Make sure all five doors are closed ( open and close them to be sure ) If this doesn't work it sounds like a bad door switch, but then your dome light would be on.

 

Make sure all five doors are closed ( open and close them to be sure ) If this doesn't work it sounds like a bad door switch, but then your dome light would be on.

Thanks Jim, I will check that stuff.

Andy

 

If door is aligned properly you can just adjust the striker on the center post ( loop that catches the latch on the door )

3. ADJUST DOOR LOCK STRIKER
(a) Check that the door fit and door lock linkages are adjusted
correctly.
(b) Adjust the striker position by slightly loosening the striker
mounting screws, and hitting the striker with a hammer.
(c) Tighten the striker mounting screws again.
Torque: 23 N·m (235 kgf·cm, 17 ft·lbf)

Good luck

 

If door is aligned properly you can just adjust the striker on the center post ( loop that catches the latch on the door )

3. ADJUST DOOR LOCK STRIKER
(a) Check that the door fit and door lock linkages are adjusted
correctly.
(b) Adjust the striker position by slightly loosening the striker
mounting screws, and hitting the striker with a hammer.
(c) Tighten the striker mounting screws again.
Torque: 23 N·m (235 kgf·cm, 17 ft·lbf)

Good luck

Wow, seriously?! Hit it with a hammer?!

Sounds kinda funny, but I'll give it a try.

Thanks!

Andy

 

You are just moving the striker enough to tighten door, don't hit it as hard as you can. Loosen the screws slightly, tap it just enough to move it slightly, retighten and try it out. I'd mark the current position first so that I had a reference point.

 

You are just moving the striker enough to tighten door, don't hit it as hard as you can. Loosen the screws slightly, tap it just enough to move it slightly, retighten and try it out. I'd mark the current position first so that I had a reference point.

So the adjustment is basically whatever wiggle room the striker has on its mounting bolts?

Doesn't seem like enough, but I'll give it a try!

Andy

 

Ah, so the striker is bolted to a plate which is behind the door jam skin. When you loosen the striker mounting bolts and hit the striker the whole plate moves behind the jam.

Anyway, used to be I could push the door shut from the outside and then the key fob could lock the doors, leading me to believe the always-been-rattle-y front door needed to be adjusted "tighter" such that when closed it would then depress the door switch enough and allow the doors to be locked with the fob.

Well, I adjusted the door "tighter" by adjusting the striker plate and now the door won't lock with the fob no matter what I do. (Door doesn't rattle any more though!)

Depressing the door switch with my finger turns off the courtesy light that's on the bottom of the interior door panel, but the door still won't lock with the key fob.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

Andy

 

The striker is on the center post. if you adjusted the part in the door you may have tightened the door as far as rattles, but you did not tighten it in relation to the switch. Your door won't rattle, but it still won't activate the switch. Sounds like you need a mechanic to do this job for you.

 

The striker is on the center post. if you adjusted the part in the door you may have tightened the door as far as rattles, but you did not tighten it in relation to the switch. Your door won't rattle, but it still won't activate the switch. Sounds like you need a mechanic to do this job for you.

Thanks Jim, yes, I adjusted the striker. The door now fully depresses the switch.

But, since the key fob still won't lock the doors, it sounds like that door and it's switch are not the problem.

I had a few minutes to mess around with it last night and noticed that although that door's courtesy light (on the door's lower interior panel) turned off when the door was shut (or when I depressed the switch manually) which would seem to indicate that the switch is working properly, the "open door" indicator on the dash remained on no matter what I did with that passenger door and it's switch.

Thinking about it this AM, I guess I should now check all the other doors and their switches as well!

Must be one of them that's making the car think a door is open, even when none of them are...

Andy