Door ajar light & inop door lock????

[02XLS]

Two befuddling problems arose the other day. The door ajar light is on my '02 XLS and the driver side power door lock do not work. I swapped switches with the passenger side and it it works fine. The driver's switch also works fine on the pass. side. Also the key fob will lock and unlock all doors with no problems. I have soaked the latches with WD40 and no help. So far I have ruled out the switch and door lock actuator.????????

thx,

 

[Tbars4]

...as for your lock problem, if all fuses and relays check out, look into the drivers side lock controller switch...could be as simple as a loose wire...the power goes to this switch first, then to the other doors...

...to fix the door ajar, int. lites on, soaking the latches won't do the trick...
here is a link to the door ajar fix...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190221

 

[02XLS]

Well I soaked all four door handles as described with WD40 and pulled each handle a couple HUNDRED times to no avail. UGH! What gives??? A now I notice that my power mirror doesn't work as well as my driver side front door lock..........HELLLLLLLLLLLLP

02xls

 

[Tbars4]

..have you pulled the door panel and checked all your electrical connections??? i say this as you are losing these things individually, like a plug, coming un plugged...it could be a gem module going bad, but thats a little out of my league...:scratch:

 

[02XLS]

I removed the panel and all looked good. One other thing is that when I open any of the doors I do not hear the open door chime. Does this help?

 

[Tbars4]

...i would look up gem module and see if you can find some better info...also, i would trace the wiring from that door and see where it plugs in...a lot of times there are plugs behind the driver side kickplate and when you get an aftermarket alarm or stereo, they tend to disconnect things there when they are working and don't always plug them back together right...

...i am sure someone else will chime in..

 

[chrisbeach82]

wd-40 didnt work for me either....rats!

 

[rrgone]

I think you guys need to look for wiring issues. Check the wires going through the rubber boot between the drivers door and the frame. There's probably a common ground wire in there that is chaffed or broken. Also pull the kick panels off on the drivers and passenger side and check the ground posts behind there for loose grounds. Let us know what you find out. Good luck.

 

[02XLS]

Checked everything you mentioned....All looked fine. All fuses and relays are fine. Disconnected gem and door ajar light did go out....lol.
What is it with Ford? I've only owned 3 Fords all under 60K and all had electrical problems. '89 Mustang GT - '96 Ford Bronco -and now '02 Exlorer....GEEZZZZZ
I did have the rear ABS sensor replaced a few days earlier and they did run their computer to diagnosis the problem. Coincidence? Where would the mechanic have hooked up his computer? OBD slot?
I guess the only thing left is the GEM Module????

ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS?

HELLLLLLLLLLLP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rrgone]

I would check the ground wiring to the drivers door one more time before taking it to Ford for diagnosis. You'll have to take it there anyway to replace the GEM (which I think you are contemplating) to assure the programming gets transferred from the old module to the new one. Take a look at this thread, particularily the posts by master tech and coled: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157065&highlight=door+ajar+gem Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

[rrgone]

I did have the rear ABS sensor replaced a few days earlier and they did run their computer to diagnosis the problem. Coincidence? Where would the mechanic have hooked up his computer? OBD slot?

No. There is a data connector for the ABS located near the ABS Module.

 

[charbojoseph]

soak latches not handles

Well I soaked all four door handles as described with WD40 and pulled each handle a couple HUNDRED times to no avail.

02xls

You need to spray the latch with WD40 (the part that holds the door closed at the rear edge of the door) not the handle. I'm not saying this will fix your problem since you have other issues but this is where the switch is for the door ajar light and interior lights.

 

[Tbars4]

...it is in the door handle pull itself and not in the latch, for the handle operated light mechanism...

 

[chrisbeach82]

anyone else have their alarm go off all the time because of this like me?

 

[02XLS]

I re-rechecked the wiring and all looked fine. I am the only driver and occupant of this vehicle over the last 30K and did not tampere with any of the wiring. All orginal equipment. Can I use the new GEM if the part number matches and see if it works w/o downloading from the old one? Anyone know how long it takes the dealer to download the info from the old GEM to the new one and how much it costs for the download?

Thx 02xls

 

[coled43]

I had the exact same problem with my 02. The door ajar, drivers lock and mirror switch. All 3 splice into the same ground wire in the door. I found it in the door panel and tested it to find out that it was not connected to ground. I spliced that ground wire in to door and connected it to chassis ground for a test and everything worked. I wanted to pull another wire from the door to the kick panel and ground it to the chassis, but it is very difficult to even see (forget about reach) where the wires come into the kick panel area because of the e-brake pedal assembly, which I really didn't want to remove. So, I just grounded it to the door. I didn't like doing it that way, but it worked and has been fine since last winter. If that ground wire is not connected to ground, then this must be your problem.

 

[Tbars4]

...good point coled43...i thought i had mentioned it before but i didn't..
...it does sound more like a short to me as in a wire that is just about to come loose or break...a ground wire would be a perfect specimen of this and if 3 wires are tapped into it as you mentioned, that would be a perfect spot to look...i have seen them break in the hose they run thru too...

 

[02XLS]

Underneath the passenger side kick panel I found a single ground wire and two ground wires stacked together and secured tighty BUT under the driver's side kick panel I only found one ground wire secured where do I find the other two or the 3 ground wires stacked like you described. Also, if it is a ground short ,why after 5 years is there now an issue. I never touched these areas nor my mechanic.

 

[coled43]

I took the door panel off and found the ground wire inside the door. All 3 of them splice together near the center of the door. If that wire is not grounded with a test light, just cut it and connect it to a screw to ground it. I never found the ground wire inside the car( I looked pretty hard). Even if I had chances are it was broken where the door connects and I would have to cut it in inside the door anyways.

 

[02XLS]

I'm must be a blind idiot 'cause I traced the wires behind the door panel and did not find any wires grounded to the door or any loose wires hanging free. I only removed the door panel and the sticky sheet from the door and inspected by hand behind the panel. Did you also remove the metal door panel from the door also? I assume the ground wires are behind the metal portion of the door and not seen to the naked eye. Are the wires grounded near the door handle, above or below it? How are they secured by the factory? Any more info. is greatly appreciated.

Thx, blind idiot