2024 TRD OR: Can't Remove Tailgate - System Malfunction

I have a 2024 Tacoma TRD Off Road. After turning off the two tailgate settings and removing the tailgate (per the manual), I get a System Malfunction with a tailgate icon. It's under warranty; the problem showed up immediately. Total mileage was 95 when I encountered the proble.

Dealer unable to fix and Toyota engineering says there is no solution.

The manual says there should be a cap for the power connector to the tailgate. It's large, about 3" x 2" and has 20 or more contacts. No cap came with the vehicle and Toyota says there is no such part, even though the manual says there is. I have been told that some models with power tailgates have a cap and the cap has pins that let the ECU

Has anyone with a 2024 TRD Off Road (or any 2024 or 2025 Tacoma with a power tailgate) been able to remove the tailgate without generating the System Malfunction error? Do you have a cap for the connector?

If you do have a 2024 oe 2025 TRD with the power tailgate, can you please message me or post the part number of the cap?

If there is no cap, that is clearly a design flaw since the ECU side connector should not be open to moisture.

 

why are you removing tailgate? for camper? independence overland on youtube just got a bed replacement for his trail hunter. so his tailgate is also gone. maybe message him and see what he did?

 

Well they should exist in theory, but a dealer is going to have to get you some. The Tundra references the same cover types so wondering if a part can be found under that model.

 

Pretty sure I found them.

 

these "covers" are not going to do anything for your warning messages unless they have loops for data wiring... they are prolly just to keep water out and terminals from corroding

 

Did anyone end up coming up with a solution for this? I am in a similar boat and can't seem to take the tailgate off without the constant warning messages. The two sensors (RCTA and RCD) you have to turn off will automatically turn back on every time you turn the car on even if you disable them.

 

It is clearly a software defect. The problem does not occur with models without a power tailgate. The connector covers are just that; they do not have contacts to provide any electrical feedback that the tailgate has been removed. Because the tailgate down alert and power tailgate settings do not stick, backing frequently results in the brakes being automatically applied. You then depress the brake pedal and continue backing, and with luck, you won't be slammed to a stop again.

Now, get this. Toyota's response: You can't remove the tailgate because NHTSA requires a backup camera. Case closed. Clearly, the regional Toyota engineer was better at creative writing than fixing problems.

The problem with leaving the tailgate down is that it blocks access to the spare tire. We drive remote roads with a small Four Wheel Camper slide-in and spare tire access is a requirement.

 

So do you take the tailgate off and just deal with the constant warning? I also have a four wheel camper and would like access to the spare if needed.
I don’t really have the issue of it automatically braking on me, I just turn off the PKSD. Had to figure that one out the first time I put a bike rack on

 

Yes, I bite the bullet - how do you turn off the PKSD?

On our 2005 Tacama, there was enough room for one length of the rods between the bumper and the spare, so I crawled under and used a ratchet wrench to lower/raise the spare. It may be possible to create a custom rod that is short enough to fit and work with a wrench. Crawling under is not the greatest - on a trip on the Trans-Labrador, I was eaten alive by mosquitoes, black flies, and gnats.

 

In the settings menu with the left steering wheel control. You can go into the settings and turn off a bunch of the safety settings.
If you toggle off the PKSD one it will let you back up without the auto brake. And will have a little orange light at the bottom right of the screen and let you know every time you start up it’s off.

I reached out to GG Offroad guys too, hopefully they will have a solution soon. No one seems to have any answers

 

I was hoping for a hardware fix to disable the sensor. On my 2024 Tacoma TRD OR with the power tailgate (premium package), setting the PKSD setting to off does work due to a software defect. I and two dealerships attempted to set the PKSD to off, without success. The display shows "off", but the software apparently ignores the setting.