Jeep Compass Power Tailgate Freezes Due to Bad Sensor

I had a similar issue with my 2009 Jeep Patriot last year. As someone with some experience working on cars, I initially thought I could troubleshoot it myself, but the electrical sensor system proved too complex. The power tailgate would out of nowhere stop and throw error codes. After basic checks, my workshop found the sensor wiring had deteriorated where it connects to the tailgate motor. The cables were damaged due to repeated opening and closing movements. The repair took about 2 hours. They replaced the affected wiring section and recalibrated the sensor fault detection system. Total cost was 95 Euro including parts and labor. Since then, the tailgate has worked perfectly. To better assist with your specific case, could you share: Have you noticed any unusual sounds when operating the tailgate? Does the issue occur more frequently in certain weather conditions? What exact error code is showing up? Has there been any recent damage or repairs to the tailgate area? With these details, I might be able to confirm if your issue matches what I experienced with my sensor wiring problem.

Last service was at 160000 KM and issue started shortly after. My tailgate makes a clicking sound when trying to open and error code P1477 appears. Weather doesnt seem to affect the problem. The hall sensor diagnostics show irregular voltage readings during open tailgate operations. No damage or prior repairs in that area. The power tailgate worked fine before the last maintenance service. The sensor wiring looks intact from what I can see, but I wonder if the issue could be internal to the hall sensor unit itself rather than the external wiring.

Thanks for providing those additional details. Your hall sensor symptoms actually sound very similar to what I dealt with on my Jeep Patriot. The clicking noise and error code P1477 are classic signs of internal hall sensor failure, not just wiring issues like I initially had. After my first repair focusing on the wiring, the problem eventually came back. The workshop then discovered the vehicle sensor itself had failing internal components causing irregular voltage readings, exactly like yours. The full hall sensor unit needed replacement. The repair was more extensive than just rewiring: New hall sensor unit: 180 Euro, Installation and calibration: 150 Euro, Total repair time was about 3 hours Since replacing the complete sensor unit, my automatic tailgate has worked flawlessly for over 8 months now. Given your symptoms match my second issue so closely, I suggest having the entire hall sensor assembly checked. The timing after your service could be coincidental, or the sensor might have been disturbed during maintenance. Worth noting that putting off the repair could potentially damage the tailgate motor from operating with incorrect position feedback. The clicking sound you hear might be the system trying to compensate for faulty sensor readings.

Thanks for the detailed information about the hall sensor replacement. The clicking sound matches exactly what I'm experiencing, and the irregular voltage readings seem to point toward internal sensor failure like you mentioned. I'll schedule a workshop visit to have the power tailgate system properly diagnosed. Your experience with the complete sensor unit replacement is particularly helpful, I was initially hoping it would just be a wiring issue, but the symptoms really do match the internal sensor failure you described. The cost breakdown helps with budgeting for the repair. If the automatic tailgate sensor calibration and replacement runs around 330 Euro total, that's actually less than I expected. Good point about potential motor damage, I'll get this looked at next week rather than risk bigger issues. Question though, did your workshop mention anything about third-party hall sensor units versus OEM parts? Just wondering if there's a significant price or quality difference for the electrical sensor components.