Subaru Forester trunk won’t open

Climb inside and remove access panel to force-unlock mechanism. Then lube and exercise before reassembly.

If you haven’t already pulled the panel like above ^^, make sure the handle is completely pushed in (not pulled out any like you’re opening) and then try unlocking the doors and opening the hatch.

I just had this happen to the 2013 Outback we bought two months ago. Ours doesn't have a motor lift and close feature, just the electric latch. I suspect our actuator is old and the cool November weather may have reduced the battery power a little. I could hear the actuator trying so I forced the trunk open. I used a string shot of graphite on both the hasp and a few shots up into the latch. (There is no way to manually work the latch.)Then I closed it and it almost opened. I forced it open again I worked in the graphite in with closing and using the button a few more times and it is working great now, actually better than before. I use a dry graphite tube to spray all my locks and latches. It is better than grease because it doesn't gum up or attract dirt. I am a little worried that graphite conducts electricity but hey, it is a fused 12 volt circuit.

Bravo!

My new '19 Forester has done this three times now. This should be addressed by the NTSB as a serious safety issue. In an accident when the doors won't open, this could be a real problem for rescuers.

My Subaru Forester 19 has also done this a few times now. How can I fix it? I can’t open the boot. When I push the button it just beeps 3 times.

It’s happened to me twice in 3 months of having my 2019. The first time it just seemed to fix itself, but right now I’m currently locked out of my trunk ‍♀️ I had to climb in from my back seat to get my groceries out ...

I wonder if it has to be completely shut to unlock. Is yours shut all the way?

Great question! If a Subaru auto-lock isn't finalized because of resistance or ice one must clear the obstruction and slowly push down the hatch until it fully secures; only then will the system operate normally.

Take a battery pole lead off for a few seconds. The system reset and the door will now open like it should. Happened to me 3 times now.

Oh wow. Interesting!

my 2019 forester just had the same problem today. it beeps 3 times and won't open by pushing the button on the, with the key fob, nor by the button in the front of the car, near the steering wheel. i've had the car for a month!

woo hoo!! fixed it!! After i heard the 3 beeps and it did not open, i just kept holding the button on the tailgait and the hatch opened after a few more seconds. I then clicked the button for it to close and lock, and it did...then i tried the normal touch of the button to open the hatch again, and it opened normally. There is the fix!!! Just keep holding the button for a few seconds and it will open.

Only works sometimes.

Continuing to hold the latch button after hearing 3 beeps works. It's what my son's called a "cheat" when playing video games long ago. Something needs to be fixed, but at least the "cheat" is a temporary fix.

Not sure there's a more "permanent" fix, as the system needs to reset itself after each interruption of normal function by raising the hatch manually fully up to the top, where you'll hear it signal its operation system. Then, if you're lucky pushing the close button might effect normal closure, locking, and subsequent normalcy. If it won't close fully, you have to push it down manually until it closes and locks fully. Only then can normal operation resume. It's a foible...not a "repairable" malfunction in the typical sense.

Owner of 2019 Forester and have had the problem 4 times. Dealer disconnected positive battery lead and reconnected 30 seconds later. Liftgate opened. Dealer claims there is no fix. Called Subaru and they were no help

I'm curious: did the liftgate open automatically with reattachment of power, or did you have to either fully depress the hatch manually to activate the system, or push the gate's button to activate? I've found that manually (slowly) cycling, per post above, is perhgaps faster than disconnecting power to reboot. PITA regardless....

Had to use the button on the dash.

My new 2019 Forester has done this twice in a month and I've had the car for 3 months. I'm grateful for this website to help me out before I traveled this weekend. I held the button after hearing the 3 beeps as recommended and got the rear door to open. I hope that the engineers find a fix for this.

Let's see what the 2020 OB portends.

I shouldn't have purchased a car during the first year of a newly designed model.

Probably true. First half-year failures are notoriously high for almost all makes, inc Subies. I tried to avoid chasing early 2005, 2010, and 2015 Legs and OBs, for example. But it seems that the Imps and Fors are much worse.

Woo Hoo to LINDA! She posted the correct answer for the tailgate problem on a 2019 Subaru Forester. Three beeps means that the remote system has malfunctioned and needs to be reset. Hold down the outside buttons for about thirty seconds and the tailgate will release. You may have to manually open the tailgate to its fully open position. Next use the "Close" button in the tailgate to close the rear hatch. The system is now rest and will operate correctly. Hat's off to LINDA!

The issue is endemic on all 2015-2019 OBs as well as newer Foresters.

Check to see if you accidentally hit the memory button.,..

