Door switch problems. | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Door switch problems.

suzykeith

New Member
Joined
April 19, 2010
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
City, State
brighton, michigan
Year, Model & Trim Level
2003 eddie bauer, 4.0 V6
Hi, new to the site, hope you can help.

2003 explorer, eddie bauer, 4.0 v6, 4wd, 130,000

Door Ajar indicator used to be an occasional fault that immediately reset but recently has become a hard fault. Presence of that fault causes a slew of lighting issues and problems with door locks and the keyless entry.

Q:What's the preferred method for isolating the problem?

Thanks
kc
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Hi, new to the site, hope you can help.

2003 explorer, eddie bauer, 4.0 v6, 4wd, 130,000
Door Ajar indicator used to be an occasional fault that immediately reset but recently has become a hard fault. Presence of that fault causes a slew of lighting issues and problems with door locks and the keyless entry.
Q:What's the preferred method for isolating the problem?....Thanks.kcQUOTE]

Hi! Have Shop Manuals ordered, they are invaluable, but a shot off the top: (gimme a little break, though, as each year more is relegated to the computer).

I would look first for one of the door switches being faulty, stuck in the "door open" position. This would illuminate the Door Ajar icon continuously, even with all doors properly closed. Each openable door has one, so 6 on a four-door, I think.

Not sure what your slew of lighting issues means? The interior lights stay on? If you walk away from the vehicle with a door left ajar, or a faulty switch, the computer is supposed to turn off the interior lighting, to save overnight battery drain.

What symptoms have arisen with the keyless entry? Assume you mean the remote "clicker", not the outside keypad. imp
 






Okay, does it matter in which order the switches are checked? Is one more likely to be the problem over another, i.e. driver's door v. passenger door?
thx
kc
 












Okay, does it matter in which order the switches are checked? Is one more likely to be the problem over another, i.e. driver's door v. passenger door?
thx
kc

As a guess, no. Another thing: Are any of the doors damaged, or not closing securely, such that a false "open" signal is being generated? If yes, the tightness of the door latch system might eliminate the "door ajar".

Just a thought. imp
 






I'm capable but not experienced, is it difficult to assess the door switches?
kc
 






2 Meanings.....

I'm capable but not experienced, is it difficult to assess the door switches?
kc

Not bein' sassy, but think you mean "access", but maybe "assess", test them.

Wish I could tell you for sure access, used to be door switches were mounted in the front edge of the body's door opening, so the closing door jamb could press the switch, open the light circuit, easy to pop out, use ohmmeter to check switch. Nowadays, they could even be much more state of the art, might even be magnetically actuated reed switches, as they are inputs to a computer module, think Ford calls it the "Generic Computer Module", GCM, different from the engine computer.

If you can give me till tomorrow, I will try to find out more concretely about the door switches, if no one else pipes up here, as my Shop Manual came today. Please be aware: the door switch idea is just a thought, one of many possible causes. And, my manual is for a newer Explorer. imp
 






Interesting, I'm having the same issues. Some times door ajar is being displayed on the message console, the interior light stays and I get a double honk when I lock the doors. It doesn't happen all the time.

So far I haven't put to much effort into tracking this down but I'll need to as it's bugging me. It would be great to know where the switch are located as I didn't see anything on the door or door frame.

1) Is the whole switch inside of the door and I would need to remove the door panel to test it?

2) Are there computer codes that would indicate the exact door that is ajar?

3) Are there electrical test points for testing the switches?
 












Alot of electrical issues can be caused by broken/damaged wires in the boot between the driver's door and the body. I had problems like yours and repaired a broken wire and now all is fine.

Post #3 in this thread has great instructions for removing the door panel, Thanks to theofam: :thumbsup: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=271333

Here is a great thread with pics for checking for broken wires in boot between door and the body, thanks to synyster: :thumbsup: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=270081

Hope this helps. Good luck. :salute:
 






Thank you Claus!

I think we all should read the following thread:
Door AJAR Switch Replacement on 2002XLT w/Photos

Lots more here than I could provide. However, my info is from 2004 literature, but I suspect 2003 already used similar means: I am scanning the Ford wiring schematic showing how the "door ajar" switches are wired in. Learned today, they are using a little computer called the Vehicle Security Module (VSM) which "looks" at the condition of all the door switches, to detect a door being opened when the vehicle is in the "secure" mode.

A system of "Diagnostic Trouble Codes" is used, just like the Engine Control Computer (PCM), and they are read by a special tester Ford calls the NGS tester. This provides a quick and accurate means of finding exactly where the trouble lies, and what caused it. Unfortunately, few of us will have such equipment available to us. Still, the door switches are "checkable" using an ohmmeter, just like all switches were even in the caveman days. So, I will attempt to post the schematic, hoping it will be legible.

img06710.jpg


If able to read it, the switch is CLOSED to ground, when the door is CLOSED, and is OPEn when the door is open. imp
 






Back
Top