Cannot Open Tailgate Unless Another Door Is Open

[Rock]

My wife normally picks up the  kids from school, but recently I have taken over this role. I noticed for the first time that if I pull up outside their school and the kids try to open the tailgate to put in their bags, they cannot, as the tailgate is locked, and only when I open the driver's door (or any door) will the tailgate unlock and it can be opened.

 

Any ideas why this is happening? Could it be that not having the handbreak on causes this, or must the car be in park/neutral, or what? Is there a setting or switch to control this behaviour? I cannot find anything in the user manual that covers this.

 

Thanks

 

 

[paul.h]

I do not know the year/model but the locking can be altered via the radio menu and configuration buttons. Also auto locking when moving is done by holding in the dash lock button and undone by holding it in again (probably only when the engine is running) - it sounds as if this is what is happening in your case and it is designed to stop somebody opening your boot (or other doors) possibly to pinch stuff/jump in your car. With auto locking on, the dash lock button will be flashing after the doors lock.

[Rock]

I do not know the year/model but the locking can be altered via the radio menu and configuration buttons. Also auto locking when moving is done by holding in the dash lock button and undone by holding it in again (probably only when the engine is running) - it sounds as if this is what is happening in your case and it is designed to stop somebody opening your boot (or other doors) possibly to pinch stuff/jump in your car. With auto locking on, the dash lock button will be flashing after the doors lock.

Thanks for the reply.

 

The model is C4 Picasso, 2006, with the Navidrive Instrument Panel, Multifunction Screen DT.

 

I thought the Central Locking button on the dashboard simply locked ALL doors when pressed and held in. That is not the case here, as when the kids try to open the tailgate, and fail, they open one of the rear passenger doors, then they can open the tailgate.

 

I will check the menu/configurations buttons, and see if that is the problem.

 

Cheers

 

Rock

[john h]

Tailgate will auto lock above a certain speed, I too discovered that for it to unlock I had to open my door first, I was still in the drivers seat and had pulled up to let someone put a suitcase in the boot

[qman3428]

Auto locking is also time based, I believe in case you forgot to lock it. I often have to unlock my car more than once as it locks itself and to open the boot I open the drivers door which releases the boot lock.

[paul.h]

The auto locking happens if you use the remote to unlock but if a door is not opened within about 30 seconds the doors will auto lock.

 

Since first replying to this topic, I found in the handbook for our 2007 C5 a couple of notes on the tailgate auto locking, one being:

In all cases, as soon as the vehicle is moving (at a speed above 10 km/h (6 mph)), the tailgate and the rear screen (estate version) are locked. When the vehicle stops, the tailgate and rear screen are unlocked when a door is opened or the interior locking/unlocking button is actioned.

 

So auto locking when moving of the boot/tailgate is an anti-theft security feature of Citroens.