Auto Lift Gate Buttons Won't Open Liftgate When Window is Down

[Trail4R]

Anyone else hate the fact that the automatic liftgate buttons won’t open the liftgate unless the window is all the way up??

Taking a lot of getting used to coming from the 5th Gen. lol

On the 6th Gen 4Runner, you cannot open the liftgate manually or electronically if the rear window is down—Toyota has fully disabled both manual and powered liftgate operation when the window is lowered. This is a significant change from previous generations.

In the 5th Gen 4Runner and earlier, you could still open the liftgate manually even if the rear glass was down. The power buttons wouldn’t work, but you could still lift the hatch by hand. That’s no longer possible on the 2025+ models.

Now, if we're talking about the liftgate buttons (dash switch, exterior handle, key fob, or kick sensor), those have always been disabled when the rear window is down, even on earlier generations. But what’s new for the 6th Gen is a slight mechanical lockout: the liftgate itself is hard to move due to the inactive motor - even if you try to open it manually. You can still open it but Toyota does not recommend doing that.

The owner's manual does not recommend manually opening the liftgate.

• Manually opening the liftgate is not recommended on models equipped with a power liftgate. Toyota designs the power liftgate systems (including hands-free ones) to resist manual force to avoid damaging the motor, arms, or latching system.
• The manual typically advises using the designated buttons (on the key fob, dash, or liftgate handle) instead of forcing it open or closed by hand.

Regarding the rear window

• If the rear window is down, Toyota disables the liftgate buttons — including the exterior handle button, the kick sensor, and the interior button.
• This is an intentional safety feature because the liftgate and rear glass share alignment, and opening/closing with the glass down can cause structural damage or window breakage.

In short:

• Do not force the liftgate manually open or closed—use the buttons when the window is fully up.
• If the rear window is open, you must roll it up completely before any electronic liftgate functions will work.

There are only a handful of annoying features on the 6th Gen 4Runner and this is one of them for me.

 

[TRD JON]

Blah blah blah owners manual. Dumb still lol

 

[Trail4R]

Blah blah blah owners manual. Dumb still lol

Lol, yes very dumb.

 

[sizzygitbizzy]

If I opened it one time with the window down (manually), did I mess up the car? Definitely felt resistant to open and resistant to close. I didn’t slam it shut though.

 

[Trail4R]

If I opened it one time with the window down (manually), did I mess up the car? Definitely felt resistant to open and resistant to close. I didn’t slam it shut though.

No, you didn't ruin or break anything. You can open and close the rear hatch manually; it's just annoying.

 

[Hound D]

Very annoying just hearing about it. Honestly haven't tried it with the window down on my OR. What's even more annoying for me is that there is no way to manually open the liftgate from the inside.

 

[Trail4R]

Very annoying just hearing about it. Honestly haven't tried it with the window down on my OR. What's even more annoying for me is that there is no way to manually open the liftgate from the inside.

Yeah for sure, one of the main reasons I miss the 5th Gen. The manual lift gate remains superior. lol

 

[sizzygitbizzy]

Oh okay! Good to know. Cause I seen some other folks talking about maybe misaligning the “home” position or like messing up the motor for the power lift gate & stuff.

Got me all stressed out since it was significantly difficult to close

 

[Trail4R]

Oh okay! Good to know. Cause I seen some other folks talking about maybe misaligning the “home” position or like messing up the motor for the power lift gate & stuff.

Got me all stressed out since it was significantly difficult to close

Yeah it kind of feels like you're about to break something, but you won't. If you happen to open that hatch with the window down, just close it... roll the window back up and then open it via the dash button or fob button.