NUMBER: 23-15-00 GROUP: Body DATE: April 21, 2000 This bulletin is supplied as technical information only and is not an authorization for repair. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of DaimlerChrysler Corporation. SUBJECT: Sliding Door Will Not Open And/Or Close/Latch OVERVIEW: This bulletin involves installing revised sliding door rear latch assembly and latch rods and modifying the rear latch opening. MODELS: 1998-2000 (AB) Ram Van/Wagon NOTE: THIS BULLETIN APPLIES TO VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE SLIDING SIDE DOOR (SALES CODE GKF) BUILT BEFORE FEBRUARY 26, 2000 (MDH 0226XX). SYMPTOM/CONDITION: The sliding door will not open and/or will not close/latch. DIAGNOSIS: DOOR WILL NOT OPEN 1. Remove the sliding door trim panel attaching screws. 2. Remove the door pull handle (Figure 1). Form TSB-003 Rev. 1.07 FIGURE 1 1 - CLIP RETAINER 2 - TRIM PANEL 3 - SLIDING CARGO DOOR 4 - NYLON NUT 5 - DOOR PULL HANDLE 6 - SCREW 7 - TRIM PANEL 8 - CLIP RETAINER
23-15-00-2- 3. Using a trim removal tool, carefully pry the trim panel away from the door inner panel. 4. Separate the trim panel from the sliding door. 5. Remove the sliding door inside handle attaching screw (Figure 2). 1 - KNOB 2 - COVER 3 - HANDLE 4 - SCREW 5 - SPACER 6 - NUT FIGURE 2 6. Remove the inside sliding door handle and spacers. 7. Remove the lock knob from the knob latch rod. 8. Remove the latch cover screws from the door panel. 9. Remove the cover from the door panel. 10. Inspect the front latch-to-rear latch control rod. If the rod is positioned as shown in Figure 3, the rear latch has over-traveled and jammed. Use a screwdriver to pry the latch rod rearward to dislodge the latch rod. A dislodged rod can be identified by the rod being free to move fore and aft by grasping the rod with your hand. If the rod is not positioned as shown in Figure 3, this bulletin will not correct a door that will not open complaint. Further diagnosis is required.
-3-23-15-00 1 - LATCH ROD FIGURE 3 11. Remove the rear door latch attaching screws (Figure 4). FIGURE 4 12. With the rear latch loose, push open the rear of the door enough to disconnect the rear latch rods (Figure 5).
23-15-00-4- FIGURE 5 1 - OUTER SLIDING DOOR PANEL 2 - LATCH ROD 3 - INNER SLIDING DOOR PANEL 13. Remove the rear latch. 14. Inspect the rear latch reinforcement on the rear latch opening of the inner door panel for a high trim condition as shown in Figure 6. If the reinforcement sticks up higher than the opening, perform the Repair Procedure. If the rod is not positioned as shown in Figure 3 and/or the latch reinforcement does not stick up higher than the opening, this bulletin will not correct a door that will not open complaint. Further diagnosis is required.
-5-23-15-00 FIGURE 6 1 - REAR LATCH REINFORCEMENT 2 - REAR LATCH OPENING DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE/LATCH 1. Remove the sliding door trim panel attaching screws. 2. Remove the door pull handle (Figure 1). 3. Using a trim removal tool, carefully pry the trim panel away from the door inner panel. 4. Separate the trim panel from the sliding door. 5. Inspect the front latch-to-rear latch control rod to ensure that the rod clips are attached. Perform the Repair Procedure if the rod clips are not attached. 6. Disconnect both front latch-to-rear latch control rods. 7. Remove the rear latch attaching screws. 8. Separate the rear latch from the inner door panel. 9. Inspect the rear latch torsional spring to ensure that it is properly positioned. If the rear latch torsional spring is NOT positioned as shown in Figure 7, perform the Repair Procedure. If the spring is properly positioned and the latch rod clips were attached (Step 5), this bulletin will not correct a door that will not close/latch complaint. Further diagnosis is required.
23-15-00-6- FIGURE 7 1 - REAR LATCH TORSIONAL SPRING 2 - REAR LATCH ASSEMBLY PARTS REQUIRED: 1 55076381AB Rod, Front Latch-To-Rear Latch 1 55346503AB Rod, Front Latch-To-Rear Latch 1 55347099AC Assembly, Rear Latch AR (1) NPN Primer, Brushable REPAIR PROCEDURE: THIS REPAIR IS COMPATIBLE WITH DAIMLERCHRYSLER'S MOBILE SERVICE PROGRAM AND DOES NOT REQUIRE HOISTS OR OTHER FULL SERVICE FACILITY SPECIAL EQUIPMENT. 1. Remove the rear latch assembly (if not already performed). Refer to the 2000 Ram Van/Wagon Service Manual (Publication No. 81-370-0007), page 23-42 Sliding Cargo Door Rear latch Removal. 2. Remove the sliding door inside handle attaching screw (Figure 2) (if not already performed). 3. Remove the inside sliding door handle and spacers (if not already performed). 4. Remove the lock knob from the knob latch rod (if not already performed). 5. Remove the latch cover screws from the door panel (if not already performed). 6. Remove the cover from the door panel (if not already performed). 7. Remove the front latch-to-rear latch control rods from the front latch assembly. 8. Remove the latch rods from the inner door panel. 9. Using a grinder, grind down the rear latch reinforcement trim edge so that the reinforcement is flush with the inner door panel rear latch opening. 10. To prevent corrosion, apply a brushable primer to the exposed bare metal. 11. Connect the latch rods p/n 55076381AB and p/n 55346503AB to the front latch.
-7-23-15-00 12. Position the rear latch p/n 55347099AC near the rear latch opening. 13. Attach the latch rods to the rear latch. 14. Install the latch screws in the door inner panel. Tighten the screws to 11 N m (95 in. lbs). 15. Position the front latch cover onto the inner door panel with the knob latch rod and the outside handle shaft inserted in the cover holes. 16. Install the cover screws in the door panel. 17. Position the inside door handle spacers and the inside handle onto the outside handle shaft. Verify both spacers are installed. 18. Attach the inside handle with the screw. 19. Install lock knob. 20. Position the door trim panel on the door inner panel and press inward around the edge of the panel. 21. Position the door pull handle onto the trim panel with the screw holes aligned. 22. Install the pull handle screws. POLICY: Reimbursable within the provisions of the warranty. TIME ALLOWANCE: Labor Operation No: 23-41-22-90...0.7 Hrs. FAILURE CODE: P8 - New Part