Ungo Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Alright folks. I've posted a few times about having this problem like the rest of you and every fix I've done has only worked temporarily. Well I finally found a method that seems to have fixed mine. Did it about a month ago and still having no problems. I found a Youtube video online that shows you how to easily get to the white switch that causes the door ajar warning. I'll post it below. The guy in the video uses canned air and a dremel to fix his problem but I didn't do any of that. I'll post the video below. Please watch before reading further. Things you will need: 1. Small flat head screwdriver or something similar in size like in the video. 2. Brake Cleaner Spray w/straw 3. (Optional) Hard Bristle Pipe Cleaner 1. Open the door and manually get the door to the lock position to get to the white switch like the video shows. 2. Spray the white switch and the area around it with the brake cleaner. You don't have to use the whole can. I just used 3-4 high pressure sprays from the straw that came the brake cleaner. 3. After spraying the switch move it up and down a couple of times with your screw driver or whatever item you used. If you are using a a pipe cleaner use it in the area of the white switch in an attempt to clean around it. DO NOT USE a cheap pipe cleaner because it will leave fabric in the area and cause more problems. 4. Leave the door open for 20-30 minutes so whatever is in there has a chance to drip out onto the ground. The first time I did this I didn't use the pipe cleaner step and the fix still worked. However the other day I found some in my garage and stuck one up there after spraying it with brake cleaner again and the gunk I pulled out was pretty impressive. I can see why the switch wasn't working like it was supposed to. I think even if the Dealership changes out the switch that you will end up having the issue down the line again anyway I hope this fix helps some of you out. I've tried the contact cleaner spray fix, WD-40, etc. that I've seen on these boards and nothing worked longer than a week. This has been going a month strong. A guy I work with also has an Edge that started having this problem and this method has worked for him as well. I think from here on out I'm just going to spray the switch every few months as a preventaive measure. Below is a link to the video and a link to the brake cleaner I bought off Amazon that doesn't have an overpowering smell. Again the video shows him using canned air and mentions using a dremel to trim down the switch but I did NOT do this. https://www.youtube....h?v=Kz0fD8UAXLc http://www.amazon.co...s=Brake cleaner 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoogLe Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 (edited) Nice thread! I'm gonna try this. I would probably use something other than brake cleaner though. Brake cleaner can damage plastic, which would make this problem worse lol. I'd probably stick to some electric cleaner or something else less aggressive like that. Edited October 9, 2015 by MoogLe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ungo Posted October 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 Nice thread! I'm gonna try this. I would probably use something other than brake cleaner though. Brake cleaner can damage plastic, which would make this problem worse lol. I'd probably stick to some electric cleaner or something else less aggressive like that. Hmm. Wasn't aware of that. Interestingly enough another person I know's Edge starting doing this too (apparently it looks like every Edge will have this problem eventually if you have it long enough. That's two people I know in person that have the issue not including everyone on here). I had him try this method with the electric contact cleaner, pipe cleaner, and skip the brake cleaner part. Still worked. Good call. Instead of doing it with the Brake Cleaner once a month as a precaution measure as planned I'll use the electric contact cleaner instead. It's only been 3 days since my buddy used the electric cleaner method combined with mine above. I'll report back in a few weeks and let you know how its going. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoogLe Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 So I tried this the other day and it didn't seem to work for me Gonna try shaving down the switch a bit like the guy in the video said and see if that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ungo Posted June 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2016 So I got a question from someone in my Inbox and they stated the original You Tube video was taken down. I found a new video and a set of instructions. This process still works for me but I still have to do it every month or so. OR if you want to just break your switch this video shows you how to...I don't know if I'm ready for that kind of commitment yet. Okay. Watch this YouTube Video from the start until about 1:40 in. Obviously don't break the piece like he does if you watch the whole video The video shows you how to get to the little white switch that causes all the problems. After getting to that point in the video I usually take a can of Break Cleaner for cars (which I purchased on Amazon) and spray the little white latch pretty heavy and into the slot above it. Then I take a screwdriver, or anything similar, and push the latch up and down a few times. I let it sit for about 10 minutes. After it sits I take a can of electrical contact sprayer (Amazon as well) and use it on the same white switch and i'll shoot a little into the slot above it as well. I usually move the white switch up and down as well with the screwdriver. For both of these sprays you DO NOT have to use the whole can. Just make sure the switch and above it is saturated. After you let it sit for about 10 minutes and are ready to close the door, pull the inside door handle and it will reset the metal part that you push aside (they show you in the video) Sometimes this process doesn't fix it right away because all the components are still drying. For me the switch begins to act normal again the following day and I will usually work perfectly for a month or two before I have to do it again. It isn't a permanent fix unfortunately but seems to last longer during the summer when its hot outside. I've also purchased those thin pipe cleaners (the real ones-not the colorful kids kind), soaked it in the brake cleaner, and pushed it up into that spot the white switch is in. When I do that sometimes the pipe cleaner comes back filthy. So my guess is just dust and grime build up in that area and prevent the switch from moving properly. Hope that helped! -Chris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJC Posted Monday at 11:58 PM Report Share Posted Monday at 11:58 PM I have this problem with my Ford Edge 2013 model. I watched a You Tube video in which a man used a can of CRC QD Electronic Cleaner (red and white can contains 11 ounces ) which I bought at at auto supply store for a few dollars -. I used it once without the straw - the problem vanished for a few days but as I watch more videos I need to repeat more intensely than I did. Another person told me today that they called Ford and were told to use WD40 and that would work. (If a Ford person said it - I suppose he knows what he is talking about!) However someone else said that could gunk the situation up more than the electronic cleaner. It is all worth trying. My problem causes the alarm system to randomly go off as well as the door ajar light to appear. Found what I previously watched: I typed the problem in to search bar…a you tube video appeared…the video was by “Nick” Hughes who resolved the issue by spraying CRC electronic cleaner which comes in a red can and he purchased at Walmart for less than $3.00. He repeatedly showed what he did that resolved the issue for him…nothing was broken to fix the latch. His title was “door ajar light….FIXED!!! Works on any car or truck… Nothing had to be broken! This fixed “degummed” the mechanism! I am a woman with no repair experience but I will give this a try! https://youtu.be/AX5RH5GfugO?si=1xs2xtcV... CtbLMY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX5RH5Gf... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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