Front door switches keep breaking

[Towncivilian]

So for about a year, I was driving around with busted front door switches. I replaced them with some junkyard parts and was amazed that the car actually beeped at me if I left the lights on, or the key in the ignition (off) and door ajar. Somehow, the rubber cover over the driver's side broke and is now causing the door switch to break itself again (button separates from contacts). I fixed it once, then closed the door - this broke the switch again. The cover was ripped only after visiting MAACO for some body work. I guess I could complain to them, but they already are giving me a new taillight to replace the year-old aftermarket taillight they cracked, and these switches are cheap as hell anyway from the junkyard.



Ironically enough, I just shipped out my spare door switches fitted for some earlier R50s to a forum member on NPORA. So it looks like it's back to the junkyard to visit the second R50 there, and then retrofit my door switch to work with that one's cover and housing.

Why do these things keep breaking on me? Am I the only one?

[miamiheat3332]

yeah seem to be, mine work fine, and the rubber one them is fine.

[Chuck Tribolet]

Why do these things keep breaking on me? Am I the only one?

Maybe your truck was in an accident and things are slightly tweaked? Maybe replacing with used parts?

[Innovazn]

could it be that the switches stick out farther then it should?

[Pathy415]

Or maybe they're somehow slighty out of alignment so when you close the door it cause the switches to bend at an angle?

[Towncivilian]

Why do these things keep breaking on me? Am I the only one?

Maybe your truck was in an accident and things are slightly tweaked? Maybe replacing with used parts?

Actually, you may be right. Around 2003 or 2004 the driver's door was struck by some red pickup truck and was replaced by the insurance co. I did notice that, with the door panel removed, the plastic sheet is not immaculate as the other doors are, and I found some strange, unknown part in my driver door.

All the switches seem fine, but the driver door's rubber does skew to one side after a while. I suppose something is misaligned, and eventually damages the switch. Perhaps my driver door switch will have a lifetime of 3 months and I'll need to replace it.

On closer inspection, it seems that the little rubber bumper that hits the switch is siliconed in at the top. It is misaligned as a result. I will have to remove it and the silicone and see why it was siliconed in the first place.

[Towncivilian]

Well, here's my problem:



Removed the glued on rubber bumper and that's what I found. I never even noticed that nasty dent either (that is a dent, right? can't compare to passenger side since that's right up against my garage wall, no room to open door). Any suggestions on how to fix this? I don't care about the dent, I just don't want to obliterate the door switch every few months.

[Innovazn]

Well, here's my problem:



Removed the glued on rubber bumper and that's what I found. I never even noticed that nasty dent either (that is a dent, right? can't compare to passenger side since that's right up against my garage wall, no room to open door). Any suggestions on how to fix this? I don't care about the dent, I just don't want to obliterate the door switch every few months.

thats a nasty dent if ive ever seen one...... mine definitely does NOT have that.

[Towncivilian]

That's what I figured. The white-beige spot where the rubber bumper was is also not supposed to be there - it's supposed to have an oval shaped hole for an OEM rubber bumper to "screw" in to. I think I just need something to offset the bottom portion of the bumper so it aligns more correctly, probably just more glue on that portion. I dunno.

[Pathy415]

What about building up the area with bondo?