Help... My door won't close.

[Xcitethephugoid]

I need some help, my driver side door wont shut all the way. I was screwing around with the locking mechanism inside the door because it wouldnt lock. Well long story short I got it to lock, and when I was done playing with it, I go to close the door, and it slams on the frame and comes back to me.

[prerunner1982]

Make sure the latch mechanism on the door is open. It may already be in the shut position.
I have had this happen to me...

[Xcitethephugoid]

Make sure the latch mechanism on the door is open. It may already be in the shut position.
I have had this happen to me...
Yea this is the scary thing it IS in the OPEN position. I was fooling around with the passenger side door and accidentally flipped it to the closed position, I fixed it but I confirmed that the driver side door is worse. I can push the door all the way back to the frame but it doesn't catch the latch.

[4.3LXJ]

Is the door aligned properly. Can you lift up on it and make it close?

[Xcitethephugoid]

Is the door aligned properly. Can you lift up on it and make it close?
Yup, I can push the door all the way to the frame but when I let go it comes back towards me.

[msmoorenburg]

if you monkeyed with the door striker you need to move it back out some

[Xcitethephugoid]

What does the striker look like?

[4.3LXJ]

It is a stud with a cap on the top. Can you manually push the mechanism closed and then reopen it with the handle

[Mudderoy]

What does the striker look like?

http://image.jpmagazine.com/f/techarticles/body/12161382+w200/154_0901_09_z+cherokee_door_upgade+sides.jpg

[msmoorenburg]

this gold guy did ya adjust it

http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m639/sellitx/IMG_20130622_212218_378_zps9ba5bdbd.jpg (http://s1135.photobucket.com/user/sellitx/media/IMG_20130622_212218_378_zps9ba5bdbd.jpg.html)

[Xcitethephugoid]

These Pics should help, I didnt touch the striker at all. As you can see, the latch is in the open position, and I can push the door almost all the way to the frame...

[msmoorenburg]

Make sure the pull rod from the door handle isn't binding and keeping the lock open

[bigmike441]

make sure the spring didnt come lose, try oiling it and moving it from the open to closed and back a few times, pull off the inside panel and make sure the bars from the handle to the lock is there and nothing is broken

[Xcitethephugoid]

I just had to sleep on it. Woke up the next morning and fixed it within minutes of working on it. But my door still has trouble locking. The manual locking switch was stiff so I disconnected the metal rod from it. But the door still wouldnt lock. So I thought that since the metal wire was stuck in between the door frame and the plastic door panel, there wasn't enough room for the disconnected rod to move so the locking mechanism could work. So i removed the metal wire altogether. Tested the lock without the door panel on, worked perfectly. I put the door panel back on and THE LOCK STOPS WORKING. Took the door panel off again, the lock works perfectly. So here is what I did, I put the door panel back on but didnt tighten the screws all the way. Now, it locks with the manual key lock, but if I give the door a shake, the lock disengages, and the door opens. This is my struggle.

[4.3LXJ]

If I am reading right, and no guarantee on that, your panel is pinching the lock rod from the inside rocker?

[Xcitethephugoid]

That can't be it because I took the lock rod completely off.

[4.3LXJ]

OK, then I am befuddled

[bigmike441]

im thinking the panel is putting some kind of pressure on the metal rods, is the panel the same one for that year? or maybe there is a crack in the weld in between the bars where they are not securely together, try shutting the door with the panel on loose, look down the panel while pushing it towards the door looking down between the door and panel and see if there is any part of it hitting the panel or rubbing wrong

[Xcitethephugoid]

Yea I'm thinking the same thing but the panel is stock. Didn't replace it or anything. I'm kinda tired with messing with it, I've already broken 3 of those plastic plugs that snap the panel to the door. And the glue in that holds my arm rest in place has stopped working so I have to hold it in place while driving.