‘24 Owners Who Removed Tailgate

[cs0430]

Trying to troubleshoot an issue.

I removed my tailgate this weekend in preparation for a camper install, and capped the connections with the 'tailgate delete' kit provided in my glovebox. Now my truck thinks the tailgate is down all the time - I get a warning on the dash when starting the truck, there is a light on my dash always on indicating the tailgate is down, and the truck honks twice when I lock it because it thinks something is ajar.

Has anyone else experienced this? Or when you removed yours did the harness prevent the error message?

 

[cs0430]

I think I've isolated the issue to this harness. It is the one that when unplugged indicates 'tailgate ajar.' With all of the other plugs from the tailgate in I removed this one, truck indicated 'tailgate ajar.' I left the normal tailgate plugs in and replaced the harness with the Ford provided 'tailgate delete' jumper, and it still says tailgate ajar. Presumably this thing is supposed to, in part, trick the truck into thinking the tailgate is closed and it does not do that.

 

[Chadx]

Like you, after tailgate removal on my 2024, I receive the 'tailgate ajar' message, each time I start the pickup. After I 'OK' the message away, the little red-illuminated tailgate ajar symbol remains lit in the dash. I had expected the tailgate removal kit/plugs to eliminate this, but it does not. I researched it a bit and found that it can be turned off with FORScan, but since my camper is on for 7 months and off for 5 months of the year, I want to retain the 'tailgate ajar' warning for those months when the tailgate is on. Mine doesn't honk at me when I close/lock it, but I have turned off all the horn notices through the screen. Not sure which one that is related to. I don't know if the tailgate ajar sensor physically senses the tailgate being closed or it something digital or electronic. That would be nice to know.

I absolutely love the truck, but coming from a 10 year old truck to this one, this has way too many dings, and endless onscreen warnings to OK out of over and over and over. I did the non-FORScan trick to turn off the seat belt chime, so that is better. But the truck still chimes when I get in, when I start it, and chimes if I open a door with it running (which is often on my property), chimes if I get out of the truck with the key in my pocket because key is too far away (what good is a wireless key if you have to take it out of your pocket and leave it in the truck so it doesn't go bonkers when you get in and out?). Probably more chimes I'm not thinking of. One might be related to the tailgate ajar. I really think the 'tailgate removed' kit should be eliminating the tailgate ajar notice, but I haven't asked dealership about it. Hey, at least when we unplug the backup camera, all the other 360 cameras work unlike the early 2023 where unplugging that camera made ALL cameras not work. I think that was resolved with an over the air update later on.

As for warning screens, I typically have to OK through tailgate ajar, low tire pressure, and seatbelt popup every time I start the truck and/or put it in gear. FORScan can lower the tire pressure warning threshold, which I'll likely do, since I air down the tires often. And, if I want to check the tire pressure, I can do so quickly my the My View menu or with my tire pressure gauge. The seatbelt warning screen is annoying because it comes up even when everyone is buckled up and it shows those seats in green rather than red like when they are occupied and seat belts not fastened. At least it doesn't chime at me anymore (as mentioned, did the trick with holding button and clicking seatbelt in and out 4 or 5 times; I forget the exact sequence, but now it doesn't chime; just pops the menu if I unbuckle with truck running or driving).

Will be following this thread to hear if anyone does NOT have tailgate ajar warning with tailgate removed and 'tailgate removed' kit in place.

Now, if I could just figure out why my side mirrors stopped autofolding when locked. Not sure if that stopped working because of removing the tailgate or when the tire shop was plugged into my OBD port trying over and over to get the new wheel's tire pressure monitors programmed as those two things occurred within days of each other and I didn't happen to lock the truck in between. Hitting the button to manually fold the side mirrors still works, but no idea how the auto feature stopped working. I disabled it and re-enabled it multiple times in the onscreen menu, with pickup turned off inbetween, and no change. Minor thing, but annoying that it just changed somehow and not knowing why. Ha. [Edit: Per @Blade420Play further down this thread, auto-mirror folding won't work if any door or tailgate is ajar, so the culprit seems to be my always on "Tailgate ajar" message and once I resolve that, auto-mirror folding should work again].

 

[TRAMPER]

Don’t get this message on my 23 without a tailgate…. Sub’ed to see where it goes.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Use forscan to get rid of the chimes at startup and the key chime. Lots of chimes I found and deleted.

DA

 

[cs0430]

Also weird how this seems to be an inconsistent issue. I’m picking up my four wheel camper tomorrow and they have installed three on ‘24 F250’s and have not experienced the tailgate off error message and associated sensor problems.

