Driver's door thinks it's ajar when it's closed
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 0
From: Fl
Driver's door thinks it's ajar when it's closed
Tonight I noticed it seemed my interior lights took too long to turn off or they did not go off at all. I opened and closed the doors and hatch several time to see if that made a difference but the lights came back on. I locked the car up and turned to go inside and the alarm went off because the lights came on inside after the door was locked. I shut the alarm off and started to do some investigation. When I got in and closed the door the lights initially turned off and then came back on. I noticed the "door ajar" message came on on the dash. Each time I opened and closed the door the lights would go off then come back on and the "door ajar" signal came on. No matter what I did with the door the problem didn't go away. Since I would wear the battery down if I left it over night, I pulled the fuse for the interior lights and closed it up for the night. I'll look at it in the morning..........Any thoughts??? I'm guessing it's something in the door latch that's making it think it's still open.??
I'd appreciate any help with this. Thanks.
I'd appreciate any help with this. Thanks.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 362
Likes: 0
From: In
Re: Driver's door thinks it's ajar when it's closed (LT1)
the switch is near the bottom of the door. It is a button that simply pushes in when the door is closed. I have fixed them a couple of different ways, first just spraying electrical contact cleaner into the switch fixed one and I also adjusted the plunger depth of the button another time.
hope that gets you started
hope that gets you started
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 29,937
Likes: 22
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Cruise-In 1-2-3-4-5 Veteran
Re: Driver's door thinks it's ajar when it's closed (hotwilzz)
Also, the pin switches only cost about $7 each and are easy to replace. Get a new one before your security system goes off in the middle of the night and your interior lights start strobing at night.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,236
Likes: 355
From: Albuquerque, NM
Re: Driver's door thinks it's ajar when it's closed (LT1)
This is a pretty common problem with an easy fix. Look carefully at the switches in the doors (at the back of the doors near the bottom). Each one has a small pin in the middle of the plastic plunger. What you need to do is pry the pin in the middle out slightly with a small flat blade screwdriver. That'll cause the plastic plunger to go in all the way which will turn out the lights. I've had to do this a couple times on mine.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 0
From: Fl
Re: Driver's door thinks it's ajar when it's closed (LT1)
Thanks David, Ryan and Matt, you hit it on the nose!! :cheers:
It's that button on the door. I'll get them replaced on both doors this week. As always I knew I'd find the answer on the forum! :yesnod:
It's that button on the door. I'll get them replaced on both doors this week. As always I knew I'd find the answer on the forum! :yesnod:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 883
Likes: 0
From: Duluth MN
Re: Driver's door thinks it's ajar when it's closed (LT1)
My door itself the lock mechanism the part that mechanically locks onto the stricker(post) was loose just had to tighten the bolts that held it to the door.. I mean it was really loose look at it when the door is open..
[Modified by Ericthewolf, 4:08 AM 10/6/2002]
[Modified by Ericthewolf, 4:08 AM 10/6/2002]
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,075
Likes: 2
From: Brookhaven Pa
Re: Driver's door thinks it's ajar when it's closed (LT1)
LT1, be careful when you change the switch, there is a metal plate inside the door that the screws actually thread into, which can fall into the door if you are not careful. This is the method I read about and used to change my switch:
1. Remove upper screw.
2. Replace upper screw with screw of the same size only an 1" or 1 1/2" longer than the screw you removed. Just start longer screw one or two turms.
3. Remove bottom screw.
4. Pull switch out of door and replace bottom screw into metal plate, tighten screw to hold plate in place.
5. Remove longer upper screw and change switch.
6. Reverse procedure to install new switch.
Hope this helps.
1. Remove upper screw.
2. Replace upper screw with screw of the same size only an 1" or 1 1/2" longer than the screw you removed. Just start longer screw one or two turms.
3. Remove bottom screw.
4. Pull switch out of door and replace bottom screw into metal plate, tighten screw to hold plate in place.
5. Remove longer upper screw and change switch.
6. Reverse procedure to install new switch.
Hope this helps.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 0
From: Fl
Re: Driver's door thinks it's ajar when it's closed (cnl3rd)
cnl3rd, thanks for the heads up on the screws....I think you just may have saved me a headache if I'd lost one in the door. I'm rethinking this now, I may find someone to do this for me and then it will be their problem. Today, it's working fine. But now that I know there's a problem I want it fixed.
Thanks again everyone for your help!
Thanks again everyone for your help!
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,236
Likes: 355
From: Albuquerque, NM
Re: Driver's door thinks it's ajar when it's closed (LT1)
Before you replace the switches I'd try prying the pins in the center out a little. This is an adjustment, so that's what they're there for. Maybe you've tried that and it didn't work.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 0
From: Fl
Re: Driver's door thinks it's ajar when it's closed (BlackbirdZ07)
Nope, hadn't tried that yet. It's behaved itself since Saturday and I've been busy at work, so as soon as I can I'm going to start looking at it.
Thanks again everyone.
Thanks again everyone.
