Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

Tiree · 2013-09-21 20:21:10

This did my head in for weeks!

On the night I bought my 2006 Dispatch - I noticed as soon as I hit the motorway on the way home that I could hear road noise through the seal on the sliding door behind my head.

Closer inspection told me that it wasn't water-tight either so I started to play about with it.

One thing I've come to appreciate about these vans is that almost all the hinges, catches and brackets seems to be adjustable. I reckon there's a certain honesty about building them this way. Things ARE going to wear and shift over time - so when that happens it's nice to have the option to adjust things a little.

Anyway - the sliding doors have a few points that can be adjusted - but for me only one of them did the trick. The locator on the front edge of the door was too far back. Also, the guide that the locator slides into was missing - so the locator was just falling short of the hole and nudging the bodywork - hence the poor fit.

I grabbed a new guide off ebay for a couple of quid and after undoing the torx screws on the locator, sliding it forward about a centimetre, and securing the screws again - I found a perfect fit.

No noise, rain or draught smile

T

PS - this fix applies to the Peugeot Expert and the Fiat Scudo sliding doors too!

jeffSizzler · 2013-09-21 21:44:37

This happened to me too on both doors.

Messing about with a few of the adjustable points fixed it for me. But like you say the locator on the forward facing edge of the doors is the most likely culprit.

It's weird though, were these vans built with ill-fitting sliding doors? Any van I've seen, be it Expert, Dispatch or Scudo, the drivers door and passenger door sit indented from the sliding door in a way that makes it look like they could never have been perfectly aligned. This leaves what is effectively an airbrake on the leading edge of the sliding doors.

Oh well! Glad at least that mine are making a good seal now.

JS

Singularis · 2013-09-24 12:14:51

i have this problem too also on the driver's door

what does the locator and guide look like? is it sort of rectangle?

thanks this is a really annoying problem isn't it!

Tiree · 2013-09-25 13:20:21

Hi Singularis and welcome smile

Here's what they look like:

This is the locator on the front edge of the sliding side door:

You can see from the position of the screws that I've moved the locator forward.

And this is the guide on the bodywork that the locator should go in to. You can see that before I moved the locator - it was completely missing the guide and hitting the bodywork. This is why my sliding door wasn't closing properly:

Hope that helps!

Chris

Moonshyne · 2013-11-06 00:50:04

Tiree thanks for this!

Mine was only a little off but moving the locator forward a couple of mm has got my door sitting lovely big_smile

Thanks again!

Mike

HamishMash · 2013-11-10 18:09:42

Thank you too. Gonna try this on my door. smile

jim157 · 2015-06-10 18:31:03

I'm struggling to get my passenger side door to line up properly. I've replaced the locator and catch on both sides and the drivers side is fine now, I just cant seem to stop the passenger side door from jutting out at the top.

What other adjustments could I try? Or do you think my door is actually bent out of alignment?

Casper · 2015-12-28 16:48:11

jim157 wrote:

I'm struggling to get my passenger side door to line up properly. I've replaced the locator and catch on both sides and the drivers side is fine now, I just cant seem to stop the passenger side door from jutting out at the top.
What other adjustments could I try? Or do you think my door is actually bent out of alignment?

Me to. Both doors have just (Today) had new catch fitted and no mater what way i adjust the locator they still stick out the top to much. Can anyone tell me, that top picture of the door locator. Is that N/S or O/S i am looking at. I am unsure if mine are the right way round. Not to fussed about my O/S door as that will be getting sealed shut.

vaz2121 · 2016-01-02 04:45:36

I would say that looks like O/S door..Short of going out and looking at mine...
They never look fully flush to the "cab" doors they always seem to sit little proud... My friend put a second hand N/S sliding door on his Scudo after it had a biff... PITA getting it to fit tight to the seal IIRC a combination of that striker pin and the catch at rear of door ....
I really should ask him how, I think his doors are tighter fit to the seal than mine at the top.. .... unless he's just bent the door in !... "bush mechanic"

BTW.. when he was looking for a N/S door he was offered one @ DA Autoparts, Dumfries in white with a window, they had several without glass, one of which I think he took, but that was about 3 months ago "Still You never know".... It was lying there for ages he said, I don't know if they couldn't get rid or it was dearer or lettered but he refused it.

