RONALD E. MOORE
University of Extrication Editor
Part 2 of this series presents street-wise tips for identifying the rear design features of a vehicle. Armed with this information and the images of the rear of vehicles provided, participants will be able to gain experience in identifying the design feature by name and can explain how the rear of the vehicle opens under normal conditions. The definitions of the rear design features are included in Part 1 of this three-part series.
Photo By Ron Moore
The rear of this Infiniti QX4 has several significant visual clues revealing the lift window and liftgate. The handle for the lift window is evident along the lower edge of the glass. The wiper arm sets below the glass. The mounting buttons for the windows’ hydraulic lifting struts are visible. A quick glance could indicate a tailgate feature except that the handle mounted below the license plate gives away the fact that this is a liftgate design. In addition, the hinges for the liftgate are mounted along the top roofline.
Photo By Ron Moore
The rear of a new Ford Expedition reveals the lift window handle, upper hinges, and strut mounting buttons. The liftgate is identified by the T-shaped twist handle in the center of the gate.
Photo By Ron Moore
The most obvious clue indicating the presence of the liftgate on this Dodge Durango is the center-mounted handle positioned low on the gate. The continuous seams running along the roofline and above each taillight also indicate that the vehicle has a liftgate. Note that these is no handle or button for a lift window.
Photo By Ron Moore
The Kia Sportage is an example of an SUV that requires that the spare tire be moved before the liftgate can be opened. The seams running up the sides of this vehicle are good indicators of a full liftgate feature. Also, the window glass has no release handle or button as would be present if the vehicle had a lift window.
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• A lift window can be identified by several visual clues. Lift windows can have an exterior handle, finger grip or curved trim piece positioned along the bottom edge of the window, typically at its center point. This is where a person grabs the window to open it out and upward. If there is no handle, there may be a protruding button below the window glass. This is the release button that is pressed inward to pop the lift window open at its center latch.
Another clue to the presence of a lift window may be the hinges positioned along the top of the window near the roofline. These two hinges may be visible along the top edge of the glass, mounted into the roof and the glass itself. These hinges have black protective covers over them.
At the crash scene, you will be able to identify that you are dealing with a framed lift window if you see a one-piece solid frame going around all four edges of the rear window glass. This is the complete frame unit that will open up as the lift window opens. If the vehicle has a lift window that is unframed, responders will be able to see the exposed edges of all four sides of the rear glass. This, plus the presence of hinges along the top indicate that the vehicle has an unframed glass lift window.
Some vehicles, such as with the Ford model line, can have a T-shaped handle mounted below the glass in the metal body of the liftgate. This handle operates both the lift window and the liftgate. The handle is labeled to be twisted one way to release the glass and the opposite direction to open the liftgate. If the T-handle is present, so are the lift window and lift gate features.
A lift window is present if you observe two round black buttons about the size of a silver dollar on each side of the rear window glass itself. These are the mounting points for the window’s hydraulic lifting struts that hold the lift glass open. These buttons will be present if the lift window is unframed glass.
• A power window retracts into the tailgate or liftgate. To operate this, there will be a small key slot control button somewhere below the window on the outer panel of the gate. The vehicle’s key is placed into this slot and turned to electrically lower or raise the power window. There will not be a handle to lift up the glass as there would be with a lift window design. The bottom of the power window glass will have gasket material where it retracts inside the tailgate. When the window is fully up, all four edges of the power window glass will be concealed inside rubber or plastic molding or trim.
• A lift gate is present anytime you observe a release handle somewhere on the rear of the vehicle. This one handle releases the liftgate latch or latches, allowing the entire unit to lift up. This is the most common rear design feature for minivans. The handle is usually centered along the lower portion of the lift gate although it can be well hidden from sight by being recessed into the area above or below the license plate. In addition, looking around the outer edges of the liftgate, the rescuer may be able to see that the unit has a full, one-piece frame. The two hydraulic lifter struts may or may not be visible along the inside of the rear roof pillars.
Photo By Ron Moore
This Toyota 4Runner’s rear wiper arm sets off the rear glass. This is a clue that the window is either a lift window or a power window. Because all edges of the glass are inside molding, the indication is that this is a power window that lowers. The outline of the full frame, one-piece liftgate is evident if one follows the seams running up the corners of the SUV.
Photo By Ron Moore
Because the release handle sits so high on the rear panel of this Suburban, it is an indication that this vehicle has a tailgate, not a liftgate. The upper lift window opens first, allowing the tailgate to then be opened. Note that the rear wiper arm is mounted to the lift window glass.
Photo By Ron Moore
The Honda CRV has several visual clues that there is a swinging tailgate and a lift window present. The lifter struts for the glass are visible through the window as are the mounting buttons for each strut. The release handle for the tailgate is not centered and only one pair of hinges are visible. That indicates the tailgate will swing open to the passenger’s side when the release handle above the license plate is operated.
Photo By Ron Moore
The Dutch doors on this minivan are readily identified by the center seam between them. The framed lift window above the doors can be identified by the black handle and the metal frame running around the entire glass.
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The rear window wiper arm is another good indicator of what rear design features are present on a vehicle. If the wiper arm “parks” below the glass, the glass will be either a lift window or a retractable power window. The wiper stops below the glass so the glass is free to swing open or lower. If the arms sits on the glass itself, it is probably a one-piece liftgate design. A lift window glass can have the rear wiper arm actually mounted on the glass itself. As the lift window opens, the wiper arm assembly actually moves up with the glass.
• A tailgate feature on an SUV or station wagon will generally not have an outside release handle. (A handle on the outside of the tailgate is common on pickup trucks however). The SUV and station wagon tailgate design typically conceals the handle by locating it along the inside panel of the tailgate. The vehicle owner must reach in to operate the handle and lower the tailgate.
There are also SUVs with a swinging tailgate design. These vehicles have an outside handle, but it is off to one side of the vehicle, not in the center. There will be only one set of hinges on which the tailgate swings open.
• A pair of half doors or Dutch doors can best be identified by the split between the two doors in the lower half of the vehicle. This will be a visible seam below the lift window. One half door, typically on the passenger’s side, will have an outside release handle to allow this door to open first. The release handle for the second half door is along the edge of the door and is only visible once the first half door is opened. Two pair of hinges for these doors may be visible near each taillight.
• A full door is most readily identified by the fixed rear window glass. If the vehicle has a pair of full doors, responders will be able to see a continuous split line between the doors running from the floorline up to the roofline. A pair of hinges may be visible near each rear taillight assembly. The door on the passenger side will have an outside release handle to open that door first. If the vehicle has one large rear door, the single pair of door hinges may be visible. With a single door design, the outside door release handle will be off to one side of the door, opposite the side where the hinges are.
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