[mitt]

I have an '06 s, and it has the fairly heavy emergency kit stowed in the tailgate. The cylinders have always seemed just barely able to hold the gate up since new, but now in the cold (15F), the tailgate drops about 6 inches after opening, just enough to hit my head on.

Anyone else with this, or am I just a singularity?

mitt

 

[hattrik21]

It was about 29-30 here today and mine definetly struggled to hold mine open today as well.

 

[S_e_X-Terra]

dropped down to 40 here tonight, and i didnt have any problems at all. Maybe im lucky, maybe i just havent had it long enough to see any probems.

 

[syndicate]

I guess the grease inside is getting thicker in the cold?
________
HOTTYMESS

 

[usmc xterra]

I had this problem when I 1st got mine. Dealer installed new lifts and I still have the problem. Mine is a little sneaky though, it drops so slow you don't notice it until about the 3rd trip unloading when you are all focused on unloading and wham! I think this rates up there with the rear leafs as a Nissan Blunder. Far as I can see only real cure is after market lifts that are stronger. MC

 

[anrebel1]

Mine is a little sneaky though, it drops so slow you don't notice it until about the 3rd trip unloading when you are all focused on unloading and wham!

:laughing3: I have this mental picture of it snickering as it lowers..

 

[Catalyst]

ive been having the same problem...... or had when we were having normal weather up here in the NE. Now its 65 in december and idk wtf is going on. But yea in cold weather mine does that.

 

[pavementSucks]

i havent had mine opened yet
but it has been pretty cold here. ill have to try it and see what happens

 

[lostboy]

mine opens very slow but holds up just fine. It was 7 degrees when I woke up this morning.

 

[armandov99]

Northern VA....almost 70 degrees in December...WTF?

 

[Glucola]

Stand by for the big storm coming your way if it hasn't hit already. He got some snow and freezing rain here in Lewisville, TX if you can believe it. It was cold last night at 22 degrees. It's going to be close to 60 again for a little bit. It got to a high of 45 today. We've been running in the 70's-80's for the past couple of weeks.

 

[armandov99]

Yeah I went to school in OK and my friends back there have been telling me about it...tonight is supposed to drop like mad. Ah well, it was nice while it lasted...

 

[dpatton]

I have an '06 s, and it has the fairly heavy emergency kit stowed in the tailgate. The cylinders have always seemed just barely able to hold the gate up since new, but now in the cold (15F), the tailgate drops about 6 inches after opening, just enough to hit my head on.

My 06 doesn't have this problem, including last weekend when it was about -10C.

First thing I would try is on a day when this happens, remove the emergency kit, and see if it keeps happening. Obviously if it does, then you can get the struts replaced under warranty.

My 92 Pathfinder ended up with 'lift gate sag', but not until a couple of years ago. I fixed it by getting replacement struts from NAPA - far cheaper than the cost of the OEM struts.

 

[Graytshirt]

It got down in the low 20's here last night and my 06 did not have any problems. I backed my X out of the garage and opened the hatch for about 20 minutes, the hatch never dropped.

 

[syndicate]

Was it 20 deg in your garage though?

This would only happen if the pistons got super cold while the hatch is down. If they are at a normal temperature while the hatch is up, and then they get cold, the grease will solidify with the piston extended. That would only make the hatch more difficult to pull back down.
To accurately test this on your vehicle, you'd have to let it sit outside for a while and then open the hatch.
________
Vaaapp

 

[Graytshirt]

No, but my truck sat outside all day. I only park it in the garage at night.

 

[syndicate]

What I understand is that your truck was inside a garage while it was "20deg" outside. You then, while it's still 20deg outside, backed it out and opened the hatch for 20 min.

I was saying that testing it like that wouldn't have caused the hatch to droop because the lifting pistons hadn't been outside, where it was 20deg. If anything, it would have caused the hatch to want to stay up, because the lifting pistons got cold in the "up" position.
________
1Msexy

 

[Graytshirt]

I guess you have a point. Could also be that my truck is only a week old though. Either way, thanks for the clarification

LOL

 

[Shodan]

I have an '06 s, and it has the fairly heavy emergency kit stowed in the tailgate. The cylinders have always seemed just barely able to hold the gate up since new, but now in the cold (15F), the tailgate drops about 6 inches after opening, just enough to hit my head on.

Anyone else with this, or am I just a singularity?

mitt

Does it do it with the first aid kit in there only? Or just whith the heavier roadside emergency kit?

 

[Shodan]

i havent had mine opened yet
but it has been pretty cold here. ill have to try it and see what happens

You haven't had your rear hatch open yet? :scratch: