What is the Door Striker Plate all about?
On the body of your car at each door is a hook or bolt known as the door striker. On some vehicles, a door latch is mounted inside an opening in the body of the door, and catches on the door striker when the door is closed for a tight fit. On other vehicles, particularly some older vehicles, the door striker plate is mounted on the surface of the door frame and catches on the door striker.
The striker plate is made of hardened metal to prevent wear and firmly catches the door striker to hold the door tightly closed. When the door handle is lifted, a mechanism releases the door striker from the striker plate, and the door is able to open. Most door striker plates have two catches. One is for a safety catch so the door doesn’t pop open in an accident or unexpectedly open when driving. The other is to hold the door for full closure. If the door striker plate is damaged or worn, the door may not hold tightly anymore. It may also be possible that the door striker plate needs to be adjusted as it wears.
Keep in mind:
- Sometimes a door striker plate can be adjusted to fit tighter instead of being replaced.
- If the door is difficult to close or not catching fully, it could pop open in a collision.
How it's done:
- The striker is unbolted from the door post, along with any cosmetic or friction plates, taking note of any alignment markings if applicable
- If striker incorporates a switch, it is pulled out and the connector unplugged.
- The new striker with switch is reconnected to its wire and reinserted.
- The new striker bolted to the door post, aligned if required, and torque to specifications.
- The door is opened and closed several times to assure proper latching, and proper operation of switch as applicable.
Our recommendation:
The door striker plate is a solid piece of metal that should not wear significantly, though it may be necessary to lubricate the striker plate annually for smooth operation. If the striker plate does wear out, or if it is damaged or bent, you should have it replaced by one of our expert technicians, who will also properly align the door when complete.
What common symptoms indicate you may need to replace the Door Striker Plate?
- Door is loose and rattles
- Door moves up or down when it hits the striker
- Door is difficult to close
How important is this service?
The door striker plate is integral for safe vehicle operation on every door. If the door striker plate is worn or loose, the door can unexpectedly open with little effort while driving in traffic. This can cause an accident, or unsecured people or belongings can fall out. If the striker plate is damaged, it may be very difficult to open or close the door. Have your door striker plate replaced immediately if it is faulty.
