Car Alarrm goes off without apparent reason.

It sounds to me like there might be a car or truck exhaust that rumbles just enough to set off the vibration sensor on your alarm

Otherwise somebody might be playing with your SUV OR your alarm is a tad to sensitive.

It appears to go off only Wed-Thurs-Fri-Sat mornings. No vehicle nearby to set it off or any other visible interferring / triggering stimuli. This is a factory installed, not an after market. I reset the computer by disconnecting and reconnecting the positive cable from the battery this weekend. I will wait and see if this solves the problem.

My car alarm had the exact problem; clean or replace the hood ajar sensor located right next to the windshield washer resevoir. I little rubber nub. I never even knew mine was there. I cleaned it and so far so good. You could also just purchase a new one, easy to replace with a 10mm socket. I've replaced a door latch, hatch latch and rear hatch sensor and after almost $800 paid the repair shop, it appears I fixed it myself.

here's where the part is available: http://www.amazon.com/Motorcraft-SW5620-Door-Jamb-Relay/dp/B000C5BY9Y

I Will call service shop immediately and ask them to check/replace the hood ajar sensor. This is the second time in the shop for the problem. Very annoying to have the alarm go off in the night!

I was getting a "right rear door ajar" message, even when the door was not ajar. The sensor in the door latch needed to be replaced. Same thing was happening for the left read door. Also had that latch replaced. Total cost: $750. The alarm does not go off any more. We saw no pattern to the problem. Money seems to have fixed it. This is the first major expense we have had on the car that has about 120K miles. We drove it once through Mexico, all around Central American, then back: 14,000 miles in five months. No problems.

I have a 2005 Escape that has been doing the same thing around the same times each day. Thought it was the sprinklers at first, but now it happens 3-4 times a day. Did you ever figure out the problem?

What turned out to be the problem with this? I have a 2007 Escape doing the same thing.

2005 Escape lift gate ajar sensor causing same problem. Does anyone know where it is located?

I'm having the same problem with my 2005 Escape. I did have the test run at the dealership (thanks to my son) and found out that it's the sensor in the passenger rear door...the one least used. Something else that I've noticed is the problem seems to be more frequent when it's warm outside (above freezing)...the colder, the less annoying for me. Has anyone else noticed this? Sometimes it goes off while I'm moving, other times it goes off when I stop for a light. Until I can get the latch replaced, I carry a ratchet so I can disconnect the battery when it decides to be stubborn. When I ordered the latch, the person said that there have been 4 revisions but it still hasn't really helped.

Cindy, We are totally experiencing the same thing! I am a tech, so I have troubleshooting mine and have also determined it to be the rear passenger side door. The sensor is part of the latch and this door, even though I can hear it engaged will not unlock at times like the rest of them. It is also totally temperature related as the temperature rises through any part of the day or drops at night, it will go off! Hit the unlock a couple of times and lock on the remote will get rid of it, but it will beep a couple of times on the lock button, like a door isn't closed. Slam the door closed a couple times will correct it. I acquired a quote from the dealer on the assembly that we need, but it was way too much. Thank you for the information on the revisions that hasn't helped! You can get these OEM parts much cheaper online, then at the dealer and I have just been living with it until I've had the time to research it more. I will be doing so here soon because as it is getting warmer, it will be acting up more and more as it has done on some of the warm days we've had already. I am contacting Ford about this today!

Excuse me, slamming it closed will work, but also just a forceful push on the door will fix it too!

Mine doing the same thang I have a 2007ford escape

I don't have it installed yet, but I did go ahead and buy the latch. The only reason I did was due to son working for dealer and got his discount. :) Kids are good for something! With the transition from winter to spring weather, I've found that the alarm will go off while driving (not the horn, just the door ajar light, chime, and dome lights). Of course, being inside the car, I can't see if the parking lights are flashing, and I haven't been able to be close enough to another car to see any reflection. Escapes aren't the only model that do this. Guess it's anything that uses this same part or one very similar.