This just happened to me with my 2019 Forester. Purchased April. Thank you for the suggestion. Pressing and holding the Outside rear liftgate (tailgate) button for about 5-10 seconds resolved the problem.

Thank you so much everyone!! I’ve had my 2019 Forester for 6 days and trunk won’t open! 6 days!

I purchased my 2019 Subaru Forester December 2018, and having problems with the liftgate, I followed (ScottR522) suggestion and it works. Thanks

The problem is that with some specimens the liftgate auto-function is chronic...like my wife's 2016 OB Ltd. Swapping out the entire hatch-mounted lock assy does NOT resolve the problem; it lies elsewhere.

This just happened to me on my new Forester 2019. Dealer said that mid June 2019 a Subaru bulletin has come out. It needs a new sensor. They have ordered the part. Hope it works. They are not recalling this part though.

I have a 2019 forester, auto tailgate. The lock mechanism has sensors. if you put something against the tailgate inside (stuff your trunk space too much), it activates the sensors to jam the switch. You have to clear the trunk, crawl in, remove the plate on the latch w/ a screwdriver, and manually open the trunk. It should reset and operate normally. The cause was a push against the latch. Alternatively, you need to be aware there are TWO trunk buttons by the steering wheel. One just opens it; the other sets its height. If you hit the latter thinking you hit the former, it may explain the 3 beeps and the stop. Check your manual for which is which. hope this helps.

Indeed. But in my case it is obviously NOT about obstruction or an opposing force (like a cargo mat leaning into the orifice). Eventually we'll chase it down.

There is a button to the left of the steering wheel that prevents that trunk from opening all the way. It will be a picture of the trunk and say 3/4. Before you start dismantling things or calling a dealer make sure this button isn't pushed.

Linda was definitely right Make sure car unlocked Hold down button under tailgate You will hear 3 beeps Keep holding for another 15 seconds or so Voila Trunk releases Amazing!!!!

Unable to open the trunk door of my 2019 Forester Sport. Push the button for a few seconds and it's back to normal. Thank you for your advice.

Same problem here. Holding the button down for 15 seconds worked. Was about to take to dealer. Had similar problem on mini clubman (not cooper), but it did NOT have any type of override mechanism, nor an access hatch. BMW (mini) feels their cars never fail and design unserviceable parts. That electronic lock physically failed due to plastic construction. I had to cut the interior molding apart to get to the lock, to open the door. It was a 3 hour job on my belly with a flashlight, saws, poking devices. Endless engineering nightmares and 3 engine recalls with that vehicle. That's why I sold it and bought the subaru.

My 2018 Forester has started having problems with the tailgate latch. Something happens and it won't unlock. I've tried using the key fob (its a power lift gate), the inside button and just the latch on the hatch itself and it just beeps quickly but will not release...I have it at the dealer today but haven't heard what they found is the problem yet...

Hold the hatch's unlock button depressed for 3+ seconds and it will unlock. Then slowly force the hatch fully to top position. You'll hear it click. Normal closing function should resume.

I got a 2019 model - same issue 3 beeps & couldn't open the trunk from the button on the tailgate or the Key Fob or from the button on the dash. Hold down the button on the tailgate +- 5 seconds and it opened slightly. I lifted trunk manually fully all the way to the top & then pressed the closed button on it and voila - sorted! I checked and saw a small stone got stuck in between and causing the issue.

This is happening on my 2010 forester:(

2010? That's a different animal. You'll have to remove the inner panel and free up the linkage by lubing and exercising the links 100 times. Then lube again and reassemble. Ern

I have a 2015 Forester with this problem. I have tried the holding of the button down many times. It does the 3 beeps, it unlatches, but does not rise. Manually raising it and lowering it does not reawaken it to operate on its own. I've soft closed it and let the system fully close it on its own, still nothing. I've made sure the memory button is off. No matter which open method I try (rear button, key button, drivers panel button), all just beep 3 times and do nothing. Is there a fuse I can unplug that controls this and might reset it? Or some other reset method I can try?

My 2009 Subaru Forester hatch back will not open

See my very first response. Have fun.

So I just had same problem with my 2019 Forester. None of the fixes noted here worked. I remembered I had a similar problem years ago with a Toyota Venza and the fix was inside the vehicle. So I examined all the buttons from within the vehicle and saw a button just below the dash near driver window that looked like trunk opening. Pushed the button and it worked. Very frustrating though. Hope this helps.

Thank you all for your help. I believe the Lord helped you send these answers. My husband's 2017 rear gate had a problem that caused it to not open and the holding of the button worked. YaHoo!

You're welcome. But please remember that facts are not faith-based.

