Thread: Door lock/closing problem

Yes (not surprisingly).
Check the strike on the door pillar. It has probably shifted inwards a tad. Just get an allan-key and loosen the screws off a bit and nudge the strike back out a bit. You may be able to see a mark showing where it should be positioned.

seconded although it can also be the fasteners holding the acutal locking side of business in the door rattled loose.

Has the plastic ferrule on the door latch pin worn through? This is the white coloured plastic attached to the body part of the lock (the one that rips your trousers when you get out). Try rotating this bit of plastic and see if that improves things.

BTW - there is nothing adjustable in the swinging (door) part of the latch. I found out by taking off the door trim etc but I broke about 4 door clips doing so

while its not adjustable wait till you see the merry hell it plays with shutting the door if its not in tight......

Some interesting background info to this little problem - back when I had the vehicle under warranty (about 2 and a half years ago) I mentioned to the dealer that the driver's door didn't feel like it was latching securely. The mechanics, in their infinite wisdom, adjusted the position of the door strike inwards so closing the door got more and more difficult until I realised what they'd done. I shifted the strike back out to where it was (I could see the line in the paint on the door jamb where it used to be) and everything was fine.

I remember thinking when I re-positioned it that there was nothing really stopping the strike from being knocked inwards by shutting the door hard over time. Once the strike goes just a bit further in, closing the door becomes difficult and you tend to try slamming it harder and harder - this makes the problem even worse.

It's an easy fix, but I can't offer you any bright ideas on how to stop it happening again in the future - there is only so tight you can do up the screws before you risk stripping them or burring the heads. Maybe some super-dooper, all purpose contact adhesive on the backside of the strike?

I just went down to MR and they guy there believes it is the lock. I tried the suggested moving of the strike thing, but it didn't make a difference. MR said its 120 for the lock, and a couple hours labour. Ive been told that British Offroad is usually cheaper?

Originally Posted by solmanic

Some interesting background info to this little problem - back when I had the vehicle under warranty (about 2 and a half years ago) I mentioned to the dealer that the driver's door didn't feel like it was latching securely. The mechanics, in their infinite wisdom, adjusted the position of the door strike inwards so closing the door got more and more difficult until I realised what they'd done. I shifted the strike back out to where it was (I could see the line in the paint on the door jamb where it used to be) and everything was fine.

I remember thinking when I re-positioned it that there was nothing really stopping the strike from being knocked inwards by shutting the door hard over time. Once the strike goes just a bit further in, closing the door becomes difficult and you tend to try slamming it harder and harder - this makes the problem even worse.

It's an easy fix, but I can't offer you any bright ideas on how to stop it happening again in the future - there is only so tight you can do up the screws before you risk stripping them or burring the heads. Maybe some super-dooper, all purpose contact adhesive on the backside of the strike?

I know what you are saying. When I re-adjusted it, it didnt seem like at had moved at all since the last time you did it. So for some reason it does seem to stay put. I would have though they would have put captive nuts on the pillar its self at the exact point the holes need to be, rather than on the backing plate thing, and huge holes etc. Though when have defenders ever been exact?

And the design remains the same...