Driver's side back door lock wiring...

[MillerR]

I was wondering if anyone could point me to the right location to start troubleshooting this... My driver's side back door lock has stopped operating with any electronics (lock buttons, remote, etc.) Other things to note...

1. Remote lock, sets the alarm and locks all doors except the driver's side back door. With this door being unlocked, if you open it, it doesn't set off the alarm and it doesn't turn on the dome light.
2. Door lock button, sets the alarm

and locks all doors except the driver's side back door. With this door being unlocked, if you open it, it doesn't set off the alarm and it doesn't turn on the dome light.​

3. All doors unlocked, opening the driver's side back door does not turn on the dome light.

This all makes me think it is somewhere in the door, but I'm not sure how the dome light is activated. I haven't found a plunger in the door jamb. I would think there has to be a mechanical switch somewhere. Is the switch inside the door on the latch? How is the dome light activation tied in to the lock mechanism?

Any help and/or expertise would be appreciated. Vehicle details are in my profile.

Thank you,

Trey Miller

 

[brods]

Search for broken door wires, lots of threads

Sorry, I forgot that most of the old threads have lost their pictures so are not as informative. Check the wires coming out of the b pillar going to the door itself. Very common for them to break inside the rubber boot as seen in the picture below.

 

[Bob4x4]

The door ajar switch is integral to the door latch

 

[MillerR]

The door ajar switch is integral to the door latch

Thank you. Is the "Lock" mechanism also part of this, or do you think I should expect to find more than one broken wire? The reason I ask is...

1. The door lock is not functioning electronically.
2. The door ajar circuit doesn't seem to be functioning either (dome light nor alarm are affected when the door is opened).

If they share a circuit, it could be just one wire. If they are separate, then probably at least two wires. The window still operates by either the door itself or the driver's door switches.
Thank you again for your inputs...

Trey

 

[seafish]

You need to check EACH and EVERY wire that us in the black rubber loom that runs between the B pillar and the door.

The harness plug disconnects from the B-pillar and you can peel back the loom in order to inspect the wires.

That being said, you not only have to visually inspect the wires for breaks, but it is also important to palpate them for brittle/inflexible sections that will be where they are repeatedly being bent by the door opening and closing. The insulation may or may not be broken, but if you feel a brittle/hard/stiff section of wire, you need to inspect that wire even more closely. These brittle sections are places that might have already failed or are about to fail and ALSO should be replaced. A few of my wires that looked fine had these brittle sections and when I bent them back and forth a few times they simply broke in two. (Think wire fatigue like when you bend baling wire back and forth)

If your wire soldering skills are good, you can use a fine strand RC wire of the correct AWG and splice in sections using solder and heat shrink to repair the broken and damaged wires.

Dorman also sells replacement door harnesses that use a better quality wire then the oem ones, though Dorman WAS having trouble with the quality of their black rubber loom. They MAY have fixed that problem by now.

 

[Bob4x4]

Thank you. Is the "Lock" mechanism also part of this, or do you think I should expect to find more than one broken wire? The reason I ask is...

1. The door lock is not functioning electronically.
2. The door ajar circuit doesn't seem to be functioning either (dome light nor alarm are affected when the door is opened).

If they share a circuit, it could be just one wire. If they are separate, then probably at least two wires. The window still operates by either the door itself or the driver's door switches.
Thank you again for your inputs...

Trey

Yes the lock is also integral,there are 2 wires for the lock.The door ajar is separate

 

[JRMora]

75% of the wires in my drivers side rear door loom were broken. I had lost the power window function as well as the door speaker. They looked just like the photo shown above. I resoldered and put heat shrink on all of the connections I fixed. I should (and will eventually) buy a new harness but they aren't cheap and I needed to get my window up ASAP due to weather.

 

[DClark]

Both rear door harnesses broke on my '05 right after I bought it in '11. I went to a recycler and bought used OEM for about $12 if my memory serves me right. Both still work.
DClark

 

[Lynx0849]

I just had the rear drivers side door actuator replaced on my 05. While the door was apart, the tech found a couple of wires with insulation cracked like the picture. He fixed em up.

 

[hwebster]

Had the same problem on the '08, broken wires between the door and pillar.. H

 

[Greg_Stein]

Thank you for posting this and everyone responses. Ive had this problem for a while now.

When i was looking in the Genos Garage catalog i found a wiring harness but it says its for 04+, my truck is an 03 will it still work on my truck?