My 2005 Escape has been doing this for months. My wife drives it most of the time so I haven't had the displeasure of hearing it go off very often until I spent this last week at home. I've researched the issue and found how to determine which sensor is causing the issue without going to the dealer for diagnostics, ways to rewire the doors to bypass the sensor, how to replace the sensors, etc. I also came across a video of some guy with a sensor problem that caused his Ford to think it had doors ajar. His solution involved using compressed air to blow out the door latches and then shoot every latch with WD-40 or some other light weight lubricant. I figured it wouldn't hurt to try his method so I did all four doors, the lift gate latch, and the glass latch yesterday. It was a warm day today and temperature definitely triggers the issue on our rig. The alarm never went off today. Now, it's too early call this a victory, but it's looking really good because it has gone off every day for a week and typically two to three times per day.

i had the same problem but what i did is to set the light in the car at the roof on the door position -(both the one the roof and in the back ) so when you open the doors the light goes on and when it closed - i goes off- - your the remote to luck doors - - this solved my problem---

maadaou. I think I understand your answer, but it's a little unclear near the end. Can you repeat it a little more clearly? It seems like too easy a solution.

What i mean is to set the lights in the door position . So when u open the car - the light on the roof Turn on- and when u luck the dor it Turn off- And use only the remote key to luck the car - sorry for my bad english- i Will say it in french. " mettez. Les lumière se trouvant sur le toit du véhicule ainsi que celui sur le toit dans le coffre sur la position door. De manière a ce que , lorsque vous ouvrez les porte les lumière s'allume et lorsque vous les fermer elle s'éteint . Pour verrouiller les porte utilisez la télécommande en appuyant le botton luck une fois - et vous verrez que le tour est jouez. Bonne chance

Merci maaadou! :) Maintenant, c'est très clair. Je vais essayer ca.

Well it's been one day with no alarm. Yesterday I disconnected the battery for 10 minutes to reset the computer and also synchronized my dome lights to the "door" postition (the rear one was on "off") as maaadou suggested. I also made sure I alarmed with the FOB. Guess what? No alarm today... first time in 10 days. But then again it was also a colder day, (The alarm has been going off as the day gets warm). I shall keep you posted.

It's been just about four days since I lubricated all the latches on my Escape with WD-40 and we've had some temperature flux (40°F-72°F) in our area which normally would trigger the alarm. I'm happy to report that there hasn't been one instance of the problem since I worked on it. Now, with that being said, there is another possible hidden solution or second factor. I disconnected the battery for at least 10 minutes while I worked on the latches for safety purposes and to prevent any possibility of conduction in the electrical equipment. My dome lights were already set to DOOR as another member mentioned above so that wasn't part of my solution, but maybe it helped that it was already set like that. I think it's possible that having the battery disconnected for an extended period of time could serve to reset the sensors or the computer that monitors the sensors.

Unplugging the battery does nothing towards resetting sensors that I can prove. The sensors seem to be in the same state that they were when I unplugged the battery. The passenger rear door is the one that is causing me problems...the one least used. The alarm going off at all hours has forced me to keep the battery unplugged unless I'm running errands. I can be driving down the street and the dome lights and chime will go off, or it does it when I slow down to stop. The door ajar light seems to be on whenever the battery is plugged in and the car turned on. The only thing that I *am* sure about is the fact that this is a very frustrating problem and after 4 revisions, one would think Ford would've figured it out.

BensonTech, I've been dealing with this aggravation for well over a year. If it wasn't so hard for me to raise the hood every time I need to plug/unplug the battery, I wouldn't even bother replacing the latch.

Well, after one day of no alarm and no "door ajar" light, (I had lubricated and worked all latches thoroughly, reset the battery and dome lights). I am back to the alarm going off in warm weather and getting the door ajar lights on. So I took it to Ford and they disarmed the perimeter alarm (at a reasonable price). The door ajar lights are still coming on at the heat of the day (and by night they go back to normal) but at least the alarm doesn't go off. I guess the drawback is that alarm is now irrelevant in the event of a forced entry, but I can live with that. Because I took it to FORD with a reset computer they couldn't get a reading on which latch was "breaching" but I might take it down to them and talk them into giving me a free read on this (maybe after they do an OilLubeFilter) now that it's showing a breach everyday as it warms up. -

While lubricating the door latches on my Escape seemed to have fixed the problem, I'm sad to report that the alarm went off a couple of times in the last two days. That's a lot less frequent, but still disappointing. I'm going to give it one more shot with the lube and close the doors with some force half-a-dozen times to make sure nothing is sticking. When I initially lubed the doors, the rear passenger door signaled that it was ajar when it was closed. That went away after a couple of forceful (not slamming) closings on that door so I figured I had loosened up the mechanism for the sensor at that point. If this doesn't work then my next step is to take apart the the wiring harness in the doorjamb on the rear passenger door and shoot it with some contact cleaner and shoot the wiring for the sensor in that door as well.

