Door Closed Sensor

[WeekendWonder]

seen lots of posts about door sensors failing and door thinking it's still open. Courtesy lights stay on etc.

I started getting this after changing the door liner to stop water coming through the door panel.

So where is the door sensor causing this?

Thanks.

[Tool Pants]

There must be a micro switch inside the door on the door latch, since there is no pin-type plunger switch like a "normal"car.

Open your door and with a screwdriver close the latch all the way. On my car there is 2 clicks when the latch is closed all the way with a screw driver, and then after about a minute the interior lights go out.

One of the few things I don't have a picture of.....

[1schoir]

There must be a micro switch inside the door on the door latch, since there is no pin-type plunger switch like a "normal"car.

Open your door and with a screwdriver close the latch all the way. On my car there is 2 clicks when the latch is closed all the way with a screw driver, and then after about a minute the interior lights go out.

One of the few things I don't have a picture of.....

Tool Pants:

Here is a good photo of one of the (three ?) microswitches inside the door for your files:

Regards, Maurice.

[WeekendWonder]

Thanks very much for the info and great photo.

That is certainly the elusive 3rd one!

[1schoir]

Thanks very much for the info and great photo.

That is certainly the elusive 3rd one!

Just to clarify...

The microswitch in the photo is the one behind the outer door handle. You can see the small black part (just above the microswitch metal lever) that acts on the microswitch. As the handle is pulled up from the outside, that small black part "rotates" and presses on the switch. That is what causes the 1/2 inch drop of the window when you initially pull on the outer door handle.

There is another similar switch (not shown in the photo) which is mounted on the backside of the door panel and which has a similar effect on the window when the inner door handle is pulled.

To locate the remaining switch, follow along the (green in my '97) plastic cable which you see sort of bent over at the left center of the photo. That cable, which is covered by a black fluted rubber cover as it goes forward to where it is connected to the inner door handle, is the cable that acts on the latch which is on the (rearmost) side of the door to unlock the door. You can see where it leads to sort of vertical (slanted) cylinder with wires coming out of the bottom. The remaining switch is in that location, and that is the one that is tripped by either closing/opening the door, or by closing the latch (2 clicks) as Tool Pants suggested above.

Regards, Maurice.

[Hobbes]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum, but have already read a wealth of knowledge to help answer some issues I am having with my 2000 996 Cab. I've been reading the articles about the door microswitches failing and it sounds like I am having a similar problem, but I want to ask the experts to confirm this.

1. Passenger door window does not close all the way up when the door is shut.

2. Interior lights stay on.

3. Using my remote key, 'locking' the car, causes the passenger window to close and interior lights turn off.

4. Being locked inside the car and waiting to exit, opening the door from the iside causes the window to go down as it is designed to do.

With these symptons, does it sound like 1 of the 3 microswitches is failing?

Perhaps a related issue: The interior door lock switch does not work when pushed. When I lock my vehicle with the remote, doors lock, all windows close and door lock light switch is on. When I push the switch to unlock the car from the inside, all doors unlock and interior lights come on. When I push the switch again, doors do not lock and interior lights stay on.

I appreciate any feedback/help with this.

Thanks,

Ken

[RFM]

You need a PIWIS tester or similar diagnose tool to receive the fault codes. There are to many possibilities without the codes.

[Loren]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum, but have already read a wealth of knowledge to help answer some issues I am having with my 2000 996 Cab. I've been reading the articles about the door microswitches failing and it sounds like I am having a similar problem, but I want to ask the experts to confirm this.

1. Passenger door window does not close all the way up when the door is shut.

2. Interior lights stay on.

3. Using my remote key, 'locking' the car, causes the passenger window to close and interior lights turn off.

4. Being locked inside the car and waiting to exit, opening the door from the iside causes the window to go down as it is designed to do.

With these symptons, does it sound like 1 of the 3 microswitches is failing?

Perhaps a related issue: The interior door lock switch does not work when pushed. When I lock my vehicle with the remote, doors lock, all windows close and door lock light switch is on. When I push the switch to unlock the car from the inside, all doors unlock and interior lights come on. When I push the switch again, doors do not lock and interior lights stay on.

I appreciate any feedback/help with this.

Thanks,

Ken

Where are you located?

Perhaps there is a board member near you with a PST2 or PIWIS tester.

[Hobbes]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum, but have already read a wealth of knowledge to help answer some issues I am having with my 2000 996 Cab. I've been reading the articles about the door microswitches failing and it sounds like I am having a similar problem, but I want to ask the experts to confirm this.

