[Paul Pfitz]

I have a 2019 Cherokee Trailhawk Elite that I purchased used last summer with approximately 22,000 miles. It is in very good well maintained condition but shortly after getting it I discovered a strange issue with the power liftgate. Every so often when I grab the door handle to unlock it the liftgate would beep and it would automatically go up. This would not happen every time but over the course of several months I have identified some trends about this issue. Here is a summary of what I have learned.

1. First of all it does appear to be related to outside temperature. When it is above 80F outside it is more likely to occur. Also, if the liftgate is facing the sun it is more likely to occur. Over the cooler seasons and through the winter it never happens, ever.
2. It can be triggered in different ways. The following actions have triggered this event; Grabbing the door handle to unlock it, Unlocking using the key fob, when driving it won’t open but does beep and display the message to “place in park to operate liftgate”. While driving it has randomly triggered but also has when using a turn signal or when the auto off feature starts the engine. Again, only when hot.
3. Things I have tried to fix this; change batteries in key fobs, deactivated the foot operation of the liftgate, deactivated the auto unlock of the door when grabbing the handle. Pulling the #50 fuse for the power liftgate resolves the issue but makes it impossible to open.
4. When the Jeep is not running it will activate once and then seem to behave, I can’t just lock the Jeep again and recreate it. But if I am driving it seems to be more unstable for the first 10 minutes or so until temperatures get cooled off.

Has anyone else had this type of issue? Would love to hear your thoughts.

 

[Rambo_Of_PA]

Have you checked for any recalls related to this issue??

 

[Seakir]

I'm wondering if there's a relay switching when it gets too hot, or an actuator fault? I'm unfamiliar with newer GCs but if you pulled a fuse and it stopped the fault, then I would start at the relay first followed by the liftgate actuator.
Does the rear growl at you when you press your fob as it locks/unlocks? This is tell tale actuator. If no sound, then relay?

 

[Paul Pfitz]

The lift gate sounds and acts normal so I don't think it the actuator. A relay might explain it. What I need is a schematic of the system.

 

[Paul Pfitz]

Another important piece of information is that the heat issue is related to the the back of the Jeep. If I park at work with the back facing south so that the sun hits it at noon it will cause this issue but if I park with the front facing south it usually will not. This makes me think that it may be the liftgate switch on the outside or possibly the rear interior switch.

 

[Paul Pfitz]

Found this thread that looks to be the exact same issue.

2019 Trailhawk power liftgate

Hello, We have 2019 Trailhawk and the power liftgate will open on it's own. When you go to the jeep and unlock the door by placing your hand in the door handle, the liftgate opens. When you drive along you get a warning that you can't operator the liftgate while driving. We've had the Jeep to...

www.jeepcherokeeclub.com

Replacing the Power liftgate module resolved it so I will pursue that. Anyone have experience replacing this module? Do you have to reprogram keyfobs or anything like that?