Door Ajar light after swap?

[Broosedamoose]

My truck is a 98 Ranger with a 98 Explorer 5.0L. Because the Explorer was a 4-door the computer thinks the back doors are open. Has anyone ran into this and how do you fix it?

 

[Snoranger]

Did you swap in the Explorer GEM? Thats the only way it would think there are back doors.

 

[Earl43P]

At the GEM connector, Pins 7 and 8 are the door closed ground inputs, connector C221. Pins 1-6 and 16 are not used (helping you to ID that plug)

I suspect the Explorers used the same two pins.

On 4 door Rangers, Pin 7 has 3 possible switches that can provide the ground to turn on the Door Ajar light. The Explorers also monitor the rear hatch, making for 5 possible switches.

Bottom line is that if you are missing the switches it is looking for, the missing switch CANNOT magically provide a ground to turn on the Door Ajar light.

On the Ranger, the wire color for Pin 7 Pass Door Ajar is GY/RD and the rear passenger doors wire is PK/LB. Look at the GEM and find the connector that has GY/RD in Pin 7 and YE/BK in Pin 8.

Cut whichever wire you think is having the ground applied to it by some mysterious ghost connection.

FWIW, the Door Ajar output (to the instrument panel advisory lamp) comes out of that same connector (C221) on Pin 9, the BK/OG wire. Cut it and you will never get a door ajar light. That shouldn't affect Dome light operation.

There is also another Door Ajar output to the RAP Module (for keyless entry). It is on Pin 3 of connector C222, which is the smallest of the 4 plugs. If you don't have a key fob, I guess you can ignore that one, if present.

I really suspect a coincidence and your door switch is stuck. Can't explain your magic grounds! (but I am looking at 2000's Ranger EVTM, not Explorer. 98 could be different).


http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=270081 < Post #106 in that thread confirms that the Explorers use thae door switches to provide a ground, just like the Ranger. So having a switch disconnected (or absent in your case) cannot turn on the door ajar light!

 

[Broosedamoose]

Thanks so much for the info! Now that I know this I will check the door switch. I did not do the swap so there is a lot I don't know about this truck. They may have swapped the Explorer GEM!