how do you fix a car door that wont close unless slammed?

[Noodlez]

i drive a 1996 toyota corolla. the drivers door will not close unless its slammed and then pushed in even further after its locked. while driving if i go over a bump the door light will come on. aswell as if i rest my knee or left arm on the door. its extremely sensitive. barely any pressure applied and the door light will come on.

my main concern is that sometimes the door will remain open and the door chime/ interior light will come on and drain my battery which has happened several times. is there anyway to disconnect a certain wire or take out a certain fuse that will disable the doorchime and interior light going off when the car thinks the door is ajar?

 

[Shortcake]

Please , don't disconnect anything. The problem is most likely the Door actuator or locking mechanism in the door itself. Have it replaced and ah-ha no more problems.

 

[kevusaborn]

Better yet, there is an adjustment that can be made to the
door latch. It's not much, but it may be enough to fix your problem.
You can always stop by a body shop or your local reputable
mechanic to give you a price on this adjustment. I believe it
requires either a metric allen wrench/socket or a large phillips
screwdriver or hand operated impact socket tool.

I would make that my priortity. In the meantime, there should be
a rubber covered switch that is in the door jam by the hinge when
you open the door. That can temporarily be bypassed.

Hope this helps a bit.

 

[Blaccrider]

This is a funny problem but not too hard all you have to do is replace the door hinges top and bottom then align them both and you shouldn't have any more bump jobs open up on you.if that doesn't work then the body of the car is bent and cannot be adjusted unless by a professional.