[phil0909]

Here's what the manual says:

"Liftgate
To lock or unlock the liftgate from
the outside, press (lock) or (unlock) on the
RKE transmitter.
To lock or unlock the liftgate from
the inside, press (lock) or (unlock)."

From the outside, the RKE transmitter works as indicated. However, the dashboard unlock button in my Bolt does not work as indicated - it unlocks the 4 doors, but it does NOT unlock the liftgate. Shifting into Park DOES unlock the liftgate.

Fellow Bolters, please check your car, and let us know if you have the same problem, or if your dashboard unlock button does unlock the liftgate as it is supposed to while the car is stopped in D or L. Thanks!

 

[bro1999]

Here's what the manual says:

"Liftgate
To lock or unlock the liftgate from
the outside, press (lock) or (unlock) on the
RKE transmitter.
To lock or unlock the liftgate from
the inside, press (lock) or (unlock)."

From the outside, the RKE transmitter works as indicated. However, the dashboard unlock button in my Bolt does not work as indicated - it unlocks the 4 doors, but it does NOT unlock the liftgate. Shifting into Park DOES unlock the liftgate.

Fellow Bolters, please check your car, and let us know if you have the same problem, or if your dashboard unlock button does unlock the liftgate as it is supposed to while the car is stopped in D or L. Thanks!

Hatch will not unlock unless the car is in P/off. Same deal with my Volts. Probably some safety thing so people don't spill out while it's moving.

 

[phil0909]

Hatch will not unlock unless the car is in P/off. Same deal with my Volts. Probably some safety thing so people don't spill out while it's moving.

Thank you, Bro! So the Owner's Manual is wrong, then.

I don't see how this makes any sense as a safety thing. The dashboard unlock button DOES unlock the four doors while in D or L, allowing my kids to exit the back seat while the car is not officially "parked" (though it's stopped in L and my foot is firmly on the brake). Isn't that a lot more dangerous than having the hatch unlocked while in gear???

 

[Jim Fallston Md.]

The quotes from the manual that you put in your post say nothing about it working in drive.

 

[bro1999]

Thank you, Bro! So the Owner's Manual is wrong, then.

I don't see how this makes any sense as a safety thing. The dashboard unlock button DOES unlock the four doors while in D or L, allowing my kids to exit the back seat while the car is not officially "parked" (though it's stopped in L and my foot is firmly on the brake). Isn't that a lot more dangerous than having the hatch unlocked while in gear???

Yeah, not sure the logic. Makes it harder for people to escape the hatch that you've tied up and kidnapped??

 

[phil0909]

The quotes from the manual that you put in your post say nothing about it working in drive.

It does not work under any conditions - D, L, N, or P. So I believe it absolutely qualifies as an error. Would you agree?

 

[phil0909]

Yeah, not sure the logic. Makes it harder for people to escape the hatch that you've tied up and kidnapped??

Nah, it's just more work for me - after the ransom has been paid, I'd like to just hit unlock and send my captive on his way. As is, I need to shift into P, and then shift back into L for my getaway.

 

[bro1999]

Nah, it's just more work for me - after the ransom has been paid, I'd like to just hit unlock and send my prisoner on his way. As is, I need to shift into P, and then shift back into L for my getaway.

Wow, I'm finding out the Bolt can make a decent human trafficking vehicle. Just limo tint the windows and you're all set! Hatch can't be unlocked while in gear, has that hidden compartment under the false floor in the rear you can hide....uh...stuff, and the front storage compartment between the foot wells of the driver/passenger seats can hold a large box of latex gloves just fine too!

Oh, and yank the fuse for the pedestrian noise maker and you have a nearly silent kidnap-mobile.

 

[Joe67]

Hatch will not unlock unless the car is in P/off. Same deal with my Volts. Probably some safety thing so people don't spill out while it's moving.

Same for most any other vehicle really.

 

[phil0909]

Same for most any other vehicle really.

