Tailgate down without bed extender?

[20Baja06]

More a curiosity at this point as I haven't had a need to load up the bed with anything I wasn't able to close the tailgate. I do not have a bed extender. What's the reasoning behind this warning in the bed regarding this topic? I can't see why it would matter from a functional standpoint unless the bed extender attaches to the tailgate and I didn't think it did.

PXL_20221113_214102700.jpg (2.27 MiB) Viewed 14449 times

Any insight you folks might share?

[Guacamole]

It's illegal in some places to not have your rear license plate visible at all times- Baja's rear license plate is mounted on the tailgate.
Also illegal in some places to just drive with the tailgate down if there's no load or the load isn't hindering the tailgate being closed.
The cargo warning is just legalese CYA.
(woohoo 500 posts!)

[20Baja06]

Don't all Bajas have the flip-out license plate mount for when the gate is down?

Overall legality driving with it down, I certainly never considered. But again, I would only ever do this if the load required it so I'm safe there.

If that's all it is, they forgot the Proposition 65 warning for Cali.

Thanks for the response!

[ZUBAJA]

Oh, and you must wear a mask if you drive with the tailgate down. (hope nobody is terribly offended by this). Dennis

[mikenmel08]

It's illegal in some places to not have your rear license plate visible at all times- Baja's rear license plate is mounted on the tailgate.
Also illegal in some places to just drive with the tailgate down if there's no load or the load isn't hindering the tailgate being closed.
The cargo warning is just legalese CYA.
(woohoo 500 posts!)

The tag bracket on all Baja's flip down so to be seen when the tailgate is down