 

[Chadx]

I thought every '24 was having the same 'tailgate ajar' issue. Sounds like no so there is hope. Maybe I'll go through and unplug and replug all the plugs from the "tailgate removed" kit. I installed those during a cold snap a month plus ago and will be more patient redoing it now in warmer weather. Worth a shot. Might unplug everything and start the truck just to see what it does without the plug kit to try to figure out if current install is doing anything at all and to get a baseline.

 

[cs0430]

I thought every '24 was having the same 'tailgate ajar' issue. Sounds like no so there is hope. Maybe I'll go through and unplug and replug all the plugs from the "tailgate removed" kit. I installed those during a cold snap a month plus ago and will be more patient redoing it now in warmer weather. Worth a shot. Might unplug everything and start the truck just to see what it does without the plug kit to try to figure out if current install is doing anything at all and to get a baseline.

I tried that too with no luck. I also thought maybe the truck has a “memory” so I tried to do the plugs starting with the tailgate closed. Unfortunately I realized once I unplugged the original plugs you can’t remove the tailgate manually, it’s only powered.

Either it’s some random software thing, or maybe there was a bad batch of that black and white jumper harness?

 

[Chadx]

I tried that too with no luck. I also thought maybe the truck has a “memory” so I tried to do the plugs starting with the tailgate closed. Unfortunately I realized once I unplugged the original plugs you can’t remove the tailgate manually, it’s only powered.

Either it’s some random software thing, or maybe there was a bad batch of that black and white jumper harness?

So next step might be finding someone who does not have the ajar warning with their kit and trying their kit on your truck. That would show if it's an issue with the kit or with the truck.

 

[cs0430]

So next step might be finding someone who does not have the ajar warning with their kit and trying their kit on your truck. That would show if it's an issue with the kit or with the truck.

Read my mind. FWC has two ‘24 fleet vehicles. I’m going to ask tomorrow if I can test swapping one of those harnesses over to my truck and see what happens. Will report back.

 

[cs0430]

No luck. Their ‘24’s are on the road right now.

 

[Chadx]

Shoot.

I won't have time to swing by the Ford dealership for the next week or so, but maybe they will let me open one of the "tailgate removal" kits from a pickup on the lot and try it. Only problem there is I'm not taking it from a rig that it has proven to work and eliminate the tailgate ajar notice. I guess I could first drop the tailgate of their pickup, then plug the connectors into that truck and see if it eliminates the tailgate ajar notice on it with the tailgate down. That would prove it a good connector. Then would remove that connector and try it on my truck. Don't know how open to that they will be, but maybe next week sometime I can find the right bored salesman to let me give it a whirl. Ha.

 

[Blade420Play]

Like you, after tailgate removal on my 2024, I receive the 'tailgate ajar' message, each time I start the pickup. After I 'OK' the message away, the little red-illuminated tailgate ajar symbol remains lit in the dash. I had expected the tailgate removal kit/plugs to eliminate this, but it does not. I researched it a bit and found that it can be turned off with FORScan, but since my camper is on for 7 months and off for 5 months of the year, I want to retain the 'tailgate ajar' warning for those months when the tailgate is on. Mine doesn't honk at me when I close/lock it, but I have turned off all the horn notices through the screen. Not sure which one that is related to. I don't know if the tailgate ajar sensor physically senses the tailgate being closed or it something digital or electronic. That would be nice to know.

I absolutely love the truck, but coming from a 10 year old truck to this one, this has way too many dings, and endless onscreen warnings to OK out of over and over and over. I did the non-FORScan trick to turn off the seat belt chime, so that is better. But the truck still chimes when I get in, when I start it, and chimes if I open a door with it running (which is often on my property), chimes if I get out of the truck with the key in my pocket because key is too far away (what good is a wireless key if you have to take it out of your pocket and leave it in the truck so it doesn't go bonkers when you get in and out?). Probably more chimes I'm not thinking of. One might be related to the tailgate ajar. I really think the 'tailgate removed' kit should be eliminating the tailgate ajar notice, but I haven't asked dealership about it. Hey, at least when we unplug the backup camera, all the other 360 cameras work unlike the early 2023 where unplugging that camera made ALL cameras not work. I think that was resolved with an over the air update later on.

As for warning screens, I typically have to OK through tailgate ajar, low tire pressure, and seatbelt popup every time I start the truck and/or put it in gear. FORScan can lower the tire pressure warning threshold, which I'll likely do, since I air down the tires often. And, if I want to check the tire pressure, I can do so quickly my the My View menu or with my tire pressure gauge. The seatbelt warning screen is annoying because it comes up even when everyone is buckled up and it shows those seats in green rather than red like when they are occupied and seat belts not fastened. At least it doesn't chime at me anymore (as mentioned, did the trick with holding button and clicking seatbelt in and out 4 or 5 times; I forget the exact sequence, but now it doesn't chime; just pops the menu if I unbuckle with truck running or driving).

