The Sliding Door is Hard to Open or Will Not Open - keywords adjust bind contact latch linkage lock rod side

This PI has been updated to include the 2006 and 2007 model years and revised repair instructions. Please discard PIT3487B.

The following diagnosis might be helpful if the vehicle exhibits the symptom(s) described in this PI.

The sliding door is hard to open, rear latch does not release or the door will not open from the inside handle. The lock rod may not be adjusted correctly, and can make hard contact with a gold colored bracket on the latch assembly. This can make the sliding door hard to open or cause the lock rod to become disconnected from the retaining clip on the latch assembly.

Adjusting the sliding door handle linkage:

1. Open the Sliding door about 1 foot so there is access to the rear latch from the outside of the van.
2. With a pen or pencil, lock the rear latch to the second latch point. This puts the rear latch in the closed position.
3. Get in the van and remove the inside door handle (there is a snap ring to be slid off the handle post) and bezel so there is access to the handle and latch mechanism. At this point a yellow clip should be visible and accessible. Remove the door panel as necessary.
4. With a small screwdriver, open the yellow clip that holds the lock rod coming from the rear latch.
5. Disengage the lock rod from the yellow clip, pull the lock rod forward with only slight tension and engage the lock rod back into the yellow clip. This should have moved the lock rod forward 3 to 4 mm in the yellow clip.
6. Close the yellow clip around the threads on the lock rod.
7. Cycle the door handle to insure the lock rod does not travel so far so as to hit the metal structure of the handle and latch assembly. This may make the lock rod pop out of the yellow clip after many cycles. This will also release the rear latch so the door can be closed.
8. Close the sliding door and reopen it to insure the proper adjustment has been achieved. While unlikely, additional adjustment may be necessary.
9. Replace the bezel and handle and all other parts that were removed earlier. If there is still a binding of the latch on the striker the striker may be moved up or down to relieve the binding. Caution is to be used here. Do not move the striker more than 2 millimeters. If the binding is still present there may be other, more serious changes that have occurred to the door that this process will not be able to overcome.

Please follow this diagnostic or repair process thoroughly and complete each step. If the condition exhibited is resolved without completing every step, the remaining steps do not need to be performed.