99 Explorer EB - door ajar issue

[yeahokay]

ok, I havent found this issue exactly anywhere. I have a pretty much permanent door ajar, to figure out which one I disconnected every one of them, and still have the issue with the door ajar being. Im have a hard time understanding how there can be an open circuit (it is an open ciruit that triggers the door ajar right?) with every one of these things disconnected. Where should I look next? Is this a possible gem issue. I have one other issue with the stereo circuit causing a parasitic drain that I also am thinking might be a gem issue.

 

[Turdle]

How about rear glass latch? Don't forget that one.

Could be a shorted wire in the driver door jamb also.

 

[410Fortune]

So the wires are open until the door is closed and then the switch in connects them to ground
So to test you don’t disconnect them you ground them

90% of the time it is the rear glass in the hatch there is a switch gets dirty Or similar switch in the drivers door lock mechanism

All it takes is a good cleaning of the switch, most times

The switch can be accessed with the door panel off and a good flashlight, you can remove it from the door lock mechanism which is way easier then removing the entire drivers master lock and dealing with all 3 rods

 

[yeahokay]

How about rear glass latch? Don't forget that one.

Could be a shorted wire in the driver door jamb also.

I have all 6 unplugged.

So the wires are open until the door is closed and then the switch in connects them to ground
So to test you don’t disconnect them you ground them

90% of the time it is the rear glass in the hatch there is a switch gets dirty Or similar switch in the drivers door lock mechanism

All it takes is a good cleaning of the switch, most times

The switch can be accessed with the door panel off and a good flashlight, you can remove it from the door lock mechanism which is way easier then removing the entire drivers master lock and dealing with all 3 rods

That helps, I was under the impression it was just an open or closed circuit so unplugging it would be all thats needed. Let me retest and short the main wires to ground and see if that will shut up the door ajar. Im good with removing them already removed them all (except the hatch and hatch glass)

 

[410Fortune]

Hatch cover is easy few screws and some plastic clips on the top then the big panel lifts straight up

 

[yeahokay]

a follow does odb have the info of which door is open or is this too old to have that kind of data? that might be easier to find my problem.

 

[Big Ed 1]

ok, I havent found this issue exactly anywhere. I have a pretty much permanent door ajar, to figure out which one I disconnected every one of them, and still have the issue with the door ajar being. Im have a hard time understanding how there can be an open circuit (it is an open ciruit that triggers the door ajar right?) with every one of these things disconnected. Where should I look next? Is this a possible gem issue. I have one other issue with the stereo circuit causing a parasitic drain that I also am thinking might be a gem issue.

Not saying it will fix yours but,
How I fixed my 2002 explorers door ajar light that was coming on at times. I sprayed WD40 silicone lube into the door where the latches are. You can use PB blaster too if you have that. I couldn't find which one it was so I sprayed all the doors, like mentioned do the back hatch door too. After I sprayed I opened and closed them a bunch of times. Fixed my problem.
I use the same lube on a rag and wipe down the rubber seal around the door too, it stops the door from being frozen shut during the winter and also protects the rubber from drying out.
I don't know if you have a switch that is in the door but mine does, sometimes just a little lube frees it up.
There is also the problem with the wiring where it goes thru the door, a lot of problems with the door could be in tht wiring.
This video shows some steps that may help you with your problem.

 

[yeahokay]

I have done that to all of them multiple times already, unfortunately still persists.

 

[yeahokay]

So the wires are open until the door is closed and then the switch in connects them to ground

Follow up on this since this is a bit confusing the more I think about it. There are only 2 plugs to the switch is the itself grounding the main cable?

I finally pulled all the gem plugs and tested continuity to each of the switches and there is none to drivers door... So I spliced it and will ground it and see if that is the issue. Weather issues started up here so might be a day or two before I get back to it

 

[410Fortune]

There is one wire to the switch
When the door is closed it is connected to body ground
With door open, no ground
Here is what it looks like

https://a.co/d/65xZu1M

The other 10% of the time when the switch is not just dirty, you will find a broken wire inside of the door wiring boot…
Ford did not give us enough length so over time the wire will break and its inside that rubber boot

I had one truck where the broken wire was on the passenger side rear door
But that was one truck
I have fixed this issue on about 59
Of them..usually drivers or glass switch just gummed up
Which is why many people
Solve this just by spraying pb blaster into their door latch assembly… some of it actually makes it in there and cleans the contacts

 

[FijiBill]

I just had the opposite issue where the door ajar wouldn't come on for the driver door. The boot wires were ok and after disconnecting the barrel harness I could ground the yellow black wire and it worked perfectly. Finally I doused the latch in WD-40 and unbelievably that fixed it.

Anyway, while doing these test I learned some things. The wires to the door jamb sensors are negative triggers in our explorers. This means they are usually pulled towards 12v by a large resistor. If you measure yellow black eg it will be around 10.5 volts because of the resistor drop. As others have said, the door jamb sensors work by grounding these wires to show the door is open meaning the wire will have 0 volts.

