POWER SLIDING DOOR
SYSTEM
DESCRIPTION
Some vehicles are equipped with a power opening
and closing sliding door system (Fig. 1). Depending
on how the vehicle is ordered it may be equipped
with only a right side power door or right and left
side power doors. This power sliding door system is a
complex system consisting of many components.
Some of these components are the door motor, latch
assembly, sliding door control module, lower drive
unit, flex drive assembly, wire harness and track,
lower drive unit track and rack assembly, full open
switch, B-pillar switch, overhead console switch, key
fob switches (Fig. 2), pawl switch, ratchet switch and
child lockout and handle switches.
Each power side door has its own door control module,
located in the center of the door behind the door
trim panel. (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC
CONTROL MODULES/DOOR CONTROL
MODULE - DESCRIPTION) The power side door
motor is located in the front portion of the door, on
the inner door panel sheet metal. The latch assembly
is located in the rear of the power side door, near the
body line. The lower drive unit is attached to the
lower door hinge. The flex drive assembly connects
the door motor to the lower drive unit. The wire harness
and track and the lower drive unit track are visible
with the door open in the lower door sill area.
The power side door full open switch is located under
the lower drive unit and is part of the hold open
latch assembly. The pawl, ratchet, handle and child
lockout switches are all located on the power side
door latch assembly. The B-pillar switch, as it will be
referred to, is an open and close command switch
located on the vehicles interior body side B-pillar
trim. The overhead console switch, is an open and
close command switch located in the vehicle’s overhead
console. More detailed information can be found
on these components later in this section.
Safety is of the utmost concern with the power
sliding door system. Software technology has enabled
the power sliding door control module to detect resistance
to door travel. This allows the power sliding
door to stop and reverse direction any time an
obstruction is felt or any of the command switches
are operated (while closing only). Battery voltage is
supplied to the power sliding door system through a
40 amp fuse, located in the Intelligent Power Module
(IPM) assembly (Fig. 3). The child lockout switch prevents
children from opening or actuating the power
sliding door system when desired. In the unlikely
event that the power sliding door system develops a
fault, the power sliding door can still be operated
manually from the interior or exterior door handle,
just like a standard manual sliding door.
The power sliding door control module communicates
on the J1850 PCI Data Bus Circuit. Therefore,
the power sliding door control module can generate
and store its own diagnostic trouble codes (DTC). A
diagnostic scan tool, such as the DRB IIIt is used to
read and diagnose these trouble codes. Refer to the
Body Diagnostic Manual for a complete list of diagnostic
routines.
NOTE: It may be possible to generate Sliding Door
Diagnostic Trouble Codes during normal power
sliding door operation. Refer to the Body Diagnostic
Manual for a complete list of diagnostic routines.
For additional information, (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/
POWER DOORS - OPERATION). For a complete
power sliding door system wiring schematic,
refer to Wiring Diagrams. For power sliding door system
operation instructions, refer to the vehicle owner
manual.
WARNING: BE CERTAIN TO READ ALL WARNINGS
AND CAUTIONS IN POWER SLIDING DOOR OPERATION
BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY SERVICE OF
POWER SLIDING DOOR SYSTEM OR COMPONENTS.
OPERATION
With the push of a power sliding door open/close
command switch (key fob, overhead console or B-pillar
mounted) a signal is sent out to the Body Control
Module (BCM). The BCM then sends a signal out on
the PCI Data Bus circuit (J1850) to the power sliding
door module. The power sliding door module then
signals the power sliding door latch to release the
door to the unlatched and movable position. The
motor then starts an open cycle.
During the door open cycle, if the power sliding
door module detects sufficient resistance to door
travel, such as an obstruction in the door’s path, the
power sliding door module will immediately stop door
movement and reverse door travel to the full open or
closed position. The ability for the power sliding door
module to detect resistance to door travel is accomplished
by hall effect sensors and the door motor
speed.
The power sliding door control module has the ability
to learn. Anytime a door is opened or closed using
the power sliding door system the module learns
from its cycle. If a replacement power sliding door
component is installed or a door adjustment is made,
the module must re-learn the effort required to open
or close the door. A learn cycle can be performed with
a Diagnostic Scan Tool, such as the DRB IIIt, or with
a complete cycle of the door, using any one of the
command switches. Refer to Standard Procedures in
this section for detailed instructions.