My 2006 ford escape just started doing this..

Hi Melanie. Is it doing it when the day warms up? Benson Tech. Since you know which latch it is, why not follow the advice I saw once on youtube, there is a guy that shows how to "jump" the sensor and trick it into thinking the door is closed even when it opens. Cost is $0.. You don't get a light coming on when that door is opened, but hey, that might not be such a big deal if it's not one of the front doors. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=uV1r9wUy6_M

Disabling the alarm or sensor is the last resort for me. I've had some success with what I have tried so far. I also watched the video where the guy bypasses the sensor and that's an option I will consider if my other approach fails to provide lasting results. I've also come across instructions on how to disable the passive alarm system if it comes to that. This weekend I plan to do the contact cleaner. The alarm has been going off maybe once or twice every 3-4 days. We've had near 80 degree temps and lows in the 40's so there's been some temperature flux which seems to trigger it. The morning sun on that right rear passenger door is almost guaranteed to set off the alarm.

My '07 Mariner alarm horn and lights go off, more often mornin g usually more than once a day. Unlike other posts there is not any door open warning. Tested door alarms as suggested in earlier post by reaching through widow and opening, all worked. When car is running I position liftgate glass partially open and dash warns and when I close glass and open liftgate a little it does not warn.Also does not warn when hood not closed completely. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Just fixed my issue with the rear passenger door on my Escape. The easiest (and cheapest) thing to do is to disable the sensor by unplugging it and jumping the wires. The guy in the video does it from the wires coming out the front of the door, but I couldn't figure out how to get it apart. I found it was easy enough to take the door liner out, unplug the sensor and jump from the black and white wire to the wire next to it. Wasn't sure which wire so I just tried each one until the door ajar light went out. It worked! Since I didn't know for sure which door was causing the problem, I did spend the $100 to get it scanned. For reason, from what I've been reading, the rear passenger door sensor is usually the one that goes bad.

Highlander58 & Cindy - I am having the same issue, I have found if I roll down the back passenger window and slowly close the window a little at a time - my door ajar light will come on - I am not sure if this is the reason why my alarm continually goes off, I went into the dealership to have the portion of the alarm removed, it still goes off (all the time) - I am getting really frustrated - if I had a gun I would shot it (lol)

I to am having a issue with my 07 escape as well The alarm goes off whenever it feels like it. So far up to 4 times in a day. But now my door ajar light comes on and will not go out. Which I have read has been happening as well to others. But now I have had my interior light come on from the alarm going off and won't go out. I had to take it for a ride around the block before the light would go out. Maybe it just missed me and wanted a moment with me. Grrr. This has been happening more and more and gets a little embarrassing.

I went to the dealership, my car alarm was turned off last year - so I could not understand why it kept going off. I found out there is also a Perimeter Alarm, they will not disconnect for safety reason. The Door Ajar was setting it off and it would not stop until it was fix, I had to replace the lock on the door (This LOCK is a genuine OEM Ford part #6L8Z-7826413-B) was charged $344.10 + labor, this was last Thursday - so far my alarm has not gone off.

My 2006 escape has started doing this a lot, and I mean a lot! I have noticed my alarm going off more during the severly rainy weather we've been having here and the door ajar has just started within the last few days. My issues seem to be originating from the same spots as everyone else, the back passenger door and the hatch. As a side note, I've also been having trouble with the hatch window leaking during the bad storms. My boyfriend tried to WD 40 trick which did no good. He just took it to the mechanic who said that the water coming in the hatch would not cause this problem and tried the WD 40 trick again. He also offered to disconnect the alarm. I was also told that I could remove the security module from under the hood. Is this true? Has anyone tried this or heard of doing this?

