I’ve been dealing with an issue on my 2010 Kia Sedona where the power liftgate doesn’t stay in the open position. It powers up fine, but then it immediately powers down hard to about halfway, then powers back up to the top and repeats the cycle. It shakes the van pretty violently while doing this.
Here’s what I’ve done so far:
Replaced the liftgate drive assembly (no change).
Checked the wiring harness (all connections are secure).
Pulled the memory fuse and disconnected the battery to reset the system (no change).
The struts are conventional gas struts with no wires, but they don’t hold the hatch up. I’m thinking weak struts might be the issue, though this problem appeared suddenly, not gradually. It also feels like the motor is pulling the hatch down rather than the struts failing. Could this still be a strut issue, or should I look at the overhead controller in the cabin? Has anyone else dealt with this before?
If the struts won’t hold the hatch up, they’re likely the problem. Weak struts can cause the motor to kick in to compensate, which might explain the up-down cycling.
KnowNose said:
If the struts won’t hold the hatch up, they’re likely the problem. Weak struts can cause the motor to kick in to compensate, which might explain the up-down cycling.
I agree. Even though it feels like the motor is pulling it down, weak struts can confuse the system and make the motor overcompensate.
The overhead controller is unlikely to be the issue unless it’s sending erratic signals. If you can, test the struts by disabling the motor and manually lifting the hatch.
I had a similar issue with my vehicle, and replacing the struts solved it. Weak struts can make the system behave oddly, even if they don’t seem completely failed.