The door ajar switch is a small L-shaped part that you’ll find under the latch assembly inside the door frame. This part helps the car detect its door position by sending signals to the ECU when the latch is locked.
When this component malfunctions, your car’s dashboard will illuminate a warning message or emit a chime to signal the issue. To address this issue, replacing the faulty part is necessary.
In this quick guide, I will walk you through the door ajar switch, covering its definition, operation, symptoms of malfunction, and the replacement procedure.
Table of Contents
What Is a Door Ajar Switch and How Does It Work?
A door ajar switch, also called a door jamb switch, is a little device that you’ll find inside a car’s door frame. Its main job is to figure out if the car door is open or closed, similar to a door-ajar sensor.
Well, the switch figures out whether the latch system is in the locked position or not via the movement of parts. On the other hand, the sensor uses a spring-loaded button to detect the door position.
According to Uchanics, the door-ajar switch is also responsible for controlling the inner dome lights. Some people may notice the issue of the light staying on in their car when this part is not working properly.
Now, let’s talk about how does a door ajar switch work.
A door-ajar switch works by detecting whether the latch assembly is locked or not. As it possibly is below the latch, the switch detects whether the door is locked properly or not.
To put it simply, the door ajar switch is like a button that moves up and down. When the door is shut, a part of the latch presses on the switch, indicating the door is closed.
If it doesn’t receive the signals of latching, the switch doesn’t provide data to ECU, resulting in a communication error. And so, you’ll end up getting the Door Ajar message on the dashboard or chime noise.
Symptoms of Bad Door Ajar Switch!
A bad door-ajar switch can give quite a few signs to tell beforehand. The most common signs of it going dead or problematic are two. These are:
- Warning light on the dashboard.
- The door ajar chime sound.
Even though you lock the door or close it properly, the car won’t get the signals from the switch as it is failing.
And so, your car’s ECU or computer will get no data about the door being locked or closed and show the error message on the instrumental panel with light and chime noise.
How to Replace Door Ajar Switch?
Replacing the door-ajar switch is pretty straightforward but may take no more than an hour. To know the process, here’s the detail:
- To start fixing the door, first, choose whether you want to work on the driver’s side or the passenger’s side. Make sure the window is up. And, use a tool to gently loosen a plastic piece near the mirror.
- Now, disconnect the switches and take off the metal bracket, red interior light, and the screws holding them. Also, lift the door panel and carefully peel off the protective barrier. You can put the barrier aside using tape or a clip.
- After that, remove the door latch gear and the manual door lock lever. Take out different connectors and parts like the inside door lever cable, exterior key lock rod, and exterior door handle rod.
- Once that’s done, unscrew the bolts holding the door latch and remove it from the door. Now, install a door ajar switch in the same place and secure it with bolts.
- Finally, put back all the parts you removed in the reverse order. Start with the door latch, then reconnect the various connectors and parts.
- Then, fix the inside door lever cable, exterior key lock rod, and exterior door handle rod.
- Afterward, put the protective barrier back on, and reattach the metal bracket, red interior light, and screws.
- Next, connect the switches and make sure the window is still up.
- Finish the process by putting the door panel back in place and securing it.
Note: Ensure to check this guide if you want to know in detail about Ford door ajar switch replacement.
Wrap Up
Now that you understand all about the door ajar switch, make sure to do something if it stops working.
You can ask a professional to replace it, but it might be expensive, costing more than $350. I hope this guide is helpful, and I’ll be back soon with more information. Stay tuned!
Now, take a look at this guide to learn how to bypass the door-ajar switch on Ford cars. Begin reading here!