My 2006 escape has started doing this a lot, and I mean a lot! I have noticed my alarm going off more during the severly rainy weather we've been having here and the door ajar has just started within the last few days. My issues seem to be originating from the same spots as everyone else, the back passenger door and the hatch. As a side note, I've also been having trouble with the hatch window leaking during the bad storms. My boyfriend tried to WD 40 trick which did no good. He just took it to the mechanic who said that the water coming in the hatch would not cause this problem and tried the WD 40 trick again. He also offered to disconnect the alarm. I was also told that I could remove the security module from under the hood. Is this true? Has anyone tried this or heard of doing this?

After trying WD-40 and compressed air in the door latch on my '07 Escape with short term success I finally made gave in and fixed the problem with a long term solution. In my case it was obviously the Right Rear passenger door that was causing the problem and on more than one occasion drained the battery by causing the dome lights to come on. So here's the solution and it may seem intimidating but it's really not as difficult as it may seem. You can pay a dealership or mechanic $300-$500 to fix it or you can do it yourself for around $100 and 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on your level of skill and confidence when it comes to taking a door apart. The part I bought from Amazon was the Dorman 937-641 Door Lock Actuator which specifically fits the right-rear passenger door. If you're having a problem with the door ajar sensor in another door then you will need to buy a slightly different part number. 937-640 fits the left-rear passenger door, 937-644 fits the drivers door, 937-647 fits the front passenger door, and 937-670 fits the Liftgate. The rear doors (not the Liftgate) are held on by two screws and a bunch of internal clips that you simply pop loose by gently prying the panel off the door frame. I did this by hand starting at the base of the window and worked my way down. There were moments when I thought something was going to bend too much and break, but I was careful and took my time. Here is a Youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWYFeGmCKtQ on how to remove/reinstall the door panel. Once you get the door panel off (you'll have to disconnect the power window wiring block of course) you will see the opaque plastic moister barrier? which you will need to peal off starting in the upper-right corner. I put on disposable gloves to ensure that the oil from my skin didn't compromise the sticky seal of the moister barrier and that worked when I resealed it later. I had to peal back the barrier about halfway across the door to ensure that I had enough room to work inside the door. I put one of those florescent hand lamps inside the door to illuminate my work area. This is where I had the most doubt. I could see the actuator and the wiring block that plugs into the back of it. I could also see the metal rods for the exterior door handle mechanism. There's a metal rod that connects the exterior door to the actuator and at the top of that rod is a milky white clip that holds it in place. I took a long flat screw driver and positioned the shaft across that clip with one hand and reach in with the other grabing the metal rod with my fingers and pushing on the shaft of the screw driver to pop that clip off. It was easy. Then I simply rotated the clip away from the metal rod. The top of that metal rod makes a 90 degree angle and goes into a metal bracket. You simply push it out at this point then it's loose and only attached to the actuator at the bottom. Look for the grey clip that holds the wires for the actuator/sensors to the door frame and pop that out with flat screw driver. Now that you have that off you need to remove the three screws on the door that hold the latch and actuator in place. I recommend removing the bottom screws first as gravity will work in your favor to prevent bending as the latch as actuator pull away from the door frame. Loosen the top screw and hold the actuator/latch assembly with your free hand as you finish unscrewing it. With the actuator/latch assembly loose you can carefully pull it out of the inside of the door frame and disconnect the wiring block from the actuator. The hard part is over. Simply reverse these steps with your new actuator/latch assembly and you should be good to go. If I had it to do all over again I could probably knock this out in 30 minutes. Hopefully I won't have to.

for my ford escape the alarm was just going off while I was driving for no reason. i figured out that in order for you to stop the alarm you have you lock and unlock the car ONLY through the front drivers door with the key. do not lock the car with anything else not even from the inside buttons. Hope it helps!

Seems like my 2005 Ford Escape alarm goes off when I have driven it and it gets hot. The right rear door ajar shows up on dash all time too. Would get rid of car if I can. Really tired of this especially at 2am or 3am. I know the neighbors don't like it. Biggest mistake ever made buying this vehicle.

Change the battery in the key fobs!! It stopped mine from going off.

Our Escape finally stopped having the alarm go off. (Tried the changing the battery in the FOB, but it didn't work for us). Funny thing is I'm not sure why it stopped going off. I heavily sprayed all the latches, and slammed the doors to work it in.... which didn't seem to work.... and then 3-4 weeks later the problem stopped.... on its own. Did the spray lubricant take that long to make a difference? Can't say. Glad it stopped though.