Before you seal up your off side door here's what's behind mine

Gas cupboard, water..... access

Casper · 2016-01-02 17:36:42

I was thinking N/S vaz. That looks like ply far left bottom half of picture. If so my strike is the wrong way round. Thanks for the heads up about the door. I fired an e mail off to them.
Yeah i did think storage for the side door. If i dont put a windows in that side i will just cover the whole side in ply and carpet. I would have a few inch behind the door for storing small items but i am almost doing the same with the back. The doors will be covered in a bench seat with back rest. Behind will be tools and jack storage with a few shelf's for the likes of dog food and the likes. I am also connecting the central locking for that and the side.

Tiree · 2016-01-04 18:39:33

Yep that pic of my door locater was the O/S.

And you're right Vaz - the doors NEVER sit completely right - it's a proper design flaw.

Has anyone else noticed that some later vans and E7 taxis have a wee sort of bezel that deflects the air past the built-in "airbrakes"?

Never found any available to buy though ..

vaz2121 · 2016-01-05 01:59:50

Do you think they'll come off easily if you found one in a breakers..
I made a point to see my friend today before work resumes and BTW "HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone" I asked how he adjusted the door on the Scudo and a combination of Striker pin , catch on rear of door he also said some adjustment in the bottom runner mount, didn't get much more than that other than at least an hours worth of door slamming and swearing which helps enormously apparently........He did say that he got the door real tight on the seal but was a ***** to open and being plastic handles, So at finish up has "cab door and slide door" flush to each other (best he could) up to the waist line and the little bit above "cab" door also, which stopped the whistling he was getting...had a look at mine, It's much like that now Ive replaced the little plastic bucket thing that striker pin locates too

Tiree · 2016-01-06 12:42:41

vaz2121 wrote:

Do you think they'll come off easily if you found one in a breakers..

Hmm .. doesn't look much like it does it. Looks like they'll be glued I think and they never seem to pop up on ebay that I've seen .. sad

Casper · 2016-02-10 17:11:31

Sliding door problem. Someone on the Fiat forum said he put washers between the bottom door slider and the door itself (Three bolts) Today i thought i would try this. Put in the washers (One in already. May be standard) I also could adjust the top rail by 2mm pushing in the way. and hold in place when doing up the bolts. Well did it not work. I was up at 75mph before i heard wind behind my head and that was a change in direction and soon went. The Slam on the pillar will need adjusting as the door may not open. Just undo the two nuts and slide in. Dont hit with hammer as your central locking wire connectors may fall off ops

Tiree · 2016-02-14 20:59:37

Hey Casper - this sounds interesting but I'm struggling to visualise what you've actually done.

Adding washers where I'm imagining would push the door further out from the body of the van - not bring it closer in.

No doubt I'm being stupid!

Casper · 2016-02-16 21:09:13

Tiree wrote:

Hey Casper - this sounds interesting but I'm struggling to visualise what you've actually done.
Adding washers where I'm imagining would push the door further out from the body of the van - not bring it closer in.
No doubt I'm being stupid!

I thought "What is this Voodoo you talk off" when the guy was telling me. Its been driving me nuts so decided to give it a bash. Yes it pushed the bottom out a tad but only by how thick your washers are and its not enough to leave a gap letting in water or cause wind noise. Also your door bottom half sits out slightly higher than the top. Anyway, its like the middle mount is a pivot point so push out the bottom and the top comes in. Or another way, the same as pulling out the bottom of an up and over garage door, where does the top go? In big_smile

shuggs · 2016-03-11 20:55:38

Have got this same problem on Scudo I have just bought (old one gave up the ghost), have looked at door and when you are looking at it from outside the 'gap' down the left hand side between door and rear body panel is a few mm more at the top. When driving you can clearly hear wind getting in side door.

Do you think adjustment will - 1 realign door, 2 cure gap problem at top edge?

Casper · 2016-03-11 23:41:12

shuggs wrote:

Do you think adjustment will - 1 realign door, 2 cure gap problem at top edge?