1. Passenger door window does not close all the way up when the door is shut.

2. Interior lights stay on.

3. Using my remote key, 'locking' the car, causes the passenger window to close and interior lights turn off.

4. Being locked inside the car and waiting to exit, opening the door from the iside causes the window to go down as it is designed to do.

With these symptons, does it sound like 1 of the 3 microswitches is failing?

Perhaps a related issue: The interior door lock switch does not work when pushed. When I lock my vehicle with the remote, doors lock, all windows close and door lock light switch is on. When I push the switch to unlock the car from the inside, all doors unlock and interior lights come on. When I push the switch again, doors do not lock and interior lights stay on.

I appreciate any feedback/help with this.

Thanks,

Ken

Where are you located?

Perhaps there is a board member near you with a PST2 or PIWIS tester.

I am located in Las Cruces, NM, about 50 miles north of El Paso, TX.

[Hobbes]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum, but have already read a wealth of knowledge to help answer some issues I am having with my 2000 996 Cab. I've been reading the articles about the door microswitches failing and it sounds like I am having a similar problem, but I want to ask the experts to confirm this.

1. Passenger door window does not close all the way up when the door is shut.

2. Interior lights stay on.

3. Using my remote key, 'locking' the car, causes the passenger window to close and interior lights turn off.

4. Being locked inside the car and waiting to exit, opening the door from the iside causes the window to go down as it is designed to do.

With these symptons, does it sound like 1 of the 3 microswitches is failing?

Perhaps a related issue: The interior door lock switch does not work when pushed. When I lock my vehicle with the remote, doors lock, all windows close and door lock light switch is on. When I push the switch to unlock the car from the inside, all doors unlock and interior lights come on. When I push the switch again, doors do not lock and interior lights stay on.

I appreciate any feedback/help with this.

Thanks,

Ken

Where are you located?

Perhaps there is a board member near you with a PST2 or PIWIS tester.

I am located in Las Cruces, NM, about 50 miles north of El Paso, TX.

I was able to fix this myself. Apparently, the previous owner had removed the passenger door panel and the microswitch was not 'snapped' into place when he put it all back together. This caused the entire microswitch to push away as I opened the door. Since it wasn't snapped, there was nothing pushing the tiny switch itself. I snapped it back into lace and viola. Everything worked again. My interior door lock switch works. My passenger window closes all the way when I shut the door. Lastly, my interior lights go out after 30 seconds and/or when I start the car.

Ken

[1schoir]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum, but have already read a wealth of knowledge to help answer some issues I am having with my 2000 996 Cab. I've been reading the articles about the door microswitches failing and it sounds like I am having a similar problem, but I want to ask the experts to confirm this.

1. Passenger door window does not close all the way up when the door is shut.

2. Interior lights stay on.

3. Using my remote key, 'locking' the car, causes the passenger window to close and interior lights turn off.

4. Being locked inside the car and waiting to exit, opening the door from the iside causes the window to go down as it is designed to do.

With these symptons, does it sound like 1 of the 3 microswitches is failing?

Perhaps a related issue: The interior door lock switch does not work when pushed. When I lock my vehicle with the remote, doors lock, all windows close and door lock light switch is on. When I push the switch to unlock the car from the inside, all doors unlock and interior lights come on. When I push the switch again, doors do not lock and interior lights stay on.

I appreciate any feedback/help with this.

Thanks,

Ken

Where are you located?

Perhaps there is a board member near you with a PST2 or PIWIS tester.

I am located in Las Cruces, NM, about 50 miles north of El Paso, TX.

I was able to fix this myself. Apparently, the previous owner had removed the passenger door panel and the microswitch was not 'snapped' into place when he put it all back together. This caused the entire microswitch to push away as I opened the door. Since it wasn't snapped, there was nothing pushing the tiny switch itself. I snapped it back into lace and viola. Everything worked again. My interior door lock switch works. My passenger window closes all the way when I shut the door. Lastly, my interior lights go out after 30 seconds and/or when I start the car.

Ken

Ken:

Thanks for taking the time to post the fix. For future reference, which one of the microswitches was not "snapped" into place?

Regards, Maurice.

[Hobbes]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum, but have already read a wealth of knowledge to help answer some issues I am having with my 2000 996 Cab. I've been reading the articles about the door microswitches failing and it sounds like I am having a similar problem, but I want to ask the experts to confirm this.

