2003 XLT Door Won't Close and Latch

[suture]

Hello,

I did a quick search but didn't find anything. This morning I woke up and went to my car to find that because of the rain that turned to snow the day before that the door was stuck. I pushed on the door a little and I was finally able to open it. I get in and as soon as I close the door it shuts but won't latch. I looked online and it says that the door latch might of gotten stuck in the closed position. Mine however is open so the door closes flush but it doesn't latch. I also found that my car battery was pretty close to dead as it wouldn't turn over. Now Halloween of 09 I replaced the battery with a new one and also the alternator. The car ran great yesterday fired right up and door closed. I was wondering how do I get the door to latch and also if could have anythign to do with my battery being drained.

Thanks

 

[edwx]

Don't think it had anything to do with the battery. My '03 XLS drivers door used to freeze open like yours, and not latch once in a while. It would usually latch if I slammed it closed a few times, or after the interior warmed up enough.

 

[suture]

Thanks.

I did notice that I had my FM tuner for my MP3 player plugged in and the phone charger. The last time the car was driven was 12pm Sunday would that be enough to drain the battery?

 

[matt0248]

LAst week in teh cold my door did the same. I just wiggled the latch (the part that I could see without taking anything apart) and trying the door a few time. it has been working just fine. I need to lubericate the latch, but it has been too crappy outside.

 

[Asmegin]

Happened to me a few times last year. No amount of fiddling would get it to close. I ended up standing there with a hairdryer for 20 minutes!

 

[suture]

Thanks for all the replies I lubed the door but that alone didn't work so I slammed the door a couple of times and it worked. Soon I will charge up the battery and see if it holds the charge

 

[Cjpooch]

So odd. I just read this post two days ago and it happened to me this morning. Slammed it for 5 mins. Finally latched but now I'm scared to open it again. Did lubing it help anyone?

 

[KPPCExplorer]

This has never happened to me before, but happened 4 times the other day. Would close the door, and it would pop back open because the latch wasn't closing. I wiggled it and it was able to move, but for whatever reason didn't latch closed. After pulling on the door handle a couple of times, that got it to close. Try pulling the door handle a couple times before breaking your door off by slamming it 100 times.

 

[Cjpooch]

Ok. Thanks KPPC. It hasn't happened since but I'll try that next time.

 

[Mustangman66]

After pulling on the door handle a couple of times, that got it to close. Try pulling the door handle a couple times before breaking your door off by slamming it 100 times.

my old explorer had exact same problem... and if you can, open the window and pull both handles repeatedly and shut door if your inside, or do it when the doors open if your outside...

also keep bungie cords handy, stretch over to the other door to keep closed...

haha:exp:

 

[Cjpooch]

I hope I don't ever need to but that's not a bad idea to have a couple in the truck just in case. Stupid doors. I still need to fix my sagging drivers but can't figure out which Help! Kit to buy. Dorrman says they don't male one that fits '02.

 

[jmkjr72]

both my 02 explorer and my wifes 99 tarus do this
i do not slam the doors around at all if the latch does fall and you try to slam it you can damage the latch

here is what i do as it only seems to happen in the cold i assume its a mosure related issue

take some heat or isopropal alachol and poor/spray it into the latch area
start by taking a screw driver and move the locking mecanism back and forth
i would say 1/2 of the time this solves the issue after a few trips of the latch

if that fails play with the handel a few times then play with the latch

when the door latches with the srew driver "open" the door with the other handel (if you opend it with the out side open it with the inside and vice versa)

now test close the door a few times with both handels to ensure what ever froze and bound up is working properly