How To: Replace Door Latch Module for Door Ajar Warning

[Liptoss]

Mine in now in for Door Ajar switches under warranty. From all the posts, I don't expect this to last my ride too much longer. When I had my Focus, it also suffered the same thing ailment. Ford is therefore using similar/same modules across lines. Weak design.

On the Focus I simply took the dome lights out. PIA but it was enough to have only a light on the dash illuminated. In the Edge though, it interrupts cell conversations and music via Sync. Grrrr!

To those posting to use WD-40, and those engineers that cut the unit open. What do you think about a good accurately sprayed quality electrical contact cleaner? The contact wasn't carbonized or burnt. Has anyone tried this?

Thanks for the write up. This is more of what we need to be sharing as a community...

Ding-Dong Ding-Dong the Door Ajar Witch is dead!

[Liptoss]

Well the dealership installed new latch assemblies and I'm smiling once again... let's see what ensues within the next while. I won't be trying any solutions on mine for awhile I hope. What else needs to be "repaired" on the vehicle now?

[Runamuck]

I have replaced this module on my 2013 Edge SEL. I now have the problem of the keyless entry pad above the door handle not working. The key fobs operate fine. Just the keypad is completely inoperative. Is there a way to reprogram this? Thanks for any help!

[MoogLe]

I figured it out. It wasn't until I got the panel back on that I thought about taking a pic. Sorry. I got a hint by watching kkrace's video for any springs in the handle assembly. Here's what I found.

 

 

I refused to give Ford any money for this fix so I bought a 3rd party part off of Amazon for $50. It worked in my 2011 just fine even though Amazon says it won't fit. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HRSSSCA/

 

Thanks again for the post.

Hey bud,

 

Thanks for that link. I also bumped into it on amazon but didnt want to risk ordering it and it not fitting.

 

Does your Edge have keyless entry as well? I take it everything still worked just as before?

 

Also, are the latches for the front and rear doors the same? I need to replace both my front and rear driver side latches.

 

Last question, can anybody tell me what the difference is between the 2 part numbers I seem to come across.

 

8T4Z-7821812-A and BT4Z7821813B

 

 

Edit: For anyone looking for answers to the above questions. I figured it out myself.

 

Front and rear parts are not the same.

 

Here are the part numbers I used:

 

DORMAN 937628 {#7T4Z7821813C, 8T4Z7821813A} Front Left

DORMAN 937631 {#7T4Z7826412C, 8T4Z7826412A} Rear Right

DORMAN 937630 {#7T4Z7826413C, 8T4Z7826413A} Rear Left

DORMAN 937629 {#7T4Z7821812B, 8T4Z7821812A} Front Right

 

 

And regarding the differences between the 8T4Z-7821812-A and more expensive BT4Z7821813B parts. The more expensive one is required if your car came with the "smart key" features with remote start and such.

Edited November 18, 2015 by MoogLe

[Gimp]

I purchased the switch at my Ford dealer on Friday. I gave the '8T4Z 7821813 A' part number (drivers door) to the parts guy along with my VIN number to verify it was correct for my vehicle. He found that it had been replaced with '8T4Z 7821813 B' I'd like to think that the'B' version is somewhat product improved but who knows.

 

Although I had checked out my online purchase options for the part I decided it was something I'd rather buy at the dealership to ensure that I got the right item. I'm glad that I did that. I did hand him a copy of the online purchase information which showed a lower price so he did give me a discounted Ford employee price of $109.62. I've done that before with a Honda dealership and they always give me the discount without me even saying anything.

 

I'm about to go out into the garage and proceed with this repair.

 

BTW, I'm currently at just over 85,000 miles with my 2012 and the door ajar sensor only began acting up last month. I'd just had my brake booster replaced so I'm a bit annoyed.

 

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

Okay, it appears that I completed the part change. As noted in one post I read, it's about a 90-minute job if you know what you're doing. It only took me about 4 hours work to gain that level of experience. :-( The problem I had was with the door latch rod. The part has two holes that it could go in, and only one of them is the right one. I chose incorrectly. After studying the part I removed closely, I saw the wear marks and realized what I'd done wrong. I think that I pulled the inner door panel off three or four times before I finally got that right. It is amazing how many cable bundles, push rods and components occupy the insides of a car door. Many curses were uttered into the air of my cold shadowy garage and blood adorns the interior panels as testament to the many close spaces and sharp corners. While in the midst of it I was wishing I'd just paid Ford to do the job, but now I wouldn't hesitate to do it myself with all that hard won experience that I just gained. My thanks to the photos in Post 1, and the video link in post 6 for the advice for giving me the confidence to take it apart. Putting it all back together ended up being the challenge.

Edited December 7, 2015 by Gimp

[Hotrod1967]

12Edge, many thanks for your write up on latch replacement !! I was able to replace the drivers latch in my wife's 12' Edge in about 2-1/2 hours.

The only thing I did different, was use a pair of Craftsman clamps to hold the window up instead of using the tape. I added so foam pieces to the clamp jaws as they were originally hard plastic.

[12Edge]

Good Call HotRod, I actually have a pair of those type of clamps. Guess I will get to try it now that my driver side REAR door is now door adjar'ing ! Ford has a DEFECTIVE part here and the price has gone up since I bought the front one by $50. What a racket :/

 

 

I guess putting my stuff in the back seat on the way to work and opening the door as much as the front door has taken its toll on that switch :/

 

Full Retail do it yourself this is $1000 worth of parts for 4 doors. Come on Ford, Own your mistake. I have a note on a fixya account of 3,897 people helped with my link to this tutorial. If that doesn't indicate a defect/problem I don't know what does :/

Edited January 20, 2016 by 12Edge

[Hotrod1967]

I had put it off on my wife's car for 6 months because I wasn't going to pay $450+ like the dealer quoted. Thankfully I ran across your instructions because the dinger was driving my wife nuts! The cheapest I found mine was for $83 at my local Advance Auto.

It wasn't as bad as I expected, but the inner door panel was the hardest to get off. I now feel I could do it in an 1-1/2 to 2 hrs. I know I spent a little time chasing down the right torx bits and other tools.

Ford definitely has a problem with it, but a service tech told my wife that Ford probably will never touch it sine it wasn't a safety issue.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Hotrod1967

[bradiop]

Is there anyway to diablabe the warning light, I don't need the car to tell me a door is open/Apgar?

[omar302]

This thread has a video for an alternative solution by a member. You can see which wire is responsiblef or the warning light & just cut it or short it to ground, depending on how it works.

[pilotdog68]

This thread has a video for an alternative solution by a member. You can see which wire is responsiblef or the warning light & just cut it or short it to ground, depending on how it works.

I added some notes to that other post. Yes, you can just forget the magnets and ground the wire to disable the door ajar warning.