The dreaded Door Ajar light....
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Joined: Mar 2011
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The dreaded Door Ajar light....
The "Door Ajar" light on my Ex has apparently decided that I would enjoy having the little red light on the dash illuminated. Normally, I'd consider this just a nuisance, but it's convinced the interior and running board lights to play along so that they don't go out until they time out.
I'm pretty sure that it's in the rear door somewhere. Does anyone know where the sensor(s) are for the rear doors and how to test them?
Thanks,
~Bass
I'm pretty sure that it's in the rear door somewhere. Does anyone know where the sensor(s) are for the rear doors and how to test them?
Thanks,
~Bass
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2012
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From: Colorado
I do the door-ajar dance often...
In my case it's the rear hatch. I open and close it hard and it usually goes away.
it's annoying. Some say to spray the locking mechanism with wd40. Tried that but doesn't seem to help much.
In my case it's the rear hatch. I open and close it hard and it usually goes away.
it's annoying. Some say to spray the locking mechanism with wd40. Tried that but doesn't seem to help much.
FTE NC Chapter
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Coastal NC
It's been covered fairly well here but check and lube all your door and hatch latches. Check all your weather stripping make sure it isnt creating a gap somewhere. Also clean and check all the rubber around the plungers/sensors. Grit and dirt will accumulate on those barn door sensors.
Mine seems to occur after a bunch of dusty trail riding. Not everytime though. I usually have to clean and lube all the latches and slam the doors a few times and it goes away for a while.
Mine seems to occur after a bunch of dusty trail riding. Not everytime though. I usually have to clean and lube all the latches and slam the doors a few times and it goes away for a while.
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Thanks. I'm pretty sure that it's in the barn door as I've had to slam that door for a while now. It just went constant so it's suddenly moved way up the priority list. 
I'll give it a try when I get home tonight.
I'll give it a try when I get home tonight.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2010
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From: South Eastern Michigan
Take apart the mechanism in the hatch. Clean everything well, use WD or equivalent to lube the switches and clean/lube the handle mechanism while you're there too.
The switches are located at the latches on the outer bottom corners of the hatch. Its not a fun job but once done, it works like new and the ajar thing is done for a long time.
The switches are located at the latches on the outer bottom corners of the hatch. Its not a fun job but once done, it works like new and the ajar thing is done for a long time.
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From: Salem, VA
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2011
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From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Take apart the mechanism in the hatch. Clean everything well, use WD or equivalent to lube the switches and clean/lube the handle mechanism while you're there too.
The switches are located at the latches on the outer bottom corners of the hatch. Its not a fun job but once done, it works like new and the ajar thing is done for a long time.
The switches are located at the latches on the outer bottom corners of the hatch. Its not a fun job but once done, it works like new and the ajar thing is done for a long time.
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Elder User
Joined: Jul 2012
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From: Eastern KS
I could be wrong, but I don't think cutting them is the fix. My passenger side hatch switch was unrepairable, so I just unhooked the wiring harness from it and jammed a paperclip in it to short the two wires together and wrapped it all up in electrical tape. The driver side switch still works to show when the hatch is open or closed.
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Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Media PA
My rear hatch likes to do this whenever I leave it open for an extended time. I give it a short squirt of WD-40 into each latch and open/close it about 5 or 6 times, so far that has worked several times. One of these years I'll pull it all apart and give it a good cleaning and lube.
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Just because I feel like grumbling, this job is going to take longer than I thought.
Removed both of the latches from the rear window and tested the switches with a circuit tester. Both work as expected. Then the rains came.
So. Two switches per afternoon. Worst case is a week to figure this out...
Removed both of the latches from the rear window and tested the switches with a circuit tester. Both work as expected. Then the rains came.
So. Two switches per afternoon. Worst case is a week to figure this out...
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2012
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From: Colorado
Just because I feel like grumbling, this job is going to take longer than I thought.
Removed both of the latches from the rear window and tested the switches with a circuit tester. Both work as expected. Then the rains came.
So. Two switches per afternoon. Worst case is a week to figure this out...
Removed both of the latches from the rear window and tested the switches with a circuit tester. Both work as expected. Then the rains came.
So. Two switches per afternoon. Worst case is a week to figure this out...
You might just have tested them when they felt like they did want to work...
Are you going to clean them or replace them ?
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The dialectic grease was clean so I left the contacts alone, but did clean the rest of the switch(es) with electric component cleaner. It's a first cousin of brake cleaner designed for motors, switches, etc.
Didn't make a bit of difference.
Didn't make a bit of difference.