Tired Of Stupid Door Not Closing!

[RBBailey]

Pops open when driving. Does not close all the way, but will close all the way if the strike latch is far enough back, but only if you SLAM it shut. And usually will latch, then bounce back to the safety catch.

I've spent way too much time on this. And every time I think I get it figured out it reverts a few shuts later.

 

[globallandrovers]

What car? can what have you adjusted so far?

 

[RBBailey]

110. Drivers door. I've adjusted all that I can think of. And it is new hardware on the B-pillar. Good hinges, newly installed.

 

[AdamSanta85]

FWIW my passenger door drives me nuts too. I spent a few hours messing with it, new striker, added shims, removed the foam insert from the weatherstripping (this helped), greased latch, adjusted hinges. I can get it to close nearly every time but passengers forget about it.

Drivers door closes no problem.

 

[geatlander]

Check to see if the door top edge is hitting the seal before the rest of the door. If so, put your knee in the middle of the door and (carefully) flex the top of the door outward (a little bit). Also, try loosening both hinges and the striker (not too loose). Lift the door, look at the body lines on the door and the tub and get them close. Push the door to a latched position and tighten the hinge screws (a cordless screw gun with the correct bit is your friend here). Let go of the door, and gently unlatch it. Tighten the Striker. The latch glides over the striker, so sometimes just adjusting the striker angle will help too.

 

[RBBailey]

My other doors all close relatively nicely. Just let go, they swing shut nice and easy. They even line up fairly well. But this thing, although it actually does shut flush, won't shut flush if it is asked to latch. The latch itself holds when I test it with a screw-driver, etc.... If I adjust to latch when shut, there is daylight between the new seal and the door at the middle, and more daylight at the top.

 

[globallandrovers]

We recently had a similar problem with a clients car, It helps is there are two of you when setting the door on the bulkhead. I recommend never greasing the latch as grease holds grit and eventually toy door mechanism will stop working, the trick is plenty of penetrating oil. Are the door seals new? often new pattern parts don't fit as well as originals.

you may have to readjust the hinges on the bulkhead.

 

[RBBailey]

If it comes to that, what really is the difference between adjusting hinges on bulkhead, vs. hinges on the door? How do I make sure the door side is lined up properly? If it isn't, no matter how much you adjust on the bulkhead, I would think you will only succeed in creating a bind.

 

[globallandrovers]

we found that by adjusting the hinges on the bulkhead, the door closed far better, it took a few attempts, but we managed to do it, you need an extra person to take the weight of the door, or to loosen and tighten the bolts.

 

[RBBailey]

When I put the door on, I attempted to get it lined up to fit properly, and it seemed to be right for a while, but was never closing all the way. Then I moved the strike plate in a bit to see if I could get it to close tightly (as I know it will do!) but then all hell broke loose and it won't even go back to the way it was before.

 

[Dan kemper]

I had this issue on my 97. Breaking down the door and replacing the entire latch mechanism solved the problem. Have you replaced the actual latch?

 

[RDavisinVA]

Pops open when driving. Does not close all the way, but will close all the way if the strike latch is far enough back, but only if you SLAM it shut. And usually will latch, then bounce back to the safety catch.

I've spent way too much time on this. And every time I think I get it figured out it reverts a few shuts later.

Before you disassemble, spray the latch really good with WD40 a few times.
This will sometimes do the trick.

 

[tjfslaughter]

I used to have issues, and it drove me nuts. Turned out it was the plastic part that the striker clamps around that was damaged.

 

[RBBailey]

I've sort of given up, sort of come to a solution.

After spending more than an hour just adjusting and readjusting and readjusting, I finally got the door to close "better" than it was, but not as good as I know it can close. I just won't latch when I get it tight! I extended the reach of the strike plate by putting more of the white spacers behind it. This seemed to be the final bit of adjusting I needed to do, and it took me only 5 attempts to get it to start closing properly once I done this. So.... I don't think it will leak water, it still sticks out a bit, but it isn't showing daylight. When I get the truck back on the road I'll be able to tell if body flex still pops it open when driving.

 

[Viton]

The inside of the door (steel plating) next to the push down button lock is VERY prone to breaking (total failure) due to having to pull so hard to get the latch to lock from the inside. I've weld both of my doors in that spot & also run a 1/4" angle steel & fastened it to the steel plate in 4 places along the entire length of the door on the inside surface. Fits well under my '97 door cards.

If your D is as air tight as mine, opening the window slightly makes closing the door from the inside, on the 1st try, makes it much easier too.

 

[RBBailey]

Well... I just reinstalled the interior trim and now nothing works right. Went through a lot of trouble to get the trim to fit tight and even, and now the door will only close if it shows daylight through the seals.

When it does latch, even without slamming, there is a SLAP noise from up around the window that actually makes my ears ring. The door closes "better" with window rolled down.

This is the same door that was on there before the bulkhead was replaced. It never closed super tight, but I don't remember having any trouble getting it to fully latch.

 

[AdamSanta85]

I had this issue on my 97. Breaking down the door and replacing the entire latch mechanism solved the problem. Have you replaced the actual latch?

Next parts order I am grabbing one of these. For $30ish dollars for a Bearmach it is worth the gamble.

 

[AdamSanta85]

Well... I just reinstalled the interior trim and now nothing works right. Went through a lot of trouble to get the trim to fit tight and even, and now the door will only close if it shows daylight through the seals.

When it does latch, even without slamming, there is a SLAP noise from up around the window that actually makes my ears ring. The door closes "better" with window rolled down.

This is the same door that was on there before the bulkhead was replaced. It never closed super tight, but I don't remember having any trouble getting it to fully latch.

Did you try removing the rubber inserts from the door seal? Within the door seal at the curvy parts is a piece of rubber tubing stuffed inside. I cut a small hole with a razor blade and was able to yank it out. I think there are two, one of door frame side and one on bulkhead side. This definitely helped me, and might finally do the trick for you.

You can feel where these pieces are with your finger. It feels stiffer in a couple spots. I got this tip off one of the UK forums.

 

[lmwong]

Well... I just reinstalled the interior trim and now nothing works right. Went through a lot of trouble to get the trim to fit tight and even, and now the door will only close if it shows daylight through the seals.

When it does latch, even without slamming, there is a SLAP noise from up around the window that actually makes my ears ring. The door closes "better" with window rolled down.

This is the same door that was on there before the bulkhead was replaced. It never closed super tight, but I don't remember having any trouble getting it to fully latch.

Is your door bent out of shape? You may have to pull the top part in to get it shut without a gap at the top door seal. Roll your window down before you do this.

One of my doors wouldn't stay shut and it ended I being the door latch mechanism was broken (metal latch arm had a piece broken off not holding the door). But I'd be careful buying cheap aftermarket parts. I'd stick with genuine.

 

[globallandrovers]

As I said we recently had the same issue, we replaced the latch mechanism with an after market one and it was still terrible, I bit the bullet and spent ?80 on the Genuine Land Rover one, and now shuts perfectly.