Historically, the lift gate on our 2017 Tahoe Premier would perform what I call a "final closing" action that entailed a quarter to half inch mechanically driven sucking in of the lift gate to seal off the back half of the Tahoe. My wife was rear ended a few months back and the lift gate no longer performed this action and a new air gap between the lift gate seal and body was created, so at 40mph+, you could then hear air flow coming in from the lift gate. The Tahoe has been in the repair shop for 1.5 months now with them spending the majority of this time trying to figure out the lift gate issues. They called yesterday saying it was ready for pick up, but when I arrived to test, the lift gate would not perform the final close and the air gap remained when I test drove it. They have replaced all mechanical parts on the lift gate and latch and we are unable to replicate the action that it used to perform upon closing. There was only 1 other similar year model on their lot and it would not do it either, so when I refused to accept it, my case was not very strong. I've scoured the internet/YouTube looking for information and I'm not having much success.

Am I crazy for thinking that this action occurred prior to our accident? We checked both my MIL's and SIL's suburban's and neither of them perform the action, but my wife and I are confident that her Premier performed that final closing action.

What's the fix for the air gap issue? Is it as simple as adjusting the bump stops on the lift gate?

I don't anticipate the other drivers insurance will cooperate with a rental for much longer given the time they've had it, so concerned that I'm going to be handed a vehicle that no longer operates as it did when new.

I'd love to see a video of the final close if someone has it so I can share with the repair shop.

Thanks in advance!

 

You aren't crazy, as my son in law's 2008 Denali does this, as does my daughter's Highlander. And my mom's Subaru. They all have that little final pull in and usually a "click" on completion, in my experience. My daughter's Highlander does it even with the fact the actuator that actually closes the gate from full open is broken. I.e. you manually close it, then it sucks it in another inch and closes tight.

That said, your case isn't strong if the other vehicle on their lot also doesn't do it. I would say they need to figure out how to seal the lift gate, whether there is a "sucking in action" or not...