Door alignment - can get it to latch correctly in 2 steps

[DeloreanJoshQ]

My Passenger door doesn't close smooth like the driver side. If I close it like the driver side by pushing down with fingers in the area just below the handle, the back latches correctly and the front is "loose" ; the second catch doesn't take full hold.

However, I can get it to latch tight correctly every time by taking two steps:

1. Close the door slowly at the bottom middle of the door ; the front completely latches first; the back partly.
2. I then gently apply pressure to the rear of the door and it latches completely.

The alignment matches perfectly to my liking in the present settings.

What things should I try to allow the door to close in one step?

Thanks in advance everyone.

Josh Q

[NightFlyer]

My Passenger door doesn't close smooth like the driver side.

However, I can get it to latch tight correctly every time by taking two steps:

1. Close the door slowly; the front completely latches first; the back partly.
2. I then gently apply pressure to the rear of the door and it latches completely.

The alignment matches perfectly to my liking.

What things should I try to allow the door to close in one step?

Thanks in advance everyone.

Josh Q

Did you try lubricating (greasing/oiling) both latches?

[Josh]

x2 oil up both the latches. It sounds like a small door misalignment, I would start by adjusting the striker pins.

[DeloreanJoshQ]

Already oiled them and no change.
I notice when I slowly open the handle, the back pops up first.
Also, the passenger door latches sound "looser" when opening and closing; the driver side sounds "cleaner"

I have messed with the strikers before for an hour or so but ended up putting it back to where it is now.

I suppose I'll give it another try.

[NightFlyer]

Admittedly a shot in the dark here, but it sounds as if the spring pressure/tension on the hinges isn't equal across both sides (front and back) on the door that you're having the issue with.

If the other door is working fine for you, then for a test, you may want to try switching the struts around and seeing if that makes any difference for you. Also check to make sure that the strut mounting hardware is properly aligned and isn't bending/distorting/improperly angled/etc.

Best luck :thumbup:

[Josh]

Keep picking away at the strikers, I think you can get it where it needs to be with adjustment through there. Remember you can add and remove washers to push the strikers out or pull them in.

However if you cant make things jive with just the strikers adjustment thru the hinges and strikers is next. Bryne outlined it very well here and i will quote his post:




"We use the following procedure in aligning the door to the body.
1. Remove door strut
2. Pop door open
3. Remove striker pins
4. Remove outer door seals
5. Loosen door hinges
6. Apply small amount of oil above and below hinge bolts
7. Lower door slowly and let free fall last several inches (repeat free fall several times and close firmly by hand each time)
8. Tighten hinge nuts until just snug
9. Repeat #7
10. Repeat #8
11. Repeat #7 and # 8 until door hinge nuts show no movement then tighten each firmly
12. Lean against door and inspect alignment, repeat procedures #5, 7 and 8 if necessary
13. Set one striker pin at a time.
14. Striker pin adjusts in a rectangular box configuration: left/ right, up/down ( there are effectively six positions.)
15. Striker pin adjustment is trial and error but note you moves and result
16. Replace outer door seals flush and only barely above edge of fender. There is no need to slam doors.

NEVER DRIVE WITH DOOR OPEN, IT IS A SERVERE STRAIN ON DOOR AS WELL AS HINGE and causes misalignment"

The doors jutting out at the rearis a fairly common problem. There are more evasive fixes to this such as windsheild installation/replacement (middle of roof sags down), and in the worst case roof box replacement! But I doubt that is an issue with your car, as is with mine :(

[mluder]

It's also possible that your door is mis-shaped which could cause it to latch/unlatch in the manner you describe - ask me how I know. How are the shut lines when the door is closed?

My driver's door is out in two ways. First it is curled - also know as taco'd. I think at some point the torsion rods may have been over torqued to compensate for bad struts. This led the door itself to curl a bit. It's evidenced in the line along the windshield which is not flat but has a noticeable bow in it.

Also, I have to push in just the right area to close the door as the front latch will catch just fine but the rear sometimes doesn't close all the way. When I open it, the rear unlatches first and the whole door pops toward the rear of the car a bit. I'm pretty certain at some point the previous owner drove into the garage with the door open and hit the side of the door frame causing the door to be torqued out of shape. Sadly the only way to fix it in my case would be to replace the door... $1000 for the door and approximately $1000 in labor to replace it means I'll have to live with it.

Of course - your situation may not be the same. Just relaying some possibilities.

[alexwolf1216]

Already oiled them and no change.
I notice when I slowly open the handle, the back pops up first.
Also, the passenger door latches sound "looser" when opening and closing; the driver side sounds "cleaner"

I have messed with the strikers before for an hour or so but ended up putting it back to where it is now.

I suppose I'll give it another try.

Dumb question, but how do you oil them and what with?