On my 2019 Subaru out back. My Battery went flat overnight We found the rear interior light had stayed on we climbed in through the rear passenger door with the rear seat lowered and manually turned the light off. After an all night charge all ok except the rear tailgate still 3 pips and wont open so I disconnected the battery for about a minuit on reconnecting all now works ok.

Bought my 2019 Forester Sport April 2019. I have had this problem with the lift gate since I got it. When I go to the dealership they make it work immediately. I try the same thing and it doesn't work. I tried the 30 second button outside and nothing happens. Makes me sorry I got rid of my 1999 Ford Ranger.

Had this happen twice. First time all I had to do was hold the button on the rear gate until it popped open and then I manually opened it and it started to work. Today however the gate would close on its own and then give me a long beep and wouldn't open back up. Also, if I tried to drive when it was in this state there was a constant intermittent beep coming from the rear gate. It was a very long 5 minute drive home to get to my tools. I disconnected the battery for 10 seconds, reconnected it, and it now works. I now have a small wrench stored in the car so I can solve this whenever it happens in about 30 seconds.

2019 forester had a recall on this. Got mine fixed this week.

Thank you for the advice! After I heard the 3 beeps and it did not open, i just kept holding the button on the tailgait and the hatch opened after a few more seconds. If trunk opened only partially- you accidentally hit memory button in the front dashboard (used for the height of the trunk to open), easy to reset.

Thanks for all the suggestions we can try. We took our 2018 back 4 times for this issue. Low confidence in the local dealership. Fortunately, we're a couple mths from end of 3 yr warranty, so we'll be back to the dealership. The first car we've ever owned that was a lemon right off the lot.

With a hopefulness that was unrealized I have a 2017 Forester with same lift problem. Hit the button and get either just 3 shot beeps or some times the two long beeps followed by three short beeps. Same results when in the car and push the dash board release. Tried to hold it for seconds after the three beeps but nothing happened. I was in to dealer once before with this issue. Purchased it as a certified previously owned vehicle from Subaru dealer in Branford CT. Quite annoyed. Art Yost

Again, see above for mechanical cycling that resets system. If you cannot manually lift hatch to full open position ask a taller helper.

One other idea to consider: my 2018 Limited comes with a rear rubber mat. Since the seats do not lie flat, there is a partial incline towards the back door. That means anything resting on the mat is going to work its way to the door, putting pressure on it (ie: a golf bag). The solution: get rid of it. Put a blanket in its place to protect the carpeting. And most importantly, every time ypu open the rear hatch, check to see if anything has slipped towards the door. We haven't had any issues since we removed the sliding rubber mat. Just one more option!

Just tried the 'finger on the outside button' technique and it worked. Kept my finger on it for about 10 seconds and it released. This has happened on several random occasions since we bought the car 18 months ago and it has made us wary about putting our dogs in the rear of the car in their crate in case we couldn't get them out. It has been to the dealer 2-3 times and they insisted we must be messing about with the settings, which we definitely weren't. Went to open the tailgate this morning and it just wouldn't open, so I went online. Moral of the story - look online for solutions before doing anything else!!

To that dog-owner: remember that you can MANUALLY fully pull up the hatch with armstrong. Just be sure to FULLY open to the very top...and then cycle fully closed in order to get the system back in phase.

My Subaru Forester is a 2009 Model. Can't open the hatch. This happens every few months. The only way I can get it open is to try and open it as usual, it opens just a little and then no further. I have to then go for a drive for it to rattle open.

Hello everyone, does anyone know if a FIX has been found for this problem? My 2019 Outback has the same tailgate problem but here in Italy no one seems to know anything about it, not even the official dealers!

It was fixed as per BDC's comments, holding tailgate outside button for 30 seconds. FUN! :-)

hi TheSubaruGuruBoston i have a 2017 Forrester as well. two days ago we went to south Dakota. i unloaded our luggage and pressed the button to close the gate and it closed and locked. i went about my business and all was good. i am disabled so when i got to the tore, i pressed and held the button on the remote. it clicks once, the tries to open, goes thunk, the clicks for a few seconds, then sops. about 10 seconds later it sounds like it is re-latching. i have disconnected the battery, i have held the button on the hatch, i have removed the access panel and i tried to move the latch from left to right on the lever in the picture, but it will not budge. while looking at the assembly from inside, the orange piece moves when activated but that is all. by the way, the phone number on your account page where you introduce yourself, will not go through. it is always busy i think. at least it sounds like a busy signal, but you never know with cell companies. so, for the moment, i can not remove my scooter to use to get around. any help would be apprecieated. thank you. Paul Neil