1. Passenger door window does not close all the way up when the door is shut.

2. Interior lights stay on.

3. Using my remote key, 'locking' the car, causes the passenger window to close and interior lights turn off.

4. Being locked inside the car and waiting to exit, opening the door from the iside causes the window to go down as it is designed to do.

With these symptons, does it sound like 1 of the 3 microswitches is failing?

Perhaps a related issue: The interior door lock switch does not work when pushed. When I lock my vehicle with the remote, doors lock, all windows close and door lock light switch is on. When I push the switch to unlock the car from the inside, all doors unlock and interior lights come on. When I push the switch again, doors do not lock and interior lights stay on.

I appreciate any feedback/help with this.

Thanks,

Ken

Where are you located?

Perhaps there is a board member near you with a PST2 or PIWIS tester.

I am located in Las Cruces, NM, about 50 miles north of El Paso, TX.

I was able to fix this myself. Apparently, the previous owner had removed the passenger door panel and the microswitch was not 'snapped' into place when he put it all back together. This caused the entire microswitch to push away as I opened the door. Since it wasn't snapped, there was nothing pushing the tiny switch itself. I snapped it back into place and viola. Everything worked again. My interior door lock switch works. My passenger window closes all the way when I shut the door. Lastly, my interior lights go out after 30 seconds and/or when I start the car.

Ken

Ken:

Thanks for taking the time to post the fix. For future reference, which one of the microswitches was not "snapped" into place?

Regards, Maurice.

Maurice,

Sorry about that. I did not take any pictures of the switch or work (learning point for next time). However, this switch is the one just behind the interior door handle. As I pulled the panel off, the switch was connected right behind the door handle. In lieu of my crude explanation, I'll take some pictures and get them posted here.

Regards,

Ken

[Hobbes]

Ken:

Thanks for taking the time to post the fix. For future reference, which one of the microswitches was not "snapped" into place?

Regards, Maurice.

Maurice,

Sorry about that. I did not take any pictures of the switch or work (learning point for next time). However, this switch is the one just behind the interior door handle. As I pulled the panel off, the switch was connected right behind the door handle. In lieu of my crude explanation, I'll take some pictures and get them posted here.

Regards,

Ken

I got a picture that might help identify the switch

[1schoir]

Ken:

Thanks for taking the time to post the fix. For future reference, which one of the microswitches was not "snapped" into place?

Regards, Maurice.

Maurice,

Sorry about that. I did not take any pictures of the switch or work (learning point for next time). However, this switch is the one just behind the interior door handle. As I pulled the panel off, the switch was connected right behind the door handle. In lieu of my crude explanation, I'll take some pictures and get them posted here.

Regards,

Ken

I got a picture that might help identify the switch

Ken:

Great work in posting the photo and the diagram.

You can rest assured that someone else will come along here with the same puzzling symptoms that you had, except that now you have helped to unravel the mystery and solved the puzzle.

Regards, Maurice.

[WeekendWonder]

I had a similar but intermittent problem some time ago.

It is VERY easy to trap the cable which connects to that microswitch between the door card and the door in proximity of the hex bolts.

If the shielding is broken and the 2 wires make contact it is the equivalent of holding the internal door lever open all the time (hence triggering the microswitch). The car thinks the door is being opened and keeps the courtesy lights on, won't allow locking/arming of alarm etc....of course the small areas of contact between the wires and general movemement in that area made the problem intermittent and even harder to trace!

[R1STCARRERA]

Folks,

I noticed today, that my drivers side window on my 02 Cab now moves up and down intermittenly while driving (about half an inch-like when opening and closing the door. The interior lights come on as well. It seems to happpen most while making even a slight right hand turn. In fact if heading down a straight stretch of road, I can turn my wheel slightly to the right and the window will start moving up and down erratically. From this thread, it appears there are three microswitches that can effect the window movement. Anyone care to guess which one could be failing here? It seems like a loose connection as it only seems to happen when the body weight of the car is to the drivers side. The door is not rattleing or moving at all to suggest it could be a problem with the door lock.

Any thoughts? I would like to see if I could fix myeslf before handing the dealer my wallet.

Thanks in advance,

JS

[RFM]

R1STCARRERA

If your car is equipped with memory seats, take a look on the wiring under the driver seat, it can happen that one of the wires have contact with the car body with this strange effect as result. If it looks OK, you will need a diagnostic tool to detect fault codes, the safest and quickest way to find out.