Bad Car Door Striker Symptoms

What Is the Door Striker Plate?

Have you ever wondered about the metal clips that stick out of the edges of your vehicle’s doors? They’re called door strikers. Alternatively referred to as door lock strikers, they work with the door latch to keep the doors closed.

Like any other car door part, the striker on your door isn’t immune to wear and can fail eventually because of heavy use. Fortunately, a faulty door striker will exhibit symptoms that warn you about its impending failure.

Symptoms of a Bad Striker on Your Door

Door strikers are durable because of their simple construction and strong materials. But since you open and close the doors multiple times daily to enter and exit your vehicle, a door striker in your car can still wear out prematurely, particularly if the hinges on the door have let the door sag on the closing end so that the latch hits the striker at the wrong angle.

Below are the most common symptoms of a faulty door striker:

Loose or Rattling Car Door

When you close the car door, does it seem loose to you? Does it wobble no matter how many times or how hard you slam it shut? And does it make rattling noises, especially when your vehicle is on the move? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, then it’s likely that the door striker plate for the door has malfunctioned.

Every time the door latch connects to the door striker on your car, the ensuing metal-on-metal contact slowly but surely wears out both parts. Eventually, the striker’s surface becomes smoother and more slippery or rough and worn.

The door latch will struggle to hook onto a worn-out car door striker. If the latch cannot attach itself securely to the striker, the door will not close completely. Instead, it will shake and rattle, especially when driving over bumpy roads.

If you encounter this symptom, check the door striker and door latch. You don’t want to replace a working part by mistake, and there’s the chance that both the striker and latch have worn out.

Closed Car Door Still Moves Vertically

Once shut, a car door shouldn’t budge, much less go up and down like a seesaw on the playground. If you encounter this symptom, check the door striker plate for visible signs of damage and loosened screws.

In most cases, you can fix a loose door striker by tightening the screws that secure it to the vehicle’s chassis. However, a severely damaged striker will require replacement.

Again, check the door striker and the door latch to determine which part developed a problem and needs replacement.

Closing The Car Door Becomes More Difficult

Does one of your vehicle’s doors keep popping open until you’ve closed it several times or slammed it very hard? Its inability to lock properly might stem from a damaged or misaligned door striker.

The door striker plate and door latch must be aligned together. Otherwise, the door won’t stay closed.

However, the striker’s alignment can get thrown out of whack over the years. Even the tamest of daily driving produces shocks and vibrations. The constant vibration can loosen the screws that keep the door striker plate attached to the vehicle’s frame.

A loose door striker loses alignment with its latch. The two parts cannot connect to keep the door closed. Thus, the door will remain unsecured and can even pop open without warning, which can prove very unpleasant if you’re on the road when it happens.

Sometimes, you can force the door striker into alignment with the door latch by closing the door multiple times or with sufficient force. However, it’s far better to do something about the faulty striker immediately. Otherwise, you might wear out other parts, such as the door latch.

More About the Car Door Striker

The door striker plate is a clip that helps keep the car door closed. It partially resembles a shackle, the hook-shaped part of the padlock that you hang onto the door or gate you want to lock.

Your vehicle’s year of manufacture will set the location of its door strikers. The strikers might also work differently, but they perform the same job of ensuring the door is closed as tightly as needed.

An older vehicle will mount its door striker plate on the frame. The plate aligns perfectly with the latch mounted on the end of the door.

When you move the car door into the closed position, the door latch hooks onto the door striker. You can release the latch from the striker plate by working the door handle on your side.

Door strikers might be relatively small, but they are also hardy. Made from hardened metal, they can withstand corrosion and repeated impacts from the everyday use of car doors.

While not immune to wear and tear, many door strikers let you adjust their position to compensate for their growing lack of alignment with the door latches. You can tighten their screws or rotate them until their respective latches hook onto them again, letting you save some money by postponing their replacement for the time being.

What Does the Door Striker Do In Your Car?

The door striker works with the door latch to keep the door closed without resorting to engaging the door locks. They minimize the space between the door and the cab’s seal, ensuring a tight fit that isolates the interior cabin from the weather outside your vehicle.

Furthermore, the door striker plate assists the door hinges in holding up a closed car door. A door weighs a lot, and much of that weight falls on the door hinge pins. By taking some of the load off the hinge pins, the striker plate ensures the other parts last longer, saving you the cost of replacing the parts prematurely.

Since the door striker in your car helps keep the doors closed and sealed, replace any faulty striker as soon as possible to save you trouble.

How Much Does a Replacement Door Lock Striker Cost?

A replacement for an old or faulty car door striker plate can set you back anywhere between $15 and $363. The exact price tag can vary depending on factors ranging from the product’s manufacturer to the number of door strikers per product.

Where to Get a New Door Striker for Your Vehicle

Failure to replace a simple part like a door striker can easily turn into a major problem. Don’t wait for thieves to break into your car before you replace your old door striker. Shop for a high-quality replacement right here at CarParts.com.

We have a great selection of aftermarket door strikers that were carefully handpicked by industry professionals. Our door strikers come as direct-fit replacements for your vehicle, taking the guesswork out of finding one that fits right in.

Simply enter your vehicle’s year, make, and model into our vehicle selector to browse our catalog for OE-grade door strikers. You can also use the search filters to narrow down the results according to your preferred brand, price range, quantity, and more.

With our strategically located warehouses across the US, you can get your new door striker delivered straight to your doorstep in as fast as two business days. Order online, or call us using our toll-free hotline anytime.

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