Diagsheet

2017 Ford F-250 Super Duty · symptom sheet

Tailgate or liftgate will not open or close

  • 33owner reports
  • 33,000median miles
  • 0involved a crash

Newest report Oct 17, 2024 · checked Sep 19, 2026

77 of the 1,155 complaints on this car are about the structure. 33 of those describe tailgate or liftgate failure.

Tick what matches of 33 reports

2
20
3
1
8

What got replaced

Few of these reports name the part that was replaced.

Recalls and investigations

3 recalls on the structure cover the 2017 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.

19V-880Dec 11, 2019
Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCrew Cab vehicles with carpet flooring. If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.

Risk and remedy
Risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply heat resistant tape to the carpet and its insulation, and modify the B-Pillar insulation as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 20, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S52.
19V-864Dec 4, 2019
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Tailgate:Latch

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Super Duty F-250, F-350, and F-450 trucks equipped with an electric tailgate latch release switch mounted in the tailgate handle. Water may enter the electrical wiring system and cause a short circuit, activating the switch and releasing the tailgate latches.

Risk and remedy
Risk: Unintended tailgate opening may allow unrestrained cargo to fall out of the truck bed and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify the tailgate/frame wiring harnesses by adding jumper pigtails to isolate the tailgate release control circuits and will install a new tailgate handle release switch, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 20, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S48.
17V-652Oct 16, 2017
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The doors on these vehicles may have a bent or kinked actuation cable or the door latches may freeze after water gets into the latch. Either condition can result in the doors opening while driving although they appear to be closed.

Risk and remedy
Risk: A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door latch actuation cables and repair if necessary, and install water shields over the door latches, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S33.

NHTSA investigations into the structure on the F-250 Super Duty

RQ21-001opened Jan 15, 2021
Structure · model years 2017 to 2020

Power tailgate release systems. Closed jan 10, 2024.

NHTSA summary
In January 2021, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ21-001) to assess allegations of post-recall remedy uncommanded tailgate openings in model year (MY) 2017-2019 F-250/350/450 Ford trucks. Besides the recall remedy launched in January 2020, Ford also implemented a production update in November 2019. At the time of the RQ opening, ODI had received eleven (11) Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs). ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Ford in February 2021. In numerous meetings after receiving their IR response, Ford highlighted the drop in claims since the recall and production update and communicated how they were unable to verify the owners’ complaints or replicate the concern. Despite this, Ford began developing ways to prevent uncommanded tailgate openings from various human, mechanical or electrical causes. Based on testing, Ford issued a Customer Satisfaction program, 21M05-S1/S2/S3, to further address the potential of unintended tailgate openings. This work was applied to vehicles being produced as of December 20, 2021. The program began for already delivered vehicles on July 22, 2022. The covered models include 2017-2022 F-250, 350, 450, 550, 650 and 750 Super Duty and 2020-2022 F-600 Super Duty trucks. ODI has received 39 VOQs between February 24, 2020, and December 15, 2023, alleging uncommanded tailgate openings. In a detailed analysis, none of the vehicles in the VOQs were found to have received the Customer Satisfaction u

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 10,000 and 47,000 miles, from the 25 reports that gave a mileage.

1118
1119
120
621
322
124

What owners wrote

“The tailgate opens intermittently even after the original recall was done twice and the cab button was replaced and the tailgate actuator was replaced. It happens months apart but does happen. May 15, 2022; Feb 27, 2022; Repairs; Aug 21, 2021; May 22, 2021; Apr 25, 2021; Recall 2nd time; Recall; Opened 4 other times before I started paying attention.”

Filed May 28, 2022

“Cargo bed tailgate has opened while driving/operating the vehicle on three different occasions even AFTER the tailgate recall repair (FORD 19S48) has been applied.”

Filed Dec 2, 2021

“Trucks automatic tailgate opens by itself. I had the recall repair performed, however, the issue continues. The tailgate opens by itself even after the recall repair. Issue #2- Passenger seat headrest bracket is broken and rattling loudly. Numerous complaints on the internet.”

Filed Sep 29, 2021

“I have had the tail gate open several times. I have had the tailgate repaired under a recall twice and then I replaced the entire wiring harness for it. Unfortunately the issue continues to happen.”

Filed Sep 17, 2021

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 33 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.

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