Door Adjustment

[3kushn]

Yesterday I had my first experience with my dealers Service Dept, which unsurprisingly was less than enjoyable. RE: Required 5K service.

One of the things on my list was adjusting my driver door. For me I have to slam (slight exaggeration) this door to ensure it closes.

The Service Dept tells me they couldn't detect any difference with this door compared to the others.

Soooo I'm wondering if there's any tutorial on adjusting doors.

Obviously the adjustment would be minor but I haven't a clue where to start. I'm pretty green on body stuff.

One clue on what the problem is: When I gently pull the handle to open it, there's a more abrupt Pop when it opens. When I gently swing the door under its own weight, it doesn't fully close.


Can Part# 69410 be moved around a bit?

 

[fkheath]

Carefully inspect where the striker plate (#69410) enters the slot in the latch. It should be in the center of the slot. If not, it can usually be adjusted by just loosing the mounting screws.

If the striker plate is centered in the slot and you still have problems, lubricate the latch mechanism with WD-40.

If the striker plate cannot be centered in the slot, then you will have to have the door hinges adjusted.

 

[3kushn]

Carefully inspect where the striker plate (#69410) enters the slot in the latch. It should be in the center of the slot. If not, it can usually be adjusted by just loosing the mounting screws.

It's really cold right now so I'm going to wait for another day.

So lets say this is the problem. Is the adjustment basically trial and error, or would I loosen the bolts then softly push the door closed to sort of self align.

I'm thinking loose that 69410 can move but still stays in place if not touched. Barely snug.

 

[flyrv9]

Another thing you can check is the gap around the top and sides of the door when closed. Compare it to its mate on the other side if it operates properly. Either the door is off or the latch assy is off. I think adjustment will be trial and error.

 

[fkheath]

It's really cold right now so I'm going to wait for another day.

So lets say this is the problem. Is the adjustment basically trial and error, or would I loosen the bolts then softly push the door closed to sort of self align.

I'm thinking loose that 69410 can move but still stays in place if not touched. Barely snug.

According to the Toyota OEM repair manual, page 5446: (TOYOTA 2016-2019 4Runner Repair Manual RM27F0U)

(e) Using a T40 "TORX" socket wrench, slightly loosen the striker mounting
screws.
(f) Using a brass bar and hammer, hit the striker to adjust its position.
(g) Using a T40 "TORX" socket wrench, tighten the striker mounting screws after the adjustment.
Torque:
23 N·m {235 kgf·cm, 17 ft·lbf}

Previous pages in this repair manual describe how to adjust the door hinges.

 

[fkheath]

Another thing you can check is the gap around the top and sides of the door when closed. Compare it to its mate on the other side if it operates properly. Either the door is off or the latch assy is off. I think adjustment will be trial and error.

Yes. Page 5445 of the factory repair manual shows how to adjust the doors so you have even gap all around. There are pictures in the repair manual that show how much gap you should have.

Due to the weight of the door, you should have the dealer do any adjustment of the hinges, if needed.

 

[fkheath]

One more thing to look for: the outer panel of the front and rear doors should be at the same level. If the front door is recessed too far in, the seals around the door would be compressed more than they should be. Then the striker plate would need to be adjusted outward.

 

[3kushn]

According to the Toyota OEM repair manual, page 5446: (TOYOTA 2016-2019 4Runner Repair Manual RM27F0U)

(e) Using a T40 "TORX" socket wrench, slightly loosen the striker mounting
screws.
(f) Using a brass bar and hammer, hit the striker to adjust its position.
(g) Using a T40 "TORX" socket wrench, tighten the striker mounting screws after the adjustment.
Torque:
23 N·m {235 kgf·cm, 17 ft·lbf}

Previous pages in this repair manual describe how to adjust the door hinges.

Maybe there's no way to download the Manual?
Maybe I'm too stupid?

Can't get it done.

Would really like to have this.....

 

[fkheath]

Maybe there's no way to download the Manual?
Maybe I'm too stupid?

Can't get it done.

Would really like to have this.....

It can be a challenge to download that manual. You have to follow the instructions exactly. Be especially careful of the upper/lower case (they are all case sensitive) and the difference between the number zero "0" and the letter oh "O". if you have everything exactly right, it will download.

It is a HUGE manual, over 8000 pages! You can see why manufactures don't print paper manuals anymore.

 

[4runninDrew]

While I am no body expert. I've definitely tweaked some door strikers before, and usually get the desired results. It's not a difficult thing to do.
You'll need to crack the two torx bolts loose. Not so much that you can move the striker by hand, just a couple turns or so on each bolt.
Then I usually use a dead blow mallet to knock the striker the direction I need it to go, you could also use a regular hammer and a block of wood. Don't be afraid to give it a good whack, but at the same time, don't go pounding it with a sledge.
In your case, if your door seems too tight to close, you'll want to bring the striker towards the outside of the vehicle. Try the door after you've moved it a bit, then just keep going more or back the other way until it feels right.
The last thing you want to do before you tighten it back up, is to check that the striker is level with the latch. Grab your door, and close it while holding the handle out so the latch can't engage, and just rock the door back and forth right near the closed position to make sure that the striker hasn't become out of line with the levelness of the latch. If that needs tweaking, just do as you did before to make adjustments, and just knock the striker up or down as required. I wouldn't mess with the hinges at all, or you could be opening a whole can of worms there.