As i say in post 14 i think it was. Undo the three nuts on the bottom mount and put a washer between them and the door. This will push the bottom out slightly but close the top. Closing the top will help keep the rain out. Not ideal but an option. Be warned, doing this make the central locking contact not meet on one of my doors but it was the O/S one so not fussed as i sealed that shut today anyway. You have a strike plate on each door in the middle. You also have adjustment in that. Undo the two bolts and push in. This will help pull the door in but also make opening from the outside more difficult. Another option is stick this seal (link) on the door where it meets the original door seal. Its a soft rubber and crushes well making a seal.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221919311299? … 26_rdc%3D1

Another option is pay the pros to sort it out but dig deep big_smile

OH, Welcome to the forum BTW smile

shuggs · 2016-03-12 21:00:41

So today tried adjusting at top to see if this would solve problem. After 10 mins door is perfect, very slight adjustment at top and had to adjust striker.

Now just got to sort out drivers door as its a bit hard to open from outside.

Love forums like this as always on the look out for tips

Casper · 2016-03-12 21:18:49

If you find yourself pushing on the door to open it i would say again the strike plate. Loosen and pull out slightly.

shuggs · 2016-03-16 20:42:38

Casper wrote:

If you find yourself pushing on the door to open it i would say again the strike plate. Loosen and pull out slightly.

If you mean problem with drivers door - took handle off and where the mechanism (??) goes into black plastic in rear of handle there was something missing, there is like a small metal rod that goes into this but with too much play so covered it with a bit silicon hose that I had and now grandson can open door easily.

GPW · 2020-08-30 18:17:54

hello all. Thanks for the information above.

I have tried it all and the sliding door leading edge is still not flush and the wind noise etc is terrible. Any other suggestion?

Many thanks.

OAT · 2020-08-30 20:37:28

GPW wrote:

Any other suggestion?
.

Hello and welcome ☺

You need wings.

The front edge never fits flush with the front door.even when fitted perfect.

They virtualy admitted this by making wind deflectors for the trailing edge of the front doors. They stick on with double sided tape.

Can sometimes be found on scrap taxis. Mine came from an ex police van.

On this subject, can anyone recommend a solvent to remove that spongy tape residue without damaging the plastic?

Casper · 2020-08-30 23:49:37

OAT wrote:

On this subject, can anyone recommend a solvent to remove that spongy tape residue without damaging the plastic?

WD40 and if not strong enough Zippo lighter petrol

Mixerfistit · 2023-06-15 22:07:15

Hopefully it's not frowned upon to resurrect older threads, but it's not the busiest forum in the world so just wanted to add my thanks for this useful thread and bolster the chances of anyone who comes along in the future with the same problem.
I'd added the locator buckets and adjusted the locators weeks ago but they didn't make much difference and I've had the doors ratchet strapped ever since.
Revisited the doors today and found that the rear latch made ALL the difference in my case.
I moved it inwards as far as it could go and boom the door was tight to the frame. Too tight to open though so backed it off a bit and now I have a perfectly sealed door that I can't even get my fingers in to pull it out.
Never would've thought to adjust that part of the mechanism on my own.

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#1 2013-09-21 20:21:10

Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#2 2013-09-21 21:44:37

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#3 2013-09-24 12:14:51

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#4 2013-09-25 13:20:21

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#5 2013-11-06 00:50:04

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#6 2013-11-10 18:09:42

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#7 2015-06-10 18:31:03

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#8 2015-12-28 16:48:11

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#9 2016-01-02 04:45:36

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#10 2016-01-02 17:36:42

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#11 2016-01-04 18:39:33

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#12 2016-01-05 01:59:50

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#13 2016-01-06 12:42:41

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#14 2016-02-10 17:11:31

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#15 2016-02-14 20:59:37

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#16 2016-02-16 21:09:13

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#17 2016-03-11 20:55:38

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#18 2016-03-11 23:41:12

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#19 2016-03-12 21:00:41

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#20 2016-03-12 21:18:49

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#21 2016-03-16 20:42:38

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#22 2020-08-30 18:17:54

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#23 2020-08-30 20:37:28

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#24 2020-08-30 23:49:37

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

#25 2023-06-15 22:07:15

Re: Citroen Dispatch side sliding door not closing properly

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