Really? Where have you seen this outside of Volts and Bolts? Neither of my other two vehicles, a Lexus and a Mercedes, has this restriction. Perhaps it's just a GM thing?

If this were a universal industry standard - or even a GM standard - I would expect the writers of GM Owner's Manuals to be aware of it, and document it correctly...

 

[Joe67]

Really? Where have you seen this outside of Volts and Bolts? Neither of my other two vehicles, a Lexus and a Mercedes, has this restriction. Perhaps it's just a GM thing?

If this were a universal industry standard - or even a GM standard - I would expect the writers of GM Owner's Manuals to be aware of it, and document it correctly...

You can remotely open your hatch /trunk while in gear?

Going back to the late 80s at least with the power truck release being disabled while the vehicle is in gear.

The manual is written correctly.

 

[phil0909]

You can remotely open your hatch /trunk while in gear?

Going back to the late 80s at least with the power truck release being disabled while the vehicle is in gear.

The manual is written correctly.

The Bolt, of course, does not have a power trunk. But yes, trunk/hatch can be opened while vehicle is stationary but in gear on other vehicles. This is true of both the power hatch on my Mercedes, and the manual trunk on my Lexus, neither of which predates the late 80s. I don't know how prevalent this Bolt/Volt-type restriction is among other manufacturers, but Toyota and Mercedes are pretty big, so it is far from universal.

The manual says that the dashboard unlock button unlocks the liftgate. In fact, that button does NOT unlock the liftgate under any circumstances. The manual is wrong.

 

[Steverino]

But yes, trunk/hatch can be opened while vehicle is stationary.

In fact, that button does NOT unlock the liftgate under any circumstances.

So which is it?

 

[phil0909]

So which is it?

Both.

First quote applies to my Mercedes and Lexus.
Second quote applies to the Bolt.

 

[Joe67]

The Bolt, of course, does not have a power trunk. But yes, trunk/hatch can be opened while vehicle is stationary but in gear on other vehicles. This is true of both the power hatch on my Mercedes, and the manual trunk on my Lexus, neither of which predates the late 80s. I don't know how prevalent this Bolt/Volt-type restriction is among other manufacturers, but Toyota and Mercedes are pretty big, so it is far from universal.

The manual says that the dashboard unlock button unlocks the liftgate. In fact, that button does NOT unlock the liftgate under any circumstances. The manual is wrong.

Bolt has no truck? No way?...


While interesting to know, I have no idea why one would want to open the hatch/trunk while the vehicle is in gear.

How do you know the Bolt rear hatch does not unlock when the button is pressed? How have you tested this?

 

[phil0909]

Bolt has no truck? No way?...


While interesting to know, I have no idea why one would want to open the hatch/trunk while the vehicle is in gear.

How do you know the Bolt rear hatch does not unlock when the button is pressed? How have you tested this?

You keep writing 'truck'. I assume you mean 'trunk' or 'hatch'. The Bolt obviously does have a hatch or trunk area, but the liftgate is not powered - it can only be opened manually.

Millions of us drop children off at school every day. My Bolt fully stops in front of the school in L mode, and I step on the brake pedal for additional safety, and unlock the car using the dashboard unlock button. My kid gets out of the back seat and tries to open the hatch to get his backpack and lacrosse stick, but he can't because the Bolt has for some unexplained reason unlocked only 4 of its 5 doors! We eventually figured out - by trial and error, because there is no accurate documentation of this 'feature' in the Bolt Owner's Guide - that the hatch unlocks only when I shift into P. I will get used to shifting the car to P for every dropoff and pickup, but I wanted to know whether this behavior was a) a bug in my car only, or b) a feature of all Bolts that is erroneously documented in the manual. Bro1999 was kind enough to confirm that it is the latter.

Yes, I have tested it. And Bro1999 confirmed it. Did you think I was just guessing???

 

[Joe67]

You keep writing 'truck'. I assume you mean 'trunk' or 'hatch'. The Bolt obviously does have a hatch or trunk area, but the liftgate is not powered - it can only be opened manually.

