VW Golf Tailgate Fault: Sensor Stopping Half-Open Hatch

Had the exact same issue on my 2018 VW Passat Hybrid. The automatic tailgate would stop halfway, accompanied by that annoying vehicle sensor warning. Having some experience with car electronics, I first thought it was the hall sensor itself, but after taking it to the workshop, they identified a damaged wire connection near the tailgate hinge. The constant opening and closing motion had worn down the cable insulation over time. The repair involved replacing the wiring harness connecting to the sensor system. Total cost was 95€ including diagnostic and repair. Since the fix, the open tailgate function works perfectly again. Before suggesting specific solutions, could you share: Has the issue started suddenly or developed gradually? Does the tailgate make any unusual sounds when operating? Are there any other electrical issues with the rear of the vehicle? Have you noticed the problem getting worse in wet weather? This information would help determine if you're dealing with the same sensor fault I experienced or if it might be a different issue with your automatic tailgate system.

Last service was at 92000km and issue started shortly after. The problem developed gradually over a few weeks. The automatic tailgate operation became increasingly inconsistent, now consistently stopping at the halfway point. No unusual sounds, but I notice the sensor warning appears more frequently when its damp outside. The trunk lights and other electrical components in the rear are working normally. Just checked and found similar symptoms to what you described, there seems to be some visible wear on the wiring near the hinge area. This confirms the electrical sensor system might be the culprit, rather than a mechanical issue with the automatic tailgate mechanism itself. Really helpful to hear about the specific repair costs and process. Will schedule a workshop visit to have them inspect the wiring harness.

Thanks for providing those details. The symptoms you describe match exactly what I experienced with my Passat before getting it fixed, especially the correlation with damp weather affecting the power tailgate operation. The visible wear you noticed on the wiring is a telltale sign. When moisture gets into those worn spots near the tailgate hinge, it interferes with the sensor signals, causing the tailgate motor to stop mid-operation. This explains why the vehicle sensor warnings increase in wet conditions. Since your issue started after the 92000km service, worth checking if any work was done near the tailgate area that might have stressed the wiring. In my case, the workshop confirmed that this wiring wear is a common failure point on our model's automatic tailgate system. The repair process should be straightforward, replacing the wiring harness resolved all the sensor-related problems on my vehicle. The automatic tailgate now opens smoothly to full height without any warning messages. Before your workshop visit, you might want to document when exactly the sensor warnings appear and how consistently the tailgate stops at that halfway point. This info helps speed up their diagnostic process.

Based on your findings and experience, this looks like a wiring issue rather than a complete power tailgate failure. Really glad you shared those repair details, the 95€ cost gives me a good baseline for what to expect at the workshop. The gradual development of the problem and the connection to damp weather definitely points to worn wiring affecting the electrical sensor system. After inspecting the hinge area myself and finding that wear pattern, I am quite confident its the same issue you encountered. Will make an appointment and have them focus on the wiring harness near the tailgate hinge. Have started keeping a log of when the vehicle sensor warnings appear and how the automatic tailgate behaves, which should help with diagnosis. Thanks for the detailed guidance, it saved me from potentially misdiagnosing this as a mechanical problem with the tailgate motor itself. Will update once the repair is complete.