2013 SuburbanLTZ

wow- not ONE reply, after all these years?
@JeepinJeff : did you ever get to the root of the problem? I’m having the exact same issue now! Tried removing the fuses for remote, and rear latch, but it was still flashing the rear lights and trying to open the lift gate, so now I’ve pulled the J-Fuse for “Lift Control Module” and locked it out - but that also won’t allow me to open the hatch at all (as there is no mechanical release button).
I need to get to the bottom of this also.

- was it the wiring in the “jumper harness” at the top of the lift gate, by chance?

mountainmanjoe

@2013 SuburbanLTZ
Jeff has not visited in 7 years and will not reply to you. Instead of reviving old threads ,you will get more help if you make your own. I've split off your question to it's own thread. Please post your vehicle info.

2013 SuburbanLTZ

Thanks! (I didn’t go search his user profile or post history)

My issue is literally what he said. 👆

2013 Suburban LTZ (like my username)

ApprecIate any feedback/learnings anyone has had in the years since. I see several similar - but unresolved - threads which seem to suggest the most likely culprit is a frayed wire in the latch wiring harness between main cabin and liftgate. Any feedback greatly appreciated and I will of course also share my investigations and findings.

mountainmanjoe

I would take off the panel and inspect the inside. Water intrusion from 11 year old aged rubber seals can cause electrical problems.

2013 SuburbanLTZ

Just wanted to update this thread for anyone dealing with the same problem.


As per the other thread started I quoted at the beginning, my liftgate was opening and closing randomly. All inputs (key fob, interior gate switch, rear ‘open’ handle switch and bottom of liftgate ‘close’ which would work as normal, but if I didn’t lock the truck, I’d often come back to find the liftgate wide open when I returned… with it likely having opened and closed several times an hour over that period. (It also tried to ‘eat me’ several times when loading cargo in the rear)

I removed the inner panel and with gate up, began fiddling with the jumper harness at the top. May times it would try to close on me, and I was convinced I’d found the source of the problem, but when I cut off the wrapping of the harness, could find no damage whatsoever - the wires were all in perfect condition.

Then I started to notice the gate would even close on its own when i walked away to get a tool. I thought perhaps this meant a bad ground or a short somewhere, but seemed odd that it would be so intermittent.
So, then I had a thought and started disconnecting the 2 individual hatch switches and monitored the gate for several minutes. Lo and behold, when I would disconnect the rear exterior handle (‘open’) switch, the problem would stop. Left it disconnected, ordered a new one off Amazon ($34 CAD for OEM AC Delco), problem fixed.

My learning is that eventually the contacts of the pressure pad in the switch must eventually deteriorate over time, to where they randomly make contact and activate the switch. They will still work to open on command, but will also continue to activate randomly. Locking the doors prevents activation (so no instances of it happening while driving if you have ‘auto-lock’ on drive engaged). This may be the more common failure than the harness, as I’ve since seen other troubleshooting videos where this switch has been the easy fix.

Hope this post helps someone in the future.