How to: Interior lights on - Door Ajar

[Tbars4]

...cmhafull, congrats on your first of many fixes with the help of this site...

brooklyn...i know there's been a bunch i have heard back from them in their threads...

 

[cmhafull]

I just bought a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer thur. and the door ajar light came on tonight so I got online to get answers and I found it here

 

[jjstunts]

Well, I go to the shop to get some WD40 and wouldn't ya know it. Lterally the second that I got out to open the garage, the light turns off! Thats some BS.
so I wd40'ed the doors anyway and havent seen the light back on yet, hope it stays off.
So glad that this forums is here. Now to find out where to get a liftgate panel since mine cracked like so many I see on here.
thanx again

 

[Tbars4]

...jjstunts, glad that it's fixed as mine drove me crazy till i found this site...

...btw, if you add your mk/model/yr and location to your profile, you will get more responses to the questions you ask...

 

[yooper]

The WD40 trick worked for me also, when I first sprayed it the light still stayed on and then I noticed ice build up under the door handle. I got the ice out and the light went out. Thought that was the problem but I think it was coincidense because the light hasnt come on since. It takes a while for the WD40 to soak in so it might not work instantly. Give it some time.

 

[glocker199]

The WD40 trick didn't help my door ajar problem. I get the double honk on the alarm set and the light stay on. Any way I can at least narrow it down to the culprit door?

 

[adamwarner]

Is there a how-to yet for just bypassing the switch in the problem door if the WD-40 trick doesnt work? If not someone explain to me how to get to it and il write one up.

 

[Tbars4]

...the link's noted in the first post have all the answers you need...

 

[adamwarner]

...the link's noted in the first post have all the answers you need...

except the first link doesnt have any links?

Weres the best location to clip the wires and bypass it?

 

[Tbars4]

......sorry as i don't have the answer...i am sure if you search on here you will find some help with that...good luck with your project...

 

[Bill Kemp]

Exactly...What have you done so far?

 

[Tbars4]

...thanks bill, i know you will be able to help him...here is a link to the thread he started..
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213906

 

[adamwarner]

Exactly...What have you done so far?

I tried the lubing and slamming on all four doors, even though im sure ive narrowed it down to the rear passanger side. The only door i can open that still allows me to roll my windows up and down after ive shut off the explorer. I used every kind of lube and electrical cleaner i had, let it soak and even worked at the latch for a while and i got nothing. At this point im sure to fix it would cost more then its worth, so i just want to trick the switch into thinking my door is always closed, and see if that takes care of the problem

 

[Bill Kemp]

Did you use WD-40? Seems to be the common lube that helped the others. That and time seems to do the trick. Your sure its the rear door?
However there is a post about a guy that cut the wire to solve the problem. I dont know what wire to cut but you can PM him to find out.

 

[kbviper]

Success!!!

About 3 months ago the driver's door speaker in my 04 Explorer XLT stopped working and about 2 weeks ago, while on holidays, I started getting the dreaded "door ajar" message, along with the interior lights staying on and all the other related problems.

I tried the WD40 fix, but no luck.

Today I got my shop manual out and took the door panel off, which was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Took the foam pad off, checked all the wires and connections and they all looked fine.

I spliced a short length of wire into the larger black wire that goes to the door latch mechanism, and then grounded it on one of the nearby door screws.

The "door ajar" message and related problems were fixed. The ground wire must be broken or chafed somewhere further along, but too big and long of a job to try to find it.

Took the door speaker out - problem seemed to be in the connector at then end of the wires. Tried some contact cleaner but didn't fix the problem. Cut the connector off, attached some spade connectors that fit onto the pins on the speaker, to the ends of the wires, plugged them in and had sound.

I took my time as I am far from a mechanic - total time, less than an hour and what a difference having the door speaker working again makes in the sound.

Thanks to all those who posted suggestions and solutions and helped give me the courage to get in there and fix it myself rather than pay a dealer
100s of $$$

 

[jjstunts]

I find that the door ajar light only comes on when it is raining outside when I drive. Once the door dries up again, no more problems. I got used to just turning the panel lights off when it rains.
Anyway, put a new sound system in and I'm looking for the place in this forum to post my work, maybe I'll find it.

 

[huntersteve61]

I have this Door ajar problem with my ex. its a 99 xlt... Heres how I kno its my pass rear door.. With truck on.. I can get in and out of every other door and the ights kick on.. the only one that doesn't is rear pass door... Coincidence? (sp) here the rear window down button is dead and the switch doesn't light up... it works from the command post.. (my door) so I assume busted switch.. NOW the speaker pops... Checked all wires they are O K. that i saw.. what do I do? window button.. eh sorry for that guys luck but speaker and door ajar is MY luck!!!

 

[Tbars4]

...I would suggest pulling the switch/panel of that door and check for power...I would also check the wires in that door for a pinched wire and/or broken ground wires...

 

[huntersteve61]

Isn't there a certain wire I can hop and just trick it into thinking that door is always closed and just the hell with it?

 

[cbrock]

Isn't there a certain wire I can hop and just trick it into thinking that door is always closed and just the hell with it?

bumb for an answer?