How do minivan sliding doors work?

Joined
Jan 23, 2022
Messages
62
Ok I can rebuild engines, but minivan doors have me stumped.

My 2014 Chrysler door goes back and forth fine, but it doesn't fully close most of the time and you have to manually push it in to get it to latch.

It obviously works with a 2-step sequenced...door closes with one step, then there's a separate step that pulls the door in closed. It's the second step that seems to be the problem.

The thing is, I don't even know how they work...I can't see a gear track, a drive cable or belt, or anything like that anywhere. I think it moves back and forth by magic. And I don't know what to take apart or replace. Has anyone messed with these before?
 
On the Odyssey we had (which had no issues with the sliding doors going on 150k miles*), the track was slightly "L" shaped with the very short "leg" being what closed it. It was one continuous motion too although once it reached that turn, it slowed down its movement. Sounds like Chrysler has a different setup though.

* Only issues we ran into were dirt, french fry wrappers, etc that the kids seemed to drop that somehow fell into the pocket where the roller track is. I just removed that stuff, wiped it clean, and lubricated it with lithium or silicone.
 
That is a great question. A pal bought a leftover 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan 2 Summers ago so I began reading about them.
I never thought I could be jealous of a minivan...even with stupid "keeping up with the Jones'" dashboard electronics.

There were a few built on which the cover of the lower, trailing arm of the door wasn't fastened, causing the door to jam. It looked like a plastic cover which topped a "cable trough" or something related. I inspected it up, down and sideways and found nothing loose. I walked away with no idea how a motor's output becomes door moving joules. Now I gots to know.
 
On the Odyssey, the door is moved via cables that run in the middle track. The rear latch is designed to draw the door closed. It's a complicated and expensive assembly with a micro switch that often fails.

Don't know about Caravans, though.
 
Wish I could help with specifics, but mine has a problem where, on occasion, the motor that pulls the door in keeps on trying to pull it, but can’t get it done and just keeps trying, like a scratched record. I have not dug into it yet as it is so intermittent that it’s hardly worth the effort.

It seems like the motor is in the middle of the rear of the door, making me think the arm that travels on the channel under the rear window is pulled in

How it works when turning power doors off is the other mystery.
 
Wish I could help with specifics, but mine has a problem where, on occasion, the motor that pulls the door in keeps on trying to pull it, but can’t get it done and just keeps trying, like a scratched record. I have not dug into it yet as it is so intermittent that it’s hardly worth the effort.

It seems like the motor is in the middle of the rear of the door, making me think the arm that travels on the channel under the rear window is pulled in

How it works when turning power doors off is the other mystery.

This is exactly what mine does. First it was intermittent, and only seemed to do it when it was really hot outside. Now it does it so often the door basically doesn't work.

There seem to be two motors, one that moves the door and one that cinches it. I searched for the cinch motor and I find some parts but I want to understand how the system works because it seems just as likely that there's just a switch out of adjustment or the door needs mechanically adjusted instead of just replacing the $100+ motor off the bat, plus 3 days of work tearing the door apart, and maybe not even fixing it. I've seen dealer quotes of over $1000 to fix it; it seems like they know what a PITA it is.
 
I'm 90% sure it was just the cinch motor. The motor by itself was about $80, but I bought the latch whole assembly which was $600--which is crazy expensive, but that's that.

Actually replacing the parts is the stuff of nightmares and would have been basically impossible without YouTube. Even with YouTube, it was a good half-day's job.
 
I found my problem, deep in the bowels of the lower track.
 

Attachments

  • 3C56F370-454D-4702-B41A-11B12ACC78B5.jpeg
    3C56F370-454D-4702-B41A-11B12ACC78B5.jpeg
    139.5 KB · Views: 39
Mine developed a break in the wires in that flexible carrier, I think. Never completely figured it out. Chryslers do use a different system than Hondas. I learned the surprised way that if a honda power door loses power and you close it by hand, it won’t latch, at least on gen2 odysseys. Chryslers will still latch, at least on the gen4 T&C. Hondas seemed to develop contact and controller problems, frequently for us. The T&C was more reliable for us.
 
Back
Top