2017 Acura RDX. I need to load an 80" long replacement exterior door and jamb into the back and drive home from my local Lowe's. It will stick out of the back of the vehicle by several inches. The tailgate obviously will not close at that point. I want to just tie the tailgate down to where it touches the door frame loaded in the back of the vehicle. Can I drive with it open like that? ...or will the car not start?

 

Why not just open the door and try to start the RDX and see?

 

Sounds....Logical

 

Rent their truck for the nominal charge to be safe.

Not to mention the fact that you'll be pulling exhaust into the car, which is dangerous, you may well hurt the structural integrity of the car.

In my opinion, perhaps one of the worst things one can do is to drive an SUV without the hatch fastened.

They are unibody, and like it or not, the hatch is part of that structure. As is the windshield.

Picture a cardboard box with all six sides fastened and in place. It makes a pretty formidable structure.

Now, remove one side, and push against an upper adjacent corner. There is almost no structural integrity.

That's pretty much what would happen if you went over a wrong bump while driving with the hatch open.

The car would never be the same.

 

whoa.. never thought of it like that

 

My post was edited a bit.

 

Yes you can. It will just beep and warn you constantly that the tailgate is open until you close it. I accidentally did that to my 2014 MDX, I thought I closed the tailgate and drove for about 50 ft.
If it is just for a couple of miles, why not. But just shell out the money and rent a pick up from Home Depot.

 

I'm not sure I completely agree with the prospect that driving with your hatch open will cause structural issues with your SUV. Over the years I've driven countless times with things hanging out of the back of whatever minivan or SUV I've owned at the time, and never had any ill-effects. I mean, yes, if you got into an accident it's possible the damage could be worse due to the flex of the box without the hatch closed. But it'd take a LOT to really make that happen. And the structural cage of today's SUV's is pretty darned rigid. And while some early minivans and/or SUV's might have relied upon the completely closed structure for stability, the RDX isn't a tin can waiting to twist with the next bump you go over.

Bottom line - it's up to you. And if you're riding with people and any distance with the hatch open, there are other safety issues beyond structural I'd worry about. And renting a Home Depot truck isn't a bad idea. But a short jaunt with a door hanging out of the back? I'd do it.

Andy