My rear hatch opens manually about 6 inches and then stops. I am afraid to force it open. The key fob will close it but then won't open it at all. Had anyone faced this issue? Thanks

It's probably the struts. You won't hurt it if you gently try to open it by hand. make sure you replace them with the liftgate struts for the power liftgate.

Just an example, you can get any brand you want to:

https://www.amazon.com/Pieces-Tuff-S...liftgate+strut

Ok I got new struts and started to remove the old bracket. Since my hatch will only open a few inches, it seems like if I remove the bracket, the arm will shoot out and break the glass. We tried to force it open all the way but it makes a horrible noise. Will the arm shoot out when I release the second bolt on the bracket? Thanks

I would like to know the answer to this also, have you done a search in the DIY section? I found this. Not a perfect answer but more information is always good. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...-problems.html

Ok, I removed the arm to the motor and the door opened all the way. It was not the struts. The motor will initiate but not open the door. Weird that it stopped the door from opening more than 6 inches though. I did not use the automatic feature much anyways so I am not sure if it is worth repairing.

I stumbled upon a thread that talked about how to fix the motor assembly. It didn't seem too difficult. It boils down to a c-clip that bends and falls out, causing all types of issues with the opener. Try searching a little more. You should find it.