Hello folks,

I have discovered the cause for the clanging coming from the drivers door each time it's closed. The roller mechanism inside the door for the check-strap has broken apart. Does anyone have a spare knocking about? I have been offered one on the facebook page for £15 delivered but money is fast running out now and I still have my brake lines to sort and the steering drag link to replace for the MoT let alone what else I might find (the tailgate has now gone dead as well to add to the list).

Marty might be your man on both counts here, he has quite a number of spares from a couple of dead cars so the door check strap roller may well be something he has. The tailgate pushbutton receives an earth from the drivers door, earth there when the drivers door is unlocked and not when it is locked. The earth comes from a microswitch in the drivers door latch so it might be the microswitch or it might be as simple as the pushbutton itself. The spring inside it rusts and bits of rust (and broken spring) clog it up so it doesn't move as far as it should. IF you can get the tailgate open, it is simple to take the carpet cover off the inside of the lower tailgate and take the pushbutton out. If you can't get it open, then it's a bit more difficult as the flap at the bottom gets in the way but it can still be got out with a bit of bending.

If you've been fiddling about in the driver's door, check you haven't unplugged the door lock switches or the outstation.

I don't have a check strap, no - they were never salvaged from the old vehicles as they didn't seem like they were in hot demand!

Tailgate... if the central locking works as it should, with the key in the drivers door, then chances are it's in the tailgate, or the wire back to the drivers door. If only the drivers door locks/unlocks then it could be the door latch CDL microswitch.

Thanks for the replies, good to know it's an earth path through the drivers door.

I am going to see Marty on friday so will ask him, cheers.

I have checked the connections to the handle and all is correct. I can here the micro-switch making in the push button too.

I am going to be removing the door handle to replace the cam/lever so if there is any way of checking the connections out (i.e. which pins to check for continuity etc...)? Also, do I need to do anything before unplugging the door handle to prevent the BECM or security system having a melt down?

Cheers.