The luxury MPV (multi-purpose vehicles) R Class has proven itself to be quite a successful line for the German automaker, Mercedes-Benz. Known variously as a Sport Cruiser, a Grand Sports Tourer and a Family Tourer, the R Class is all these things in one. It does encounter maintenance issues occasionally, however.
One problem that some R Class owners have encountered with their cars, is the malfunctioning of their automatic tailgate. Some drivers have mentioned that the tailgate can fail to close as many as nine times out of ten. Some have observed that there are times when the tailgate starts to open but then will close immediately. This occurs whether the power button inside the car is used or when the button on the remote is used. Some owners have had to help the tailgate up by hand while pressing the close button on the key.
Needless to say, this can be a very frustrating problem, but fortunately, it's more of a pain in the tail than a safety issue. However, this could be a sign of future wiring issues and it is something that you should have checked out. To remedy this problem, a mechanic may apply lubrication to the locking mechanism as well as clean out the door jam. Failing these two quick and inexpensive solutions, the wiring of the system may need to be investigate and replacement may not be out of the question.
If the power tailgate is malfunctioning on your Mercedes-Benz R-Class, be sure to bring your car in to an authorized German import technician so they can inspect the problem and give you an estimate of the repair costs involved.
Search for a local, independent Mercedes-Benz repair shop with Mercedes-Benz mechanics that have dealer-level expertise at a fraction of the expense.