I have 2013 Ford Fusion. Two months after I got it. Rear door ajar light went on. Causing the dome light to go on, then the outside lights would just go on out of no where, then the horn began going off. All at random times. I took it in and naturally the Left rear door ajar light went off and they couldn't find a cause. Twice I had to get road side assistance because the battery went dead. Charging it caused the rear door ajar light to go off, and they can't do anything until it's on. Well I don't have the luxury to run there each time it go's on. Finally I received a recall in the mail. They fixed one recall, unrelated, and said they'd put the part on priority because they haven't come in yet. They did, I dropped it off Wednesday and Friday they gave me a loaner, because the electrical system is wet. I don't know what this means. I lease it so it's going back in May. But how could that happen and what if they can't fix it. I'm moving to an apt complex I can not have the car lighting up and the horn going off. Embarrassing enough when they call over the PA system at the gym Silver Ford Fusion your lights are blinking again. SMH Anyone have this problem?

Can somebody tell me where is the honk or if anybody has the blueprint of the ingen of a mercury mariner 2006 cause we are having the same issue the alarm goes off for no reason at all it started at nights only but now is doing it also in the morning so we are getting tired of this

Thanks, everyone for these posts. My mother-in-laws 2006 Ford Escape had the same problem... alarm going off, door ajar warnings (but hers didn't say which door)... for about a year... she'd stopped locking her car so the alarm wouldn't go off and turned off the interior light to keep the battery from being drained. After seeing this string, I ordered the Dorman right rear replacement latch from ebay for $108 and put it in. So far, so good. 24 hours later, there's no repeat of the problem! I''ll repost if it starts back up again.

Here are the most useful links/info I found to replace the right rear door latch on a Ford Escape (ours is a 2006). Sorry in advance for this long post, but it may be useful if anyone wants more information on what is involved with that latch replacement: - The right rear door latch is Ford part number 6L8Z7826412B, or Dorman part number 937-641. I bought the Dorman part. It's a perfect fit and works just fine. I'm sure the Ford part is great too - it was just more $$. - Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSETEzh9xEw This video shows you how to replace a latch in the front left/drivers door of an Escape (for a different problem). While not the exact same door, it is the same vehicle and the video walks you through everything: panel removal and replacement, swapping the latch, the tools you need, etc. Tools are a regular screwdriver, phillips screwdriver, 5/16" socket, and T-20 and T- 27 torx screwdrivers or sockets are required. A panel tool is helpful to get the panels off but it isn't absolutely necessary. The rear latch is easier to swap out than what he has to do with the front latch. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWYFeGmCKtQ This video is similar to the one above but shows the removal of the rear door panel rather than the front door panel. The steps to remove the rear door panel are similar but there are a few small differences. The video is short... so it's useful to watch it. It doesn't go through the latch replacement. Here are a few things that I experienced that I did't see in the video: 1) I removed the two 5/16" gold colored bolts that hold the rear window guide in place (they're pretty obvious and are vertically aligned). The guide was still held in place and didn't fall out after the bolts are removed... doing this loosened the guide enough to allow me to move it and easily get to the rear T-20 screw on the door handle - and it provided better access to remove and then reinstall the new latch. 2) I removed the latch and door handle as one assembly as the guy in the first video does... it was easier and less work in the long run than trying to do the install while the handle was still in the door. 3) It was also easier for me to remove the electrical connector after the latch and handle were loose and out of the door. I used a small screwdriver to slide the red clip holding the connector to the latch up/away from the latch to release the connector. It didn't come all the way off. I just slid it up to the top of the connector and then wiggled the connector off of the latch. 4) Removing the cable for the inside door release from the latch is a little different from what is shown in the video. I pressed a small screwdriver in the hole under the cable as I pivoted the cable up and away from the latch. That released the plastic clip holding it on. I used just enough pressure on the screwdriver to release the clip. It's plastic and too much pressure may have damaged it. This wasn't a very difficult job. I'm not a professional mechanic and consider myself to be just the average DIY type of person (so please don't consider this to be expert advice). The job took just over an hour. As someone else has said, I could do it again in about 30 minutes now that I know what to do. Finally, it's worth mentioning that I replaced our right rear door latch based upon the many posts from others that the problem causing the alarm to go off was that right rear latch,.. and that has fixed our problem. I didn't have a scan tool to confirm the problem or to tell me which door latch it might be. I hadn't tried key fob battery replacements or car battery resets as I didn't understand how they'd cause or fix the problem (although disconnecting the car battery will definitely keep the alarm from sounding). I didn't attempt the air cleaner or WD-40 solutions as they seemed to be temporary fixes. I went straight for the right rear latch replacement. I offer my thanks to the many people who have contributed to this string!! The time you took to document what you'd gone through has really helped me out!! So, thanks again!!! :)

Thanks Denis, much appreciated!

