the HDS and that is working fine. I'll run a battery diagnostic and see what comes up since I did notice it did have some codes.

Thanks again.

 

[phattyduck]

I will charge the battery tonight and see if there is a change. I

I will say that if you are doing any of the scans with in the Key-on, engine-off position, (two single presses of the start button with foot off brake) make sure that you have the charger on the battery while you are doing it. Lots of crazy stuff happens if you don't. (may be ok with a full and new battery, but any age on it and things go bad quick - even if the battery is perfectly fine)

-Charlie

 

[OddyPapa]

Evening update:

Battery is reading 11.7V. One of the codes has gone away on its own. B1381 remains. Charging the battery overnight to see what changes. Will possibly be getting a new battery to rule that out. Updates to follow.

Thank you all again for your help.

 

[WiiMaster]

11.7 volts while resting? That sounds like you may have your issue right there. When resting it should be at least 12.2.

 

[OddyPapa]

Battery is fine. Bought a new battery just in case and no change. HDS voltage read is wrong. Best I got was 11.9 with either battery. A good voltage meter read 12.9-13.0. Back to the drawing board.

After battery disconnect any button will open the tailgate once. And then nothing. Hmm

 

[kernel]

And your earlier posts showed:

and you were still talking about changing the tailgate motor?
You said you had a spare latch. Have you tried it?

 

[OddyPapa]

And your earlier posts showed:
View attachment 172138
and you were still talking about changing the tailgate motor?
You said you had a spare latch. Have you tried it?

I won’t be changing the motor just yet. I will try the spare latch either today or Monday. Code B1384 has resolved on its own and isn’t coming back. B1381 is still present and only shows up after the tailgate opens once (after a battery disconnect). If I disconnect and reconnect the battery no codes are present. Then after the first success the code shows up and everything stops working.

 

[kernel]

Your OBD scanner cannot clear the code? So disconnecting the battery clears the code and the code returns when operating the tailgate. Let's see if the spare latch throws the same or different codes.

 

[WiiMaster]

Yeah, battery voltage from the scan tool will never be accurate. You need a multimeter to probe the battery posts. It's like $5 at Harbor Freight, worth grabbing one. I did several weeks ago for my dashcam project in my Accord.

 

[OddyPapa]

Yeah, battery voltage from the scan tool will never be accurate. You need a multimeter to probe the battery posts. It's like $5 at Harbor Freight, worth grabbing one. I did several weeks ago for my dashcam project in my Accord.

Yeah I was working with it for a few days and didn’t even touch the multimeter. After buying a new battery, instinctively I grabbed my multimeter to make sure the new one was good. And then I checked my current one and it was well within range.