My 2007 RX 350 tailgate closes by itself some times. When it gets to the top, it just beeps and comes down right away. I took it to the dealer today, and was told the hatch struts are weak and need to be replaced. However, another dealer told me it could be problems with the motors. Anyone has experience with this? Thanks.

 

Not a service advisor, but I too would lean towards weak struts. The struts act as counterbalances and if weak they would transfer more of the load to the motors causing them to overload. That would be sensed and they would reverse.

In the same sense, weak motors would overload and that would be sensed and they would reverse.

More reasons I'm not a service advisor.

 

You might want to post on the 2nd Generation RX forum rather than this one

 

Have the struts been cleaned and properly lubricated? Though not unheard of, it seems a bit early to fail, IMO. Usually, the first sign of problems show in cold conditions. Have you tried opening the hatch manually by hand to see how it operates?

 

I was having the exact same problem with my '05. Pop the hatch and once it got to the top it would beep and come right back down on its own. Very annoying. Came to the forum and found that lubricating the struts could possibly solve the problem and it worked for me. I now keep them lubricated every few weeks or so and I haven't had the problem since. Just go buy yourself a can of silicone lubricant for 5 or 6 bucks and lube up those struts. Try this first before you let the dealers do anything with it. If it doesn't work, you only lost 5 bucks.

 

I used to use a spray lubricant from Permatex, however, I can no longer find it. Grabbed a can of Liquid Wrench (Gunk) Silicone Spray to try from the local parts store. Worked well, but I thought it had a strong odor to it. Have been happier with a can of CRC Heavy Duty Silicone. A little goes a long way.

 

Thank you all for the suggestions! I live in Southern CA, so the weather is never a factor. I will try to lubricate it first and report back.

 

Ok now I have tried the silicone lubricant, it seems to help a little but didn't get rid of the problem. After the spray, the gate may operate normally for a few times, then the problem happens again. Does it mean I really need to change hatch struts now?

 

http://www.autopartsbylou.com/lift-s...e=mmy&x=18&y=7

 

Hello I need help again, please!

I tried the lubricant. it didn't seem to resolve the problem. So I sent it to the same dealer who said the problems to be with the hatch struts three months ago. This time around they said the hatch structs are good, but he motor is weak. I am very upset about them flipping back and forth. They asked for $1400 to replace the motor.

Any suggestions to this situation? Thanks in advance.

 

I would turn the power liftgate off, and open it manually and see if you can rule out strut failure. If and only if you are 100% sure that it is not the struts, then have the motor replaced. My reasoning is that couple hundred bucks beats 1400. Or if you could live without the power liftgate, turn it off and leave it off, and just use the door manually and spend the 1400 on something else more worthwhile. Good luck.

Lots of people here have had good experience with the guys that RX330inFL recommended above if you decide to try replacing the struts.

 

I had this problem, found this post and followed the consensus advice - lubricate the struts. Big mistake. The door would no longer stay open at all, i.e. you would have to physically hold it up while trying to get something out of the car.

The problem, as stated by a couple of posters, is that the struts are weak. The automatic door is designed to close when only a couple pounds of downward force is applied to the door when it is fully open. Because the struts are weak and cannot support the full weight of the door at the topmost position, it automatically closes.

The fix is to replace the struts. The quote from the dealer was $1200. Seriously. Good news is you can buy the parts on-line. I bought a pair of "StrongArm" Lift Supports on Amazon for a little over $60, and installed them in under 30 minutes. The automatic door opener now works like a charm.

Be careful, after removing the old struts - the door is *heavy* and propping up with a board or pole can be dangerous! You should have someone help hold the door up while you're working.

Hope this helps someone.

 

I have the very same stupid problem with my 2006. first i replaced the computer (ECM) 199.99 brand new e-bay (100.00 install at Lexus dealer). Didn't make any difference. I ordered struts to see if that will help(waiting for them to come in) Lube the old ones didn't work. Most of these goofy back doors have failed, are failing or are going to fail. That's why I purchased a RX in the first place and that is the reason I will never buy another one. The door has almost taken my head off a couple of times. Real sad.

 

Hey struts get weak, normal wear and tear, to knock the whole car for that is crazy, hope the struts fix your problem. Your dealer took you. I would have been back and got a refund...

 

Not only do the hatch lifts/struts get weak over time, but they also lose efficiency as the temperatures drop. So, this time of year it is not abnormal to have problems as the temperatures drop. They may be fine in the heat of the summer and useless come winter.

In these cases the first thing you do, and something you should consider on a quarterly basis, is to open the hatch and clean the lifts with a proper lubricant. It is sufficient to just spray into a rag and use that to wipe the lifts. I use a silicone spray and wipe the rubber around the hatch area at the same time. Make sure this easy-to-do and inexpensive item is not the cause for a future problem.

Next, if you have to replace the lifts. If you can DIY, great. If not, take it to a shop, any shop. While I have never used the following place I understand others have had good luck with their replacement parts, so I routinely point to these:

http://www.autopartsbylou.com/lift-s...=mmy&x=18&y=11

If these do not solve your problem at least you will know they have been replaced and/or tended to and are some of the least expensive repairs you can do on your RX. Even if the motor or computer are a problem you should still be able to open and close the hatch manually. Some will have a problem with having to do that. My response to those individuals is unprintable here.

Personally, I still have the original lifts on my 2004 and even in the near freezing temperatures in PA and FL I have been in the last few months they work without problem.