Since you have all 6 door jamb sensors disconnected I would take a voltage measurement on each trigger wire. They should all be at 10.5 volts. If one is zero, then it has grounded to the body because the insulation has failed and is telling the gem a door is ajar. That will be your problem

 

[410Fortune]

Dude the door ajar switches are connected to ground on a 99 explorer

You should not have voltage at the single wire to the door switch

 

[FijiBill]

Dude the door ajar switches are connected to ground on a 99 explorer

You should not have voltage at the single wire to the door switch

Certainly don't mind being called out, but I *think* I am correct in this case. I have a 99 explorer and measured 10.5 V on yellow black wire at the unplugged drivers door barrel connection. That *should* be the same as the voltage on the yellow black wire at the unplugged door jamb connector.

From your diagram you can see the yellow black wire is actually connected directly to 12V, but a large resistor limits the current through it. So you would expect to see 12V - I*R or around 10.5 V.

Also from your diagram you can see that the door jamb switch will connect yellow black directly to ground and cause it to be 0V only when the door is open. BUT, if the yellow black wire is accidentally shorted somewhere to the door/body, that could also cause it to be grounded or 0V. IMO that is the OP's issue.

BTW there should be two wires to the door jamb connector, the negative trigger wire (yellow black at 10.5 V) and ground (black at 0 V) as shown in your diagram.

Hope this helps! Let me know if I am wrong on the above. Cheers

 

[yeahokay]

Ok thanks for all the info, I confused myself a bit there. My problem was 100% the drivers door the black and yellow wire is shorted to ground somewhere causing the permanant door ajar. at this point I have snipped the wire at the gem and am good to go for now. I'm ok with that door not turning on the lights.

 

[410Fortune]

That diagram shows the gem module getting power from fuses
And it shows the door ajar trigger wires connecting to ground, normally open and then closed to ground with door shut

Voltage coming through that wire would be a short in the gem module… but I have never checked it for voltage before? Next time I am in there I will check!

I don’t pretend to know everything that’s for sure… but I can fix a door ajar light. Open door it loses ground, light comes on
Or if the contacts are gummed up with dirt it can never sees ground = light on

Around here they call me the “door doctor”
Because everyone else is scared to go in there lol lol

 

[Brayden1]

ok, I havent found this issue exactly anywhere. I have a pretty much permanent door ajar, to figure out which one I disconnected every one of them, and still have the issue with the door ajar being. Im have a hard time understanding how there can be an open circuit (it is an open ciruit that triggers the door ajar right?) with every one of these things disconnected. Where should I look next? Is this a possible gem issue. I have one other issue with the stereo circuit causing a parasitic drain that I also am thinking might be a gem issue.

It’s always that damn trunk

 

[410Fortune]

I agree that is the symbol for a resistor inside the gem module and the function of a resistor is to “control the flow of electrical current” but I can’t believe it has 10.5v positive on a wire that goes directly to ground!

I gotta see it with my own eyes / volt meter next time I’m inside the door

 

[FijiBill]

I agree that is the symbol for a resistor inside the gem module and the function of a resistor is to “control the flow of electrical current” but I can’t believe it has 10.5v positive on a wire that goes directly to ground!

I gotta see it with my own eyes / volt meter next time I’m inside the door

No worries, the circuit Ford used here is an example of a pull up resistor

Pull-up resistor - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

If you want to get some multimeter measurements for the yellow black wire, easiest access is via the barrel connector in between the driver door hinges. One 10m bolt and its apart. Yellow black wire is pin 17 and you get to choose between the body side (GEM) and the door (jamb sensor) side to get readings.

Pin 17 on the body (GEM) side is hot and will let you take voltage readings for the yellow black wire. It was 10.5 volts or so for me anyway. If you are brave, you can ground pin 17 to see the truck give you a door ajar situation. The pull up resistor will limit the current. Worked for me, but you are wise to be apprehensive ie don't blame me if you short something out.

Pin 17 on the door (jamb sensor) side will be unpowered but will let you take resistance reading for the door jamb sensor. With the door open (switch closed) it should read an insignificant resistance compared to ground.

This is a good link for all the pins on the driver door barrel connector

Door wiring pinout

I have a 2000 sport and I am trying to find the pin out for the wiring in the door jam where the door plugs into the body. Thanks

www.explorerforum.com

17 765 (YE/BK) Left front door ajar switch to GEM

And, after all this, gobs of WD40 solved things for me... sigh.

Have fun!

 

[410Fortune]

So wouldn’t a wire with 10.5v
To it then touching ground cause a spark?

Thanks for the pics lol good info for people oooking to test their door wiring
I will test this next time I’m in there…
I’m renaming your truck sparky

 

[yeahokay]

I have to make a follow up, my (now intermittent) issue came back even after snipping the drivers door at the gem. I ended up snipping all the door ajar sensors at the gem, you would think that would take care of it altogether right? It didnt, so I finally started looking at the gem and i found the the ground wire to the gem (is it the ground wire for the whole gem? I dont know) but that wire/pin appears to be shorted I have not determined if its the gem or the wire i have the gem pulled cleaned it up and will do continity testing on the ground wire. The black and white wire i could pull and bend and the door ajar chime would go on and off. so its the wire, the plug, or the gem from what I can tell.