How To Easily Adjust the Opening Height of The Rear Hatch On Lexus RX or NX Crossover

Have you ever wished your Lexus NX or RX tailgate would not open up so high? Perhaps you are worried that you will open it up inside your garage and then accidentally back up, causing it to hit the open garage door and be damaged? Or maybe you bought pre-owned and someone has adjusted it down too far and you wish to put it back up? We can help.

Getting Started - Adjusting Tailgate Height
First, locate your Lexus' tailgate operating button up under the rear part of the tailgate when it is open. Pressing that button causes the door to begin to close. A second push will stop it. Use that second push feature to stop the door when it has lowered to the height that is right for you. If you are short of stature and can't reach it, we suggest asking a taller family member or failing that, a good-looking, unmarried neighbor.

Adjustment Height Is Easy
After you have pushed the button a second time and you are sure it is the height you would like it to open to in the future, simply push and hold that same button again for two full seconds. We suggest counting off "One chimpanzee, two chimpanzees", but use your own method if you so prefer. Once you have held it that long, the RX or NX is going to buzz at you. Don't take it personally. It might (should) buzz four times to let you know that it has accepted your settings. Now push it once to let it down and try it out.

To reset the door's lift height to the factory setting (maximum height), simply push and hold the rear hatch door button for seven full seconds. We suggest counting off "One Mississippi, two Mississippi," etc until you get to seven, but use your own method if you so choose. After you are finished, the RX or NX will now chastise you with four buzz sounds and then two more. This is car talk for "OK fussy owner, I will go back to what we started with in the first place." Don't take it personally.

One can also set the door height in the infotainment system menus, but it required 38 steps, two assistants and four cups of coffee. Use the button. It is easier. In case we have messed up on the instructions, see pages 125 and 145 in the Lexus NX and RX owner's manuals for 2017, or use the glossary to search for "Back Door System."

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If this was helpful let us know. If you would like to ask us a question about a Lexus or any model, feel free to use the comments below. We will do our best to answer.