 

[indevo]

Short answer yes. I’m obsessed with the doors closing cleanly and have adjusted the strikers on all of my last 4 Toyota’s. The Tacoma’s were the worst of the bunch. Word of advice, use a 8 in or so 2x4 to rest on the striker plate, loosen the torx about 1-1.5 turns, one or two decent smacks in the direction you want to go (usually down to close smoother, or in if door sticks out a little). In my early trials the mallet slid off the striker and hit the inside jam denting it(someone has a ‘16 Tacoma with small dent). The wood block gives more surface area to connect, just don’t rest it on the paint, even then, nothing a little buffing won’t take out. In the chance you drive the striker inside too much, put a thick screwdriver in the middle of the catch vertical and pull, the inside metal securing the bolts will give. There is a lot more forgiveness here than most think.

 

[indevo]

Also, do it little by little. Hit the striker in the intended direction, then tighten down the torx enough so you can close the door, if good, tighten down to spec, or adjust if needed. The only thing I haven’t been able to avoid is a little scuffing under the plate, it’s not bad and not visible. If worried about rust, just hit with touch up paint. It’s super easy, you can do this, and better than the dealer, or body shop, at least that’s what I’ve learned in my situation. I can also guarantee you this, once you finish the one door, you will do the rest. No more slamming, just a nice light flip and thunk, solid clean close.

 

[3kushn]

Just want to thank everyone for their input. Everything said make perfect sense.

Then there's this:
4RunninDrew warns against messing with hinges, cause it'll open a can of worms.
Then indevo fine tunes his instruction, then says, after I fix this problem, he guarantees I'll find 3 more problems. Isn't that another worm can? LOL
Speaking of that, I've had the hatch not close a few times too. So there's a 4th problem I'll create from fixing one.

BTW, another member sent me the manual via Dropbox. All set there too

Now all I gotta do is wait for temps to move off Zero.

 

[LandCruiser]

Do NOT spray anything into the actuator mechanism. There is a cheap $.50 radio control car motor in there that will respond negatively to anything being put in there and then crap out and then you’ll be digging around in the door panel to replace either the motor or the actuator at great cost of time and effort.

 

[3kushn]

Do NOT spray anything into the actuator mechanism. There is a cheap $.50 radio control car motor in there that will respond negatively to anything being put in there and then crap out and then you’ll be digging around in the door panel to replace either the motor or the actuator at great cost of time and effort.

Sounds like the voice of experience.

I have no plan to have any aerosols nearby for this adjustment.

Torx Bit, Ratchet, Soft Face Hammer, and patience is all.
All those things are off the shelf items.
Somewhere in my garage.

 

[pveezy]

Old thread but now did this ever work out for you?

I have a brand new 2022 and have the exact same issue… driver door doesn’t seem to close as well as the others. If I give it a minor push to close it almost always does the half latch where it’s closed but not flush. If I swing it harder it usually latches fine.

All other doors close fine with light swing. It’s just the driver door that needs extra force (not a crazy amount but enough that I noticed this within like a day of owning the car and had to re-close the door half a dozen times before learning to swing it harder).

I’m trying to decide if I should leave it as is and just learn to swing the door harder, try to fix it myself and potentially mess something up (wouldn’t be the first time I took a minor thing and made it a major thing by trying to fix myself), or bring it to the dealer and waste half a day to get a “could not replicate” or even worse have them “fix” it but mess something else up like door alignment (which currently looks fine).

 

[Bmnorm2]

i find all the doors on my '21 Nightshade take more force to shut then I am accustomed to. It doesn't seem like the doors are offset or striking anywhere they shouldn't (unlike my '93 D250 Cummins).

I have faith in a Japanese built Toyota being built to spec and have no intentions of messing with the striker or hinges. The increased close force could be by design and simply the result of a well sealed joint.

 

[caw4runner]

Driver door pops when opening

Sounds like I had the same issue on my 22 as well. Guess they need to pull the cord on their fancy line procedures and fix the driver door specs.

I moved my plate ever so slightly towards the outside of the car, the hard close is gone, pop is gone when opening. So it was just in too far.

Drivers door now sounds the same as my other 3 doors.

 

[flyrv9]

If you have a new 2022 vehicle with door issues, make the dealer fix it - it's a safety issue at the least. Less than helpful dealers get that way because it means less work for them - and in many cases they get away with it.