Driver side door popping open

[Gossomer]

Hi everyone,

Hoping I can get some help or at the very minimum advice. My car is a February 2016 production, 2016 Ecoboost Premium Convertible. I am having an issue with my driver side door unlatching while driving. This generally happens when I’m doing 55 mph or over on highway that isn’t smooth. Rough road or wavy pavement will cause my door to unlatch and open to the safety catch. I know there is a recall and a TSB but my car is out of the range listed. I have had my car to my local dealership and to be kind, it has been a shit show with them. They have had the car four times, can’t replicate the problem and won’t repair it. They even had some technician take it home a few times and my insurance company device recorded that he was driving it in a pretty unsafe manner. The service manager tells me that they were trying to replicate the door issue. I told them it only pops at normal highway driving, not dangerous local but he wasn’t listening. Anyway, it continues to open and they won’t repair under my ESP warranty or recall. Yesterday was the icing on my cake, it happened again, startled me and I curbed by wheel at 65 mph and almost killed myself. When I called the dealership back I was told it won’t be covered under warranty, even though they know about the recalls and issues, but they will replace and repair it for a cost of $771.00 out of my pocket. They want $141.00 for the door actuator and $630.00 for labor (discounted) to install. I know there is a defective part on the car and without any help from the dealer I don’t know what to do. Incidentally, I did call two other local dealers and when they pulled my VIN and ESP information they said they can look but I’d have the $150 diagnostic charge if they couldn’t replicate the problem. Any advice?

Thanks......

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[Cobra Jet]

Here’s what you can do -

Whichever Service Center you go to next, tell the Service Advisor you want the Shop Foreman OR their Senior Tech to go on a drive with you.

Take the Foreman OR the Lead Tech out on the SAME roads at the same speeds and conditions where the issue always seems to present itself.

That’s the only way you’re going to “prove” it to the Service Center that there is an issue.

My guess is this:
They need to adjust the door latch catch that’s on the B-pillar. It’s the silver U-shaped part. The Torx bolts need to be loosened and the part moved so that the door not only catches but won’t release of bumped or jarred. They may also need to adjust the alignment of the door based on the tech in the thread I have posted below.

The actual door latch mechanism (inside the door and can be seen with door open), if that part is not “biting” the catch and remaining closed when the door is closed, then yes that faulty part can cause an issue that allows the door to pop open when it’s bumper or jarred.


————
The door “lock actuator” has nothing to do with the door latch OR the door catch. The lock actuator is as it sounds, it’s a mechanical plunger that when activated locks and unlocks the door. That’s all that part does and it does not have any bearing on the latch or catch. If the actuator fails or is failing, your door may or may not unlock/lock - or it will “flutter” (you’ll hear it) and the lock/unlock mechanism may be spazzing out. On the older cars, the actuator moves the door lock rod and the “pin” that would protrude through the top of the door panel. Since the S550’s have no longer and just am LED, the actuator just moves the rod that is hidden behind the door panel to lock/unlock to door.

———

You should review this thread I had posted a while back, maybe it will help:
Body Panel Alignment: What to watch out for + Tips (with a happy ending)

———

IF you can’t get results with the Service Center, you need to call the Ford 800# and get a Regional CSR to open a Case. Explain everything you have been through with the CSR and tell them it’s creating a safety issue and you need a Service Center to fix the issue.

If your vehicle IS out of the 3/36, but you have an ESP - the problem is alignment of body panels is usually not a warrantable item. However, if the problem exists because of an issue with a part or mechanism that is allowing the door to open, then yes that part or item should be covered under the ESP Plan only IF it’s listed as being a covered part for repair. You really have to read all of the fine print in those plans and know what is NOT covered, not what is covered....

If you damaged your rim because of being frightened while driving, the damage to the rim, tire (or car) would never be covered under any warranty plan.

The other thing you can do is lodge a complaint with the BBB. You can also lodge a complaint on the NHTSA website for a safety concern.

That’s all I have to offer, but hope you can get it resolved.

 

[Gossomer]

Here’s what you can do -

Whichever Service Center you go to next, tell the Service Advisor you want the Shop Foreman OR their Senior Tech to go on a drive with you.

Take the Foreman OR the Lead Tech out on the SAME roads at the same speeds and conditions where the issue always seems to present itself.

That’s the only way you’re going to “prove” it to the Service Center that there is an issue.

My guess is this:
They need to adjust the door latch catch that’s on the B-pillar. It’s the silver U-shaped part. The Torx bolts need to be loosened and the part moved so that the door not only catches but won’t release of bumped or jarred. They may also need to adjust the alignment of the door based on the tech in the thread I have posted below.

The actual door latch mechanism (inside the door and can be seen with door open), if that part is not “biting” the catch and remaining closed when the door is closed, then yes that faulty part can cause an issue that allows the door to pop open when it’s bumper or jarred.


————
The door “lock actuator” has nothing to do with the door latch OR the door catch. The lock actuator is as it sounds, it’s a mechanical plunger that when activated locks and unlocks the door. That’s all that part does and it does not have any bearing on the latch or catch. If the actuator fails or is failing, your door may or may not unlock/lock - or it will “flutter” (you’ll hear it) and the lock/unlock mechanism may be spazzing out. On the older cars, the actuator moves the door lock rod and the “pin” that would protrude through the top of the door panel. Since the S550’s have no longer and just am LED, the actuator just moves the rod that is hidden behind the door panel to lock/unlock to door.

