3rd Gen Manual lift gate.

[cmartyn]

When I press the button on the manual liftgate to release it, it seems to require pressing it twice. It is like the first time releases it but it sticks a bit and you have to press it again sometimes to open it. Am I missing something? On my 09 you just pushed it and then pulled it open.

[cmartyn]

I think I figured it out. When you push the button you hear a click. If you wait, you hear a second click. You have to open the gate between the two clicks otherwise it goes into this half locked state and you need to press the button and open it. Seems a bit picky. Also notice the owners manual devotes five pages to the powered liftgate operation but doesn't even mention this.

[VStar650CL]

That seems like a bad omission in the OM, but that "half-latch" behavior is normal on Nissans which use a cinch motor for opening but a spring closure. The BCM only holds the motor in the open position for so long after you pop the release, since the stalled motor would overheat if it was held constantly. Once the motor releases, the spring forces the mechanism into half-latch as a safety feature, in case you popped it and then forgot about it. So the upshot is, the hatch needs to be lifted past the striker before the motor releases the mechanism, otherwise you need to press the button again.