Bulletin No.: PIT5973D
Published date: N/A

Preliminary Information
PIT5973D Dead Battery and / or Unwanted Liftgate Opening
Models
Brand:

Model:

Model Years:

VIN:
from

to

Engine:

Transmissions:

Cadillac

Escalade Models

2022 - 2024

All

All

All

All

Chevrolet

Suburban

2022 - 2024

All

All

All

All

Chevrolet

Tahoe

2022 - 2024

All

All

All

All

GMC

Yukon Models

2022 - 2024

All

All

All

All

Involved Region or Country North America
Additional Options (RPO)

Condition

TC2 - Hands Free Liftgate
Some customers may comment of a no crank due to a low or dead battery. This
battery draw condition is more likely to occur if the vehicle is left unlocked and/or
the key fob is left inside the vehicle.
Also, they may or may NOT have a complaint that when the key fob is near the
outside of the liftgate, that the power liftgate will open on its own, without pressing
any fob buttons or kicking under the bumper.
NOTE: If the battery draw is being monitored, when the draw is duplicated, this
issue will cause a battery draw well over 10 amps.
The cause of these concerns is a combination of two faults:
1. An issue with the K171 Hands Free Liftgate module repeatedly sending a
false wake up request to the BCM commanding the liftgate to open, but the power
liftgate may or may not actually open, see Important statement below.

Cause

2. A BCM software concern that is magnifying the battery draw if the BCM receives a
wake up request, which is more likely to occur when the vehicle is left unlocked
and/or a key fob is left inside the vehicle. The BCM wake up request doesn't have to
come from the K171 Hands Free Liftgate module to cause this issue, but that is the
most common module that is waking up the BCM.
Important: For the power liftgate to actually open all of the following criteria must be
meet before the power liftgate will actually open from the false hands free request:
1. Vehicle must be in park,
2. Power liftgate switch turned on (max or 3/4),
3. Hands free setting in the radio must be turned on (open or open/closed), and
4. The fob is within 1 meter of the liftgate itself.

Correction:

GM engineering has released some BCM updates to help reduce the battery draw magni cation, BUT they are
continuing to work on additional updates for the BCM.
In the meantime, make sure the BCM has the latest programming updates. Advise the customer not to leave the
key fob(s) inside the vehicle and to also lock the vehicle when not in use. Turning on the passive locking feature
will ensure the vehicle is being locked when not in use. Last, if the customers complaint included the power
liftgate opening on its own or the source of the vehicle waking up/battery draw is the K171 Hands Free Liftgate
module then replace the K171. One way to help determine if the K171 is waking up the vehicle is to remove
the F35RA 10 amp in the rear fuse block for the K171 and see if the concerns go away.
As a test to determine if the K171 Hands Free Liftgate module is causing the battery draw or if replacing the K171
Hands Free Liftgate module and it is not available/back order, the F35RA fuse can be left removed while the
customer takes the vehicle. With the fuse removed, the hands free liftgate feature will not work, but the power
liftgate will still function normally. In addition, if the truck is equipped with Trailer Tire Pressure Monitor system
(RPO UET), then that feature will also be lost while the fuse is pulled. Please review this option with the customer
if the K171 Hands Free Liftgate module is not readily available or for testing.

Warranty Information
For vehicles repaired under the Bumper-to-Bumper coverage (Canada Base Warranty coverage), use the following
labor operation. Reference the Applicable Warranties section of Investigate Vehicle History (IVH) for coverage
information.
Labor Operation
2063030
2810215
*6486208

Description
Rear Closure Hands Free Module Replacement
Body Control Module Reprogramming with SPS
Remove Fuse F35RA - Use This Unique Labor Operation
To Allow The Customer To Drive The Vehicle While
Waiting For A Hands Free Module or for testing.
* This is a unique labor operation for bulletin use only.

Labor Time
Use Published Time
Use Published Time
.2 Hrs.

Version History
Version

Modi ed

5
01/25/2023 - Created on.
01/27/2023 - Update to warranty section
02/23/2023 - Update to warranty section
06/27/2023 - Update to the correction and warranty sections
12/05/2023 - Updates to the title, condition, cause, correction and warranty
sections and model years.

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