mommied4

New to form. I have a 2011 MDX WITHOUT the technology or entertainment packages. The power liftgate is not working at all, manually, powered from interior button or use of the key fob. The gate is closed and there are no items or anything obstructing the door. I have crawled inside and can not find any interior button or switch, there is no outside keyhole entry and the manual open button by the plate is not working. What now? I have looked at the settings and checked if the rear doors are on child lock or not. All is clear there, and the settings are for in park/all doors unlocked.

Do I need to take this MDX to Acura? Or is there an easy way to take care of this? I do not have an extended warranty and the vehicle is out of warranty with 80,000 miles on it.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

I dont have an MDX, but I searched around the internet and found that the car has to be in park with all doors unlocked.
were you previously able to open the lift gate?? in other words, is this a new problem that has started recently??

Ron A

Welcome to the forums.

Since this is a topic/technical issue which will require replies, and not a "New Member Introduction", I moved this thread to the model specific forum.

mommied4

Thank you, yes I have looked all over the owner's manual and see that all doors need to be unlocked. They were unlocked. Child locks off rear doors. Engine in park, regardless if engine on or off. I found the internal manual lever to get the hatch open from the inside. I also found that the power windows on the passenger side are not working, stuck in the closed position as well as the hatch not opening to manual outside or key fob/inside driver door switch. I think it may be the fuse(s) and will be taking it to my brother's shop for him to look at fuse boxes for me. I just had the passenger side doors both replaced from a big side swipe accident and that may be it, incorrect replacement of guts or the fuse blown. Yes, it has not worked only once before the accident doors replaced, but started working again the next use.

mrgold35

Some folks had issues with the rear hatch lock/unlock actuator. Sometimes you can hear it "engaging"; but, it doesn't lock/unlock the rear hatch. Other times it is just dead and it doesn't make any sound. I had my door actuator go out on my RDX and it was 100% dead with no sound and I had to use the key to lock/unlock the door until I got it fixed.

There is a panel you can pop open with a screwdriver from the inside on the rear hatch near the bottom center. There should be a level you can push to the right to release that hatch if need to open, Sounds like you might need to make a trip to the dealership.

mommied4

Thank you mrgold35. I had already located the inside latch and did use it to release the hatch door, I keep a small screwdriver in rear door pocket to use for future until I can get this fixed. Since I just had both front and rear passenger side doors replaced from an accident repair AND the power windows from each of these replaced new door do not operate either, I am thinking it may be fuse related. I am taking it back to the body shop that replaced the doors today to see if they can check the fuse boxes (manual says there are several on the vehicle!). If the shop finds it is a fuse blown and the passenger door power windows start working but the hatch still does not work, then I know if pretty much certain is the actuator. Then I guess I make a trip to the dealer.

Thank you for your information. I see your wife "her" has a 2011 MDX. Love the car.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

ah! so it is a new problem! I believe you are on the right track of locating a burnt out fuse.
and if not; like you suspect, it could be the actuator.

mommied4

Ok, this is a NEW one for me and maybe many others I can help before they jump the gun and go to the dealer to replace a part that did not need changing out.

AFTER driving the vehicle about 50 after the change out of the both passenger side doors the windows AND the back hatch power systems started working again. Like nothing had even happened from being completely dead the day before. According to my body shop owner brother, vehicles are known to "reset" themselves after the power was disrupted or disconnected. My power system on the affected doors and the hatch suddenly woke up per say. They are still working today. We did have to have the Honda dealer reprogram the passenger front window so it could go back to auto up and down and not keep opening back up 2 inches like it was "pinching" something.

I hope this information helps someone form this point avoid the inconvenience that I have had to go through to wait for the car to reset and wake up. Uggg.....

Thank you for all your help. This issue is solved.

Skirmich

This can also probably be a bad Driver door sub harness issue..
When mine failed the power tailgate would not open or close even by the tailgate outside switch, The door actuator was completely dead and it was the sub harness fault.

mommied4

Skirmich, thank you for the information. If the problem shows itself again I will indeed investigate the door sub harness and make sure the actuator is alive or dead. Should I go to the Acura dealer to have them test these 2 parts to see if they are on the brink of breaking? I wonder how much that would cost to have them investigate. If the parts need replacing then the dealer may not charge me for the appointment to investigate. The chance I have to take I guess. All still is operational like it never happened as of this writing.

Skirmich

I would not trust them with a good diagnosis right away... When I was in the blind with my sub harness failure I went to a dealership just for them to quickly tell me I needed a new 300dll Tailgate Actuator! Their professional diagnosis consisted of staring at the tailgate in awe and clicking the tailgate button to no avail.. Little did they know the culprit only cost 27dlls and it was free labor to fix it.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

that sounds more plausible than the actuator going bad..
OP's hatch has magically started working again...if it were the mechanical actuator, i dont think it would magically start working.

+1 on the sub-harness, if it ever happens again

mommied4

Thank you everyone, still so far no more issues.

Neverenuf

You all probably have long figured this one out. (Skirmich was on track with the problem)
Here is what happened to my 2009 MDX. (only 155,00 km on it)
Driver controls would not operate both passenger windows, lift gate or sunroof.
Lift gate button on the gate or FOB would not operate the lift gate.
When I opened the lift gate with the manual release I found that it would operate with the FOB or the button inside the gate. Motor was ok.
It would even stop and reverse during if I pressed the button on the FOB or gate button during travel.
Fuses all checked out good.
Took it to an Acura dealer and they found 3 wires in the driver door harness were broken. $65 part and all worked again.