i've got a 2002 explorer xlt and the door ajar light stays on. all the doors properly close. any idea what would cause this ?

 

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I had similar electrical issues with my 02 xlt. The dome lights would stay on until the battery saver feature turned them off, the accessory delay wasn't working, the driver side puddle light didn't work, the keypad on the door would set off the alarm when I pressed it, the door ajar light would flash and beep at highway speeds, the radio would shut off as soon as I turned the key off, the delayed accessories didn't work, etc. The alarm would beep twice when I armed it. Recently all 4 windows stopped working. Most recently the driver door lock actuator stopped working.

A lot of electrical issues can be traced back to broken/damaged wire(s) in the boot between the body and the driver's door. I found 2 broken wires and repaired them. The thin black ground wire was broken and after repairing it all was back to normal. When the windows stopped working, I repaired the thick black ground wire and the windows now work like a champ. I had to repair the pink/black wire to fix the driver door lock actuator.

Here is the thread for removing the door panel: How To: Remove/Replace 3rd Gen Door Panel - Ford Explorer Ranger Enthusiasts "Serious Explorations"®

Here is a great thread for checking for broken/damaged wires, thanks to synyster for this awesome write-up: How To: Fix the Door Ajar Problem - Ford Explorer Ranger Enthusiasts "Serious Explorations"®

Be sure to take your time when looking for broken/damaged wire(s). Check all the wires for breaks/damage. When you think you're done looking, look again, and again, and again. A bright flashlight can be very helpful.

Could also be related to the door ajar switch.

Here is a great thread for checking/replacing the door ajar switch, thanks to borland for the awesome write-up: Door AJAR Switch Replacement on 2002XLT w/Photos - Ford Explorer Ranger Enthusiasts "Serious Explorations"®

Hope this helps out!!

 

Bump, for an update.