Millions of us drop children off at school every day. My Bolt fully stops in front of the school in L mode, and I step on the brake pedal for additional safety, and unlock the car using the dashboard unlock button. My kid gets out of the back seat and tries to open the hatch to get his backpack and lacrosse stick, but he can't because the Bolt has for some unexplained reason unlocked only 4 of its 5 doors! We eventually figured out - by trial and error, because there is no accurate documentation of this 'feature' in the Bolt Owner's Guide - that the hatch unlocks only when I shift into P. I will get used to shifting the car to P for every dropoff and pickup, but I wanted to know whether this behavior was a) a bug in my car only, or b) a feature of all Bolts that is erroneously documented in the manual. Bro1999 was kind enough to confirm that it is the latter.

Yes, I have tested it. And Bro1999 confirmed it. Did you think I was just guessing???

Ease up skippy, typos happen.

The hatch/liftgate should unlock, but NOT open on it's own. The manual states it can be unlocked, it does not state it will OPEN remotely. I find it interested that the Bolt rear does not unlock as it does on my Volt and every other SUV I've had. If the unlock button does not release the rear lock, does someone need to press the rear release button on the outside of the vehicle to unlock the rear hatch?


Having your child behind your vehicle while in gear is just a bad idea, it may work for you, but it's a bad practice in general.

 

[phil0909]

Ease up skippy, typos happen.

The hatch/liftgate should unlock, but NOT open on it's own. The manual states it can be unlocked, it does not state it will OPEN remotely. I find it interested that the Bolt rear does not unlock as it does on my Volt and every other SUV I've had. If the unlock button does not release the rear lock, does someone need to press the rear release button on the outside of the vehicle to unlock the rear hatch?


Having your child behind your vehicle while in gear is just a bad idea, it may work for you, but it's a bad practice in general.

I was not scolding you for your typos, I was trying to help clear up your stated confusion. When I noted that the Bolt has no power trunk, you seemed to think I was saying that it has no trunk at all. But you had twice spelled it 'truck', so I thought you might possibly have been referring to something else. There's no need for you to be snotty with someone who's just trying to answer your questions.

To your question, the liftgate has both a lock and a latch. The lock can be disengaged from inside the car, but this is done by shifting to P - the unlock button on the dash does not unlock the liftgate. Shifting to P only unlocks the liftgate, it does not disengage the latch (i.e. it does not pop the hatch open). After I unlock by shifting to P, my passenger must then push the latch release button on the outside of the liftgate to unlatch it. Only then can the liftgate be lifted up. Clear?

I, too, have never had a car that required so many steps to open a trunk. But Bro1999 indicated his Volts behaved similarly. Is yours different?

 

[DonC]

I can't see any reason to complain if the hatch doesn't unlock when Bolt is in gear. Assuming it's a design flaw, which I don't think it is, then it's definitely a First World Problem. FYI members have complained about the lack of certain behaviors which they consider to be unsafe -- like the car not turning off or the brake lights not coming on when regen kicks in. I've thought these were downright silly because they miss the reasons why you'd not want these things to happen (AC for the dog left in the car or freaking other drivers out). On the other hand, I can see someone having their foot slip off the the brake or taking it off when distracted by another child. So this one seems reasonable to me.

If the hatch isn't unlocking when in Park or the car is off then I think you need to go to the dealer and have it fixed.

EDIT: You've clarified the problem. I'm a bit confused though. As it works now, when you press "Unlock" the doors and hatch unlock but do not open. Isn't that the way you'd expect them to work? If it worked like you think it should, then if you pressed the Unlock button to let a passenger out, wouldn't that unlock AND unlatch the trunk (or truck ), forcing you to get out of the car and manually close it. Or is the Unlock button just for the hatch like you have a dedicated button to unlock a trunk? If there is a separate button for the hatch then I agree with you. Otherwise not so much.

 

[somms]

Ease up skippy, typos happen.