———

You should review this thread I had posted a while back, maybe it will help:
Body Panel Alignment: What to watch out for + Tips (with a happy ending)

———

IF you can’t get results with the Service Center, you need to call the Ford 800# and get a Regional CSR to open a Case. Explain everything you have been through with the CSR and tell them it’s creating a safety issue and you need a Service Center to fix the issue.

If your vehicle IS out of the 3/36, but you have an ESP - the problem is alignment of body panels is usually not a warrantable item. However, if the problem exists because of an issue with a part or mechanism that is allowing the door to open, then yes that part or item should be covered under the ESP Plan only IF it’s listed as being a covered part for repair. You really have to read all of the fine print in those plans and know what is NOT covered, not what is covered....

If you damaged your rim because of being frightened while driving, the damage to the rim, tire (or car) would never be covered under any warranty plan.

The other thing you can do is lodge a complaint with the BBB. You can also lodge a complaint on the NHTSA website for a safety concern.

That’s all I have to offer, but hope you can get it resolved.

Here’s what you can do -

Whichever Service Center you go to next, tell the Service Advisor you want the Shop Foreman OR their Senior Tech to go on a drive with you.

Take the Foreman OR the Lead Tech out on the SAME roads at the same speeds and conditions where the issue always seems to present itself.

That’s the only way you’re going to “prove” it to the Service Center that there is an issue.

My guess is this:
They need to adjust the door latch catch that’s on the B-pillar. It’s the silver U-shaped part. The Torx bolts need to be loosened and the part moved so that the door not only catches but won’t release of bumped or jarred. They may also need to adjust the alignment of the door based on the tech in the thread I have posted below.

The actual door latch mechanism (inside the door and can be seen with door open), if that part is not “biting” the catch and remaining closed when the door is closed, then yes that faulty part can cause an issue that allows the door to pop open when it’s bumper or jarred.


————
The door “lock actuator” has nothing to do with the door latch OR the door catch. The lock actuator is as it sounds, it’s a mechanical plunger that when activated locks and unlocks the door. That’s all that part does and it does not have any bearing on the latch or catch. If the actuator fails or is failing, your door may or may not unlock/lock - or it will “flutter” (you’ll hear it) and the lock/unlock mechanism may be spazzing out. On the older cars, the actuator moves the door lock rod and the “pin” that would protrude through the top of the door panel. Since the S550’s have no longer and just am LED, the actuator just moves the rod that is hidden behind the door panel to lock/unlock to door.

———

You should review this thread I had posted a while back, maybe it will help:
Body Panel Alignment: What to watch out for + Tips (with a happy ending)

———

IF you can’t get results with the Service Center, you need to call the Ford 800# and get a Regional CSR to open a Case. Explain everything you have been through with the CSR and tell them it’s creating a safety issue and you need a Service Center to fix the issue.

If your vehicle IS out of the 3/36, but you have an ESP - the problem is alignment of body panels is usually not a warrantable item. However, if the problem exists because of an issue with a part or mechanism that is allowing the door to open, then yes that part or item should be covered under the ESP Plan only IF it’s listed as being a covered part for repair. You really have to read all of the fine print in those plans and know what is NOT covered, not what is covered....

If you damaged your rim because of being frightened while driving, the damage to the rim, tire (or car) would never be covered under any warranty plan.

The other thing you can do is lodge a complaint with the BBB. You can also lodge a complaint on the NHTSA website for a safety concern.

That’s all I have to offer, but hope you can get it resolved.

Thank you so much for that advice. I don't expect them to cover the wheel but definitely need the door issue corrected. I never thought to think of the catch as a possible issue. Do you think that would be something I could try to adjust? I would think to move it slightly towards the outside of the car so the door can catch better, I assume moving to inside of the jam won't allow for a complete bite on the catch.

Thoughts?

 

[Cobra Jet]

Thank you so much for that advice. I don't expect them to cover the wheel but definitely need the door issue corrected. I never thought to think of the catch as a possible issue. Do you think that would be something I could try to adjust? I would think to move it slightly towards the outside of the car so the door can catch better, I assume moving to inside of the jam won't allow for a complete bite on the catch.

Thoughts?

The catch on the B-pillar can be adjusted by anyone. If you have the correct Torx bit you can try to adjust (by trial and error). It depends on how the door needs to be adjusted for it to catch properly. If you move the catch further outboard, then there could be the possibility of the door not sealing (or window).

It’s a little more involved on a convertible as far as getting door alignments correct because of the fact that there’s adjustments with the top, and the rear 1/4 glass as to how the front door (and it’s glass) come in contact with the top and 1/4 glass seals.

I’m sure you can do it based on the attached doc in the other thread; it just may take some time to get it right.

Also check this thread out where I posted the entire shop guidelines that are specific only to the S550 convertibles, as it retains all info pertaining to alignments, adjustments etc.:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/convertible-top-guide.136434/#post-2806500

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