Has anyone else had a problem with their "door ajar" warning light staying on all the time? I just noticed this today. The light stays on all the time regardless of whether the car is on or off. I went around an opened and shut all of the doors and trunk a few times just to make sure that they were all closed, and the light is still on. Any ideas, or do I need to take it in to the dealer?

Originally posted by frogzapper
Has anyone else had a problem with their "door ajar" warning light staying on all the time? Any ideas, or do I need to take it in to the dealer? Do you have the optional Shock Sensor alarm upgrade? Someone (Hercules?) mentioned in an earlier thread that an incorrectly-adjusted shock sensor results in a spurious door light.

If not, then it sounds like you may have a faulty switch. You'll find the switches towards the lower front corner of the rear doors, where they're depressed by the front door closing on them. Try manipulating them by hand - you should hear a click when you depress and release them.

I had a similar problem in my '95 Mazda truck (I know it's not the same as an RX-8). The interior light would stay on, the door ajar symbol on the dash would be on and the door ajar chime would be going off as I was driving down the street. The most annoying thing ever! Like you, I cheched all my doors (easy to do when there's only 2 ;) ) and they were all shut correctly. I ended up having to take it to Mazda service and it was a faulty signal between the door and the "sensor" that recognizes the door being shut. Since the "sensor" has been replaced I haven't experienced anything since (knocking on wood). If it continues, I would suggest taking it in to be checked and possibly serviced. Hope this helps!

Depending on what kind of sensor is used to check the door status you might be able to lube it up. Alot of cars use a simple switch similiar in design to those used in fridges to turn the light on. The switch on my 01 Stratus gets stuck alot and I have to lube it(WD40) up some to get it to operate normally again. Looking to get it replaced this weekend though because I am sick of fixing it.

I am probably way off since I have no clue what Mazda uses but its worth looking into.

Originally posted by eccles
Do you have the optional Shock Sensor alarm upgrade? Someone (Hercules?) mentioned in an earlier thread that an incorrectly-adjusted shock sensor results in a spurious door light.

If not, then it sounds like you may have a faulty switch. You'll find the switches towards the lower front corner of the rear doors, where they're depressed by the front door closing on them. Try manipulating them by hand - you should hear a click when you depress and release them.

No, I don't have the shock sensor upgrade, but I did have LoJack installed yesterday afternoon. I wonder if that could have anything to do with it? I didn't notice whether or not the door ajar light was on when I drove it home last night.

I pressed the switch in the rear doors as you suggested, and when I did so, I heard it click and I saw the door ajar light dim slightly, but it still stayed on.

Originally posted by frogzapper
I pressed the switch in the rear doors as you suggested, and when I did so, I heard it click and I saw the door ajar light dim slightly, but it still stayed on. The interior lights dim immediately, then fade off altogether after a few seconds. If they're working correctly, as it sounds like they are, then I suspect you have some other problem that needs to be looked at under warranty.

Very odd! I'm experiencing the very same problem. It just started today (and it's raining, if that matters). It's even on when the car is all locked up and dark... I notied during my drive home tonight that it got brighter and dimmer as I was driving.

Its the lojack. Had the same problem. They installed it on the wrong wire. Call lojack and they'll come back to fix it.

Yo tambien... Definitely the Lojack. I'm a busy guy so it took me a month to call and get them to come back out and fix it. They really need to issue a memo. After they "fixed" mine, my car had a distinct new rattle. Imagine the fury! I had a supervisor come out and tighten the screws the first jackass left loose...

Its the lojack. Had the same problem. They installed it on the wrong wire. Call lojack and they'll come back to fix it.
No Lojack! And get this! This morning it's not raining and the light is out... Hmmm Maybe it's the switch leaking some current when it's wet?

I don't think it is part of the circuit, but did you check the hood as well?

My '05 with 18K miles just started doing this, passenger side only. Intermittently and only during the cool morning commute, not the warm afternoon return trip. Must be a switch/door [mis-] alignment issue. I have the shock sensor option.
I'll have it checked out next dealer oil change. Darn irritating when it happens; mostly upon change in acceleration forces.

Update: of course when I went to the dealer yesterday the light wasn't on. They said it had to be faulted to pull a code on it. They did do an inspection but that of course didn't turn up anything. I hate intermittent electrical problems; always the most difficult to diagnose.

When you notice something wrong in your car... an overwhelming percentage of the time... it is due to the work you just did/had done on your car.

True, but this is just one of those gremlin things. I'll go for a couple months with no incident and then one morning the door ajar warning and map lights will come on. I can clearly hear the passenger suicide door plunger switch making and breaking connection upon changes in acceleration. Yet the booted switch seems fine mechanically and the doors seal well. Go figger.


edit: here's a TSB for a diode replacement in the security shock sensor: http://www.finishlineperformance.com/pdf/rx8/bulletin/09-007-04-1281a.pdf

Well, this happened to me again yesterday and it's hot here these days. I was able to clear it by 'massaging' the suicide door plunger switch through its rubber boot. Time to replace the switch I guess to eliminate that variable. It's so infrequent (note my last subject post two years ago) but so very aggravating when it does occur!

This is currently happening on my car. Had a slight door scratch/dent repaired on the passenger and when I got it back the door light is on. Can't take it back cause I feel the guys are idiots at that shop. Anyway, I checked the switch...I swapped the driver side switch (which I know is working) with the passenger switch. The passenger switch works when it is on the driver side. The door is still saying ajar on the passenger side with the good driver side switch installed there. So I know its not the switch.

Does anyone have any experience with this type of problem that can possibly identify where the switch main is connected so that I can check it (short of me shelling out the car interior and trying to trace all of the wires)?

The door is still saying ajar on the passenger side with the good driver side switch installed there. So I know its not the switch.

Does anyone have any experience with this type of problem that can possibly identify where the switch main is connected so that I can check it (short of me shelling out the car interior and trying to trace all of the wires)?

I'd like to know this as well. Mine's been on for just over two years now, and I had pretty much resigned myself to just living with it, but last night I drove my car and forgot the driver's dome light on and I probably wouldn't have thought about it, but when I shut the door my security system set and as I said, it hasn't done that in over two years!

So I'm determined to track the actual problem now and fix it.