How to Adjust the Sliding Door on a 2002 Windstar

The Windstar is a car-based minivan manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. Like most minivans, the 2002 Windstar has large sliding side doors to allow easy access to the passenger area behind the front seats. After a few years of opening and closing, the sliding doors may become out of adjustment. The sliding door of your Windstar can be adjusted so that its outer surface is flush with the surrounding body panels. It can also be adjusted until the gap around the perimeter of the door meets specification.

Instructions

Door Flushness

1

Close the sliding door into its fully latched position.

2

Measure the height difference between the outer surface of the sliding door and the front door with a ruler. Note that there should be 3 mm difference -- plus or minus -- between the panels if your van has manual sliding doors, or minus 1 mm to positive 3 mm if your van has power sliding doors.

3

Open the sliding door and locate the two alignment wedges -- the parts that guide the sliding door into proper alignment as it is being closed -- on the upper and lower part of the door jamb towards the front of the van. Loosen the retaining screws on the wedges with a Torx driver just enough so that the wedges can hold their position after being tapped with a nylon hammer.

4

Loosen the bolt on the lower roller bracket with a wrench, if the lower portion of the door is not flush with the front door. Slide the bottom of the sliding door in or out as much as needed to make the door flush with the front door.

5

Tighten the roller bolt to 9 foot-pounds with a socket and a torque wrench, if the bolt is an M6 bolt that has 6 mm diameter shaft. Alternatively, tighten the bolt to 15 foot-pounds, if the bolt is an M8 bolt with an 8 mm shaft. Note that either one or the other of these bolts will with used on your Windstar.

6

Loosen the retaining nuts on the upper sliding door roller with a wrench. Slide the door in or out at the top until it is flush with the surrounding body panels using the flush specifications. Tighten the bolts with a torque wrench in the same manner.

Door Gap

7

Close the sliding door into its fully latched position. Measure the gap between the sliding door and the roof, rear fender, front door and rocker panel. Note that all measurements should be from 4 mm to 5.6 mm.

8

Open the sliding door. Pry off the plastic access panel from the lower front corner of the door with a flat-head screwdriver.

9

Loosen the retaining bolts on the bracket with a socket and ratchet. Tap the roller bracket with a nylon hammer in the direction needed so that the gaps around the front part of the door are within specification. Tighten the bolts with the torque wrench and push the access panel back into place.

10

Loosen and remove the center nut on the center roller bracket with a socket and ratchet wrench if the gaps around the rear edges of the door are out of specification. Lift the rear of the sliding door off the roller bracket and swing it outward not more than 25 degrees from the side of the van.

11

Loosen the remaining bolts on the center roller bracket. Tap the bracket into the correct position with a nylon hammer in the direction needed to being the gaps to within specification. Tighten the bolts with a torque wrench.

12

Lift the rear of the door upwards and swing it back into the door opening. Lower the door so that the attached roller goes into the roller bracket. Replace and tighten the center bolt with a torque wrench.

13

Tap the alignment wedges on the door pillar into place so that they will line up with the female alignment brackets on the door. Tighten the wedge brackets with a Torx driver.

14

Loosen the retaining bolts on the front and rear door strikers located on the sliding door pillars. Tap the strikers into place so that the striker wires are centered on the striker brackets on the door. Tighten the striker bolts to 18 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.