5 Reasons Your Door Won’t Close (And How to Fix It)
Car doors serve many purposes. Not only do they keep out noise and the elements, they’re also structural components designed to protect you in the event of an accident.
Doors that don’t close properly can be dangerous. In the event of an accident, the door could swing open, leaving you defenseless.
What Causes Car Doors to Not Close All the Way
1) Sticking Latch
The back of the door has a latch that’s designed to clamp the strike plate in place when the door is closing. If this latch is stuck, the door will open when you try to close it.
How to fix the problem
To repair a stuck door latch, you may be able to gently loosen it with a flat head screwdriver. Pulling on the door handle may also help.
When using this technique, be careful not to use too much force and take care not to damage the surrounding paint.
2) Broken Door Handle
Even if the handle looks fine on the outside, the door handle mechanism inside the door may be broken. Doors have levers that connect both the inside and outside handles to the door lock. If any of these levers are bent or broken, the lock may not work properly.
How to fix the problem
This varies slightly from vehicle to vehicle. The inside door mechanism is usually accessible from under the door panel. Most door panels can be removed with a specialized trim remover. Some door panels are attached with clips and some with screws.
If your door panel uses plastic clips, gently pry the edges of the door panel (starting near the bottom) until the panel begins to lift up. Search online for videos or repair manuals for your specific vehicle.
After removing the door panel, check each handle for proper function. Make sure the levers on both the handles and the door lock are securely fastened. You may need to compare it to a working door on the other side of the vehicle to see what it looks like.
3) Previous Accidents
After an accident, it is common for doors and parts of the body to be bent. A previous accident may have deformed the door, fenders, or even the frame of the vehicle. This can cause components to move out of position when you try to close the door.
How to Fix the Problem
If your car has been in an accident, never force the door shut (unless it is an emergency). This can cause further damage to your body.
Doors and fenders usually need to be adjusted slightly to accommodate differences in manufacturing tolerances. You may be able to loosen door hinges or fender fasteners to get a better fit.
Make sure you have at least one helper with you. Doors are very heavy, even for small vehicles. If adjustments beyond those specified by the manufacturer are required, a frame puller may be required to get the vehicle back on track. This should only be done with the help of a professional and requires special equipment to properly pull the frame. In many cases, if a frame puller is required, the vehicle will be declared a total loss.
4) Frozen Doors
During the winter, you may encounter ice in many parts of the world. Have you ever been walking outside and been greeted by a frozen car? This moisture can also seep into the door, forming a temporary connection between the door sill and the seal.
How to fix the problem: If your door is frozen, it’s best not to force it open. This can loosen or tear the seal around the door, which can cause excessive wind noise and/or cause water leaks.
Spray the area between the door and the body of your car with a de-icing spray. Spraying the door handle may also help. Wait a moment and the door will open easily.
5) Suicide Doors
Some 4-door vehicles, such as the Mazda RX-8 and Chevy Silverado extended cab, have rear doors that open backwards and front doors that open forwards, as normal. To close the front doors on these vehicles, you must close the rear doors.
If either door is not adjusted correctly, it can prevent the door from closing properly. Vehicles with this door configuration are more likely to experience this problem because the two doors must be aligned with each other and with the car’s body panels.
How to fix the problem
Try closing the back door, then the front door. If that doesn’t work, try closing the doors one at a time to see how they align with the body of the car.
Next, inspect the rear door latches and strikers. If any of these latches do not latch properly, the doors may not latch properly until the problem is fixed. Conclusion There are many different reasons why a door may not close properly, but a careful inspection should quickly reveal the cause. Luckily, most doors are easy to fix, and depending on the problem, you might even be able to get it fixed for free.