Chrysler Town and Country: Sliding Door Won't Open Automatically

With some of the later Chrysler Town and Country minivan model years came various frustrating issues such as the sliding door not opening automatically. This is a common fault that has plagued so many users of the vehicle. Our guide will describe the problem, its causes, and fixes!

The problem with your Chrysler Town and Country sliding doors not opening automatically is usually caused by a sliding door actuator failure. This means that the unit failed when it was in the "lock" position. Your doors will end up not budging because of this.

Chrysler Town and Country Automatic Sliding Door Functionality

Chrysler's Town and Country minivan edition (1990 to 2016) is a well-known vehicle that features a sleek seven-passenger seating arrangement. The Town and Country model was first issued in 1941. And the latest one (2016) was succeeded by Chrysler Pacifica.

The most common problems that this Chrysler edition usually has are electrical issues. They include battery draining, stalling when driving, and a malfunctioning TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module). But there are also door issues to consider such as the difficulty in opening the automatic sliding doors.

How the Doors Work

The automatic sliding door basically operates by utilizing a motor to control the movements of the door. The lock actuator secures the door after it's closed and releases it for opening.

Two pulleys aid the workings of the motor. They feature a belt that surrounds them and is operated by the motor. The door goes along the track with the motor but is stopped from going off-track by bumpers.

Pressing the lock button on the remote will trigger a message transmission to the control module. The module will relay the signal to the actuator. The actuator is typically either positioned in-between the lock cylinder or installed into the latch assembly. A malfunction will affect the overall safety of your minivan.

Fixing the Automatic Sliding Door Opening Issue on Your Chrysler Town and Country

Try to reset the fuses before calling your local mechanic. It may take care of the issue. The procedure involves disconnecting the J11 and J3 fuses, then waiting for a few minutes before connecting them back.

You may be lucky to resolve the problem by simply turning the car off and on as a reset trick. Another vehicle reset procedure you can try is called the "magic touch" by DIY repairers. This process resets the BCM (body control module) which controls the doors as described below.

1) Resetting the BCM

• Step 1: Unplug the negative battery wire from the battery.
• Step 2: Let the negative battery wire touch the positive terminal.
• Step 3: Return the negative battery wire to the negative post. This will reboot the electronics and get rid of the glitches. Maybe it can take care of the automatic opening issue.

2) Solution to a Door Not Opening Easily Due to Aggressive Opening

Ensure that passengers know not to open the doors like regular doors because of the automatic sliding feature. This is because someone who isn't familiar with your door's "powered sliding" may aggressively open the passenger side and cause problems.

He or she may pull the latch and throw the door back forcefully. And then, the door-opening hassle begins. The door won't be easy to open anymore. It may try to open when you pull on the latch, but it will reverse and close back up as if something is holding it back.

The only way the door would free up is if you pull on the latch and guide it back a few inches. This issue may resolve itself after using the door several times. Wait for days to be sure.

Check the edge of the bracket that links the track to the door, if the problem doesn't go away. It may be a bit bent from the effect of opening the door forcefully. Take the bracket off and bend it to its proper shape, then return it back to its normal position.

3) Door Lock Actuator Replacement

The actuator is the "motor" that moves the locking mechanism down and up. See how to swap out a bad one below.

• Step 1: Remove the door panel and trim piece

You can use a flat and strong piece of plastic to pry them open. This will expose the area where the actuator is.

• Step 2: Find the Actuator

You'll find it at the rear of the door with many wires connections.

• Step 3: Test for Jamming

Try pressing the lock/unlock button at this point to observe any jamming.

• Step 4: Confirm the Actuator Fault

Use the new actuator to test for an actuator defect if no sound or movement is noticed in step 3. Do this by connecting the wire harness of the old actuator to it. You'll be able to confirm that it's an actuator fault if the new actuator lever shifts forward and backward when you press the lock/unlock button.

• Step 5: Remove the Whole Bracket

This is the difficult part of the procedure. You'd have to remove the whole metal bracket which holds the old actuator, wires, and door latch. All of those wire connections go to the bracket. Get all that out of the way to reach the little screw that holds the old actuator in place.

However, you'd have to go out of the vehicle to remove the three big bolts at the door's end. You'll be able to see and reach the little actuator screw after.

• Step 6: Install the New Actuator

Remove the little screw, uninstall the old actuator, and put in the new unit. the new actuator. Make sure that the metal pin that's usually fitted inside a plastic channel is also put in place. The gold pin on the left should be placed inside the oval track. You'd have to take everything apart again if you forget to return the pin.

• Step 7: Put the Metal Bracket and Door Panel Back in Place

Do a reverse of the screw and bolt removal steps to ensure that the metal bracket and door panel are returned to their original positions.

• Step 8: Test the Effectiveness of the Actuator Swap

The door should be unlocking and locking perfectly. Go to a mechanic or dealership if your warranty was extended for this repair. We've elaborated on the warranty extension in the next section.

Warranty Extension Covering Chrysler Town and Country 2015-2016 Sliding Door Issues

Some Chrysler Town and Country owners have received a warranty extension letter from the manufacturer concerning the sliding door unlocking fault. They're the owners of the 2015-2016 model years, as mentioned earlier.

You may be lucky to be one of them because not all users got the letter. But try to make an application to the company for yours as well. That's if your minivan falls under the covered releases.

The warranty extension letter from FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) is for the "Driver and Passenger Sliding Door Power Lock Actuators". It not only covers owners and lessors of the Chrysler Town and Country 2015-2016 minivans but also those of the Dodge Grand Caravan 2015-2017 vehicles.

You're to take the minivan to your dealership to get free repairs. The letter also allows you to get refunds for past repairs. See the fault conditions of the warranty extension below.

• Clicking or buzzing noise when cycling the sliding door power locks
• Inoperable sliding door power locks
• Stuck sliding doors because of a failed actuator

Note: You can see that the warranty extension doesn't say anything about a latch replacement.

The "Latch" Lie: Avoid Getting Scammed by the Dealership or Mechanic

It's possible to get misled into making unnecessary repairs by your dealer or mechanic. You have to be careful about that deceptive upsell for a car door latch replacement.

Service managers at dealerships have been known to exploit the fact that the warranty extension doesn't cover a latch replacement. You may have to pay about $900 or more for the job.

The lie could be that there's a damaged latch instead of a failing actuator, especially when there's no buzzing noise. They could try to make you pay for a latch swap after putting in the new actuator.

There may not even be the need for changing any part. It might just be one of the fixes described earlier that would solve the problem. Although the wrong diagnosis could be done unintentionally.

Still, who gets to bear the consequences of wasted time and money for repairs That will be you the customer, of course. So you have to make sure that you get service from reputable repairers.

Conclusion

The sliding door issues have resulted in the filing of class action lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in 2021. It was led by a Dodge Grand Caravan owner. The suit covers Dodge Grand Caravan 2013-2020 owners and Chrysler Town & Country 2013-2016 owners. A complaint about faulty door latch systems was included in the filing.