1997 Aerostar sliding door latch issue.

[pamarey]

Hi from Pheonix, AZ. The side slide door in my 1997 Aerostar wouldn't open. I figured out how to release the latch by taking the door panel off and pushing the rod lever forward. Problem is it gets stuck each time I close it. I cannot figure out how to fix it. The rollers look ok,. How do I tell if the rollers are out of alignment?
Thanks, PJ

 

[zenish]

try asking over here. Aerostar - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

 

[CJYoung]

Hi from Pheonix, AZ. The side slide door in my 1997 Aerostar wouldn't open. I figured out how to release the latch by taking the door panel off and pushing the rod lever forward. Problem is it gets stuck each time I close it. I cannot figure out how to fix it. The rollers look ok,. How do I tell if the rollers are out of alignment?
Thanks, PJ

First thing to check is the Child Safety Latch. They have been known to break on the inside.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Did you remove or lubricate the latch mechanism? Sometimes the track could be the issue. They are hard to find unless you see one of these vans in a junkyard. They are hard to find but I was able to get one a few years ago. Check my thread: How To: Replace a defective sliding door latch.

 

[mmerlinn]

Old thread, but new info on what to do.

One thing that causes sliding door latch problems is the misalignment of the rear door track.

Open door all the way. Look at front end of door track. If it is loose or sagging, it will destroy your latch. Find or make a short metal angle with a hole. Use a metal screw to attach it under the front end of the track to support the front end of the track aligning it with the rest of the track. Spray some paint on screw to keep it from loosening.

When closing the sliding door, be careful. If it does not properly latch the first time, NEVER EVER try it a second time without FIRST resetting the door latch by shoving the inner door opening handle all the way back as if you are opening the door from the inside.