Ford Transit 250 stuck door latch repair (sliding door)

My ford transit vans door hardware always break. My guys are a bunch of barbarians when they shut the doors and always slam them. I am constantly repairing these doors and thought I would make some videos to show these guys when they are on the road complaining their door won’t shut. I think this is easy enough and quick enough for a road repair with the tools we use for our refrigeration.
This was a simple transit door latch that got stuck. There are also adjustments you can do to the door that help with alignment, but that was all okay, today I just needed to free up that latch.

[@branberto]

Hey man this video help me so much you took that door apart and get all that work to figure it out, you saved me driving the kids to school this morning I was able to just fix it with a couple of metal stakes push up the release tab and then rotate the latch forward all your work made it a two minute fix for me. Thank you so much

[@subzerorepair]

Right on brother

[@SL_BA]

Thank you so much! We have a road trip planned this weekend, and the sliding door would unlatch but not slide open. I thought this was going to be a time consuming parts changeout...but it ended up being the gummed up latch and striker. We explore a lot of dirt and muddy, sandy roads. I could see the problem as soon as I looked. I cleaned and lubed it up...boom! It is fixed. I will take the lube with us...just in case though 😀

[@ThePlowGuys]

Ford always has a problem with latches and leaking rear doors. To quiet the latch they put some plastic coating on the latch lock that was stuck closed in this video on my van (this may be different than yours). These latches are prone to getting dirty and with the added lubricant makes them a magnet to dirt. My latch just won't stay locked once closed. I had to pull mine and clean it with brake cleaner re lube it and put it back in. There is just too much going on in these mechanisms.

[@samwood579]

Figured out that black turn button had snapped off thanks to your video. Slotted screw driver into the hole, turned it, did the trick.

[@secureb00t39]

Just had this problem. You do need to take anything apart to fix it. Just have someone pull the door handle back while you put the latch back into place

[@subzerorepair]

Thanks bud!

[@mightymcknight]

I just had a customer come in with basically the same problem. The plastic that they wrap the latch fingers in wore off and was balled up preventing the latch from staying closed.
After using a box knife to cut the plastic off of the latch mechanism confirmed repair by proper operation of the sliding door. Replacement parts will be here in a few days.

[@divedancer]

This was super helpful! Thank you!

[@lifehacks545]

Oh my gosh, thank you. If you are performing this task by yourself, put a something hard like a rock in a thick plastic bag (so won’t scratch paint job) so that the door handle is ///completely/// extended out. Cut the messed up plastic off the U hinge that’s gunking up the latch and take a flat head screwdriver and pop it back into place. Blaster might help, lol. If you do be sure to wear gloves and put something down, so it doesn’t gotta get into the ground.

[@lifehacks545]

Or WD40. Thank you so much again

[@lifehacks545]

Again, to reiterate, the latch won’t move until the handle is all the way out. Like 100% not 99% trust me I know from trying lol good luck. I’m sure it’s going to work out perfectly for you too!

[@timrowell6563]

I’d love to see how you got that latch out of the door.
There’s only a couple inches of space between the body of the vehicle and the door.

[@MFCRR]

You need to do it from the inside. Just done it few hours ago

[@spike555]

You don't need to remove the latch to flip it back, all you need to do is pull on the door handle, then flip the latch down.

[@redhongkong]

if i dont slam the sliding door, the rear end of it always latch halfway and leave a small gap. i checked and striker were hitting bottom guide metal of the latch, lifted the door, still doing the same shit. i wonder what else i can adjust to make the rear half lock without slamming the door like loadng a tank shell.

[@subzerorepair]

Yah, that definitely sounds like a transit door. I’m not too sure, we always had issues with door alignment due to the hardware, sounds like something that may be causing a misalignment for you. I would check and make sure all the hard ware is in tact

[@redhongkong]

@@subzerorepair oh just an update, i found out if i leave other door open, the sliding door latch like butter, so i believe its just way too airtight.(cargo van with no window at all)
once i start adding skylight and venting fan, it might solve it

[@SL_BA]

@redhongkong, your issue may be fixed, but just in case, we always open one of the front doors, or have a window cracked to close the slider easily. I found that bit of info after we fought with our slider for about a year 😀

[@redhongkong]

@@SL_BA yea after few try, i notice the van is air tight. with front door open, the sliding door shut like butter

[@anadeandrade5368]

Is there a latch release button to at least shut the door

[@chrishenderson8333]

I just bought a new one. It has a lot of extra length out toward the door. Are they adjustable at all?

[@muratdogan8102]

I need help sir for my cargo van

[@cameronnielsen6483]

Or latch isn’t stuck but we have the same issue. Tips?

[@interiorclimatesolutions]

same problem for me. Did you manage to fix it?

[@priscillacoral2559]

This keeps happening to my van it's so freaking annoying