Will be following this thread to hear if anyone does NOT have tailgate ajar warning with tailgate removed and 'tailgate removed' kit in place.

Now, if I could just figure out why my side mirrors stopped autofolding when locked. Not sure if that stopped working because of removing the tailgate or when the tire shop was plugged into my OBD port trying over and over to get the new wheel's tire pressure monitors programmed as those two things occurred one day apart and I didn't happen to lock the truck in between. Hitting the button to manually fold the side mirrors still works, but no idea how the auto feature stopped working. I disabled it and re-enabled it multiple times in the onscreen menu, with pickup turned off inbetween, and no change. Minor thing, but annoying that it just changed somehow and not knowing why. Ha.

They won't fold when any door is ajar. That's why that is happening. Figured it out when I went on a trip and I had to push the tailgate in a little bit on the drivers side

 

[Chadx]

They won't fold when any door is ajar. That's why that is happening. Figured it out when I went on a trip and I had to push the tailgate in a little bit on the drivers side

Great info! Thank you. So lack of folding mirrors is because my tailgate kit still allows the tailgate ajar notice to come on. So once I resolve that, auto-mirror fold should work again. Thank you for posting that. It's a relief to know it wasn't anything done when they were plugged into the OBDII and programming the tire pressure monitors a few days before I removed the tailgate.

 

[Blade420Play]

Great info! Thank you. So lack of folding mirrors is because my tailgate kit still allows the tailgate ajar notice to come on. So once I resolve that, auto-mirror fold should work again. Thank you for posting that. It's a relief to know it wasn't anything done when they were plugged into the OBDII and programming the tire pressure monitors a few days before I removed the tailgate.

No problem

 

[Blade420Play]

Don’t get this message on my 23 without a tailgate…. Sub’ed to see where it goes.

Maybe it's because you're a pheasant!

But, seriously... Maybe it's a lariat and up thing?

 

[Blade420Play]

Maybe it's because you're a pheasant!

But, seriously... Maybe it's a lariat and up thing?

Or because you had the camper installed and the guys put the jumper on for you?

 

[TRAMPER]

Maybe it's because you're a pheasant!

But, seriously... Maybe it's a lariat and up thing?

Or because you had the camper installed and the guys put the jumper on for you?

It’s definitely because I’m a pheasant. Obviously.

Might be because mines an XLT, though I do have the 360 Cameras. Or because mines a 2023, all these issues seem to be on the 2024’s.

I removed my tailgate and installed all the jumpers myself before I drove to CO. Only thing that didn’t work was the 360 cameras. They were all out. Once the camper was installed and camera plugged in everything works. Though my side mirrors don’t fold in when the truck is off? Maybe that’s a setting I don’t have on, since they do fold up just fine if I hit the button.

 

[Chadx]

Though my side mirrors don’t fold in when the truck is off? Maybe that’s a setting I don’t have on, since they do fold up just fine if I hit the button.

Correct in that "auto folding mirrors upon locking" is feature that is turned on and off in the on-screen settings under "mirrors". At least on my Lariat. Perhaps not available on base XLT. But yours has the Lariat package so good odds it's their and can be turned on.

 

[Chadx]

Update: Just received the parts for my replacement backup camera that will mount on my camper, so went out to try that. At the same time, figured I'd check all the plugs for the "tailgate removed" kit. Unplugged, replugged, started truck; no difference. Unplugged all, restarted; same lights and messages. Plugged in all blanks and harness with truck running; no difference. Turned off, restarted; no difference. Checked for software updates, too, and none available.

Knew my salesman was working today so gave him a quick call. He is aware of the issue and has other '24 owners that have the same thing when they took off their tailgates (one replaced bed with flatbed). It's like the plug-to-plug bypass harness is dead or not working or not wire/pinned correctly. He'd turned those over to service and hadn't followed up to see the outcome so he is going to write up a ticket for mine on Monday when service department opens. It's opined that this is not an issue with the trucks, but is a bad batch of harnesses (meaning defective or wired/pinned wrong). Will find out more Monday when/if service department calls me with an update. Perhaps the news will be "Come on in and grab a different harness. We've got some laying here". or will be "We have you on the list for when Ford mother ship makes some correct/replacement harnesses is available".

Interestingly, when I plugged in my new backup camera, the backup camera view works when in reverse and also when sitting still through the camera select buttons, but all other cameras stopped working (blue screen). Unplug the backup camera cable and all other cameras work fine. Did that a couple times with same result. Assume that is a byproduct of the "tailgate ajar" error as well so will leave camera off and blank plug on the camera plug until the 'tailgate ajar' issue is resolved then try the camera again.