Lots of Door Problems. Please Help!

[roadrunner2154]

First off, this is my first technical post, and I know it’s very wordy, but please read through and try to offer any help you can… I’ve read through every post on the door ajar light problems that people have, and I am still having issues. So hopefully somebody here has some useful insight into the problems I’m having. Now I say problems with a ‘S’ because I think my door problems may be two fold. So, bear with me as I try to explain all of the symptoms.

As I’m driving down the road, my door ajar light, and that horrible tone, will come on very sporadically, and at no discernable speed or vibration. And some times I’m able to give the door a very hard slamming, and the light will go out, for the rest of my trip. Sometimes this doesn’t help at all.

And this problem leads me to believe maybe it’s an electrical issue. But after considering my other door problem, I have to wonder if it’s a mechanically related, or two completely separate issues.

The other problem I have is with my door not wanting to open. Sometimes I can press the key fob unlock, and the door will not unlock. (About 75% of the time it doesn’t). And it also doesn’t open with the key or the door code keys. My only option is to go around and open the door from the inside handle. Also, when pressing the key fob, I can see the little peg trying to come up but it looks like it’s sticking. And I’ve learned that by timing it correctly, I can hit the key fob button and give the door a little Fonzzy hip check, and the door peg pops up and I’m in. But this doesn’t always work either.

I’ve tried the WD40 in the latch and handle trick. (Didn’t work) And I do know that it is my driver’s side door causing the door ajar light. Also I have read the thread about the spring in the latch, which breaks off. And I do have that problem. I looked in the latch and found a spring just laying in there. And while I will have to find a new spring to replace it. I don’t know what the other end of the spring goes around. I can see form the picture that one end goes around the, let’s call it “latch housing”. But it doesn’t show or say specifically where the other end goes. And there are so many different moving parts in there I just can’t tell. But I’m wondering if replacing this spring will even fix all of my problems. Maybe I’m having issues like the post about the little yellow clip needing to be adjusted as well. But all of these issues are mechanical. And I don’t see how they would cause the kind of sporadic door ajar light and tone I get as I’m driving down the road. And I’ve got to tell you, if I knew which fuse would kill that little tone I would have done that a long time ago. Because hearing it go off and the doors relocking themselves every few seconds is unbelievably annoying.

Hopefully somebody has some insight into my problems. Because I just can’t afford to pay a Ford dealer to fix it for me.

Thanks.

 

[X-North]

Change the switch in the pillar its maybe a faulty switch....and after unscrew the door panel clean all with solvant and regrease everylock with lithium grease..it have the NGLI-2 specifitcation that mean it resist to cold an hot a lot. I had put it in my 1992 festiva door and it opened ghreat even in a really cold -45 celsius winter

 

[fraxinusalba]

Have had most of your problems except for the broken latch spring so can't help with that one.

Door Ajar - There's a switch on the latch that controls this. Switch could be bad, wire could be lose or broken, or bad contact between wire/switch connector. Probably one of the latter two in your case since it comes and goes. Sounds like you are getting some type of intemittent electrical connection. Mine was bad connection so cleaned contacts and no more problem. Had to remove latch to do this.

Door Lock - Since the actuator is working, problem is in latch. Too much resistance in lock mechanism for actuator to overcome. WD40 didn't do it for me either, just too much gunk in the latch. Even tried spraying some solvent in the latch to cut the grease and gunk but that didn't work either. Had to remove the latch from the door, thoroughly clean it, and lubricate it with light grease.

Removing the latch isn't that difficult but the first time you do it, its time consuming trying to figure out how everything is connected. There's two yellow plastic clips that hold the rods for the inside and outside door handles. The outside handle clip is hinged and snaps open. The inside handle clip rotates upward. The actuator and door latch have to be removed together as the connecting rod has a "Z" bend in the end. Remove the actuator from the spring clip first and then remove the screws holding the door latch.

The retaining clips on the electrical connectors on the latch and actuator are brittle. Pry the clips up just enough to get them lose so you can unplug the connectors. Pry too much and they will break.

 

[dmac0923]

the door ajar light, is a disassembly and cleaning of the latch mechanisim to get a good contact.

had the unlocking problem in my 2002 Sport. turned out an assist spring broke on the door latch. open up both door panels to compare and you immediately see the spring that broke/fell off.