Any updates after installing the Door Lock Actuators? My 05 Escape has been behaving this way for over a year....happy that winter is coming, but would be glad to shell out $100 to fix it myself. Thanks!

Hey, Lee. It'll be two weeks tomorrow since I replaced the latch and not one false alarm since then (or door open indicators when she's driving, etc.). We're all very happy around here!! Dennis

Fantastic! That is our next move. It has been going on WAY too long, I just need to figure out which door is triggering the ajar indicator. Thanks a bunch, Dennis!

I finally got my alarm problem solved. It was my passenger front door. Test had shown it to be my hatch but it was not. I had ended up diconnecting my horn so I would not disturb my neighbour's. But I am thankful to have my horn back to beep at those texters Grrr.

Seems like an awful lot of people are having the same problem. You would think that Ford would do a recall and have it fixed. They should have also put in some sort of manual kill switch so you do not have to set the alarm. I have the exact same problem with my 06 Escape. The idiot light on my dash has the whole front portion of the light lit up like all the doors and hood are open.

Yep, Jane, you have the same idiot light we have on our 06 Escape... the single warning light comes on no matter which door is open. Since the majority of the reports for this problem were for the right rear door, I replaced that latch. It fixed the problem. Keep in mind that others have reported the problem with other door latches. The only way that I know to be sure is to get the problem checked with a high end scan tool. The typical/inexpensive OBD scanners that I have won't tell you which door it is. Sorry about that. I took the gamble and fixed it myself on the first latch for around $100. Folks were reporting that it was costing $300 or more to get the problem diagnosed and fixed professionally. I figured I would be ahead of the game if I just started swapping out door latches one at a time, starting with the most probable one... and the odds were with me that I'd fix the problem before I reached the cost of having a professional do it. Fortunately, that strategy worked.

I think I will make the investment this spring and start replacing latches. What a pain this has been, lights and alarms going on and off for no reason! I pulled the horn fuse since the alarm was going off in the middle of the night and waking neighbors, but I hate not having a horn when driving. Dennis, glad to hear you've found the fix!!!

So, my 2005 Ford escape has been fine for several months. I had it fixed, front passenger door latch almost 3 years ago to the tune of over $600.00 by the dealer. It went off again a few weeks later and I found that if I have the steering wheel in the lock position it would not do it. Thought I'd outsmarted the thing. The dealer told me to bring it in but and I'd been telling him about all these posts. Yes I read them back then. Now even when the wheel is locked I've got an issue again and the weather is warming up. Also, my husband found that when moving the driver seat that the dash light and overhead light came on. Could this be a computer issue beyond sensor issue. I will clean as suggested above and check under the hood and continue re-shutting doors. Oh and I changed FOB batteries back when it first began.

Hey, Kathie, The problem for nearly everyone is that the contact in the door latch that "tells" the car whether the door is open or closed is intermittent... so the interior lights go on and off, or the alarm will sound (when it's armed) as that intermittent contact is made and then opens. I'd guess that your experiences of locking/unlocking the steering wheel, moving the drivers seat, etc. are jostling the car (and the door latches) just enough to temporarily make contact in that switch and mask the problem... kind of like slamming the doors does... or like cleaning the latch with air... or spraying WD-40 into the latches. Unfortunately, all of these seem to a temporary "fix" and then you're right back to needing to replace the failing latch or latches. Changing the key fob batteries will not fix this particular problem. Sure, you might have a different issue, but it sure sounds like you have a different door latch acting up. The odds are it's the rear passenger latch, but the only way to be sure is to go to the dealer or somewhere else that has a high end scan tool. I just replaced our passenger rear latch without doing the scanning (I'm kind of cheap - frugal sounds better though) and we've had no problems at all for 5 months now. Good luck!

First sign of spring is here. Door ajar light comes on as the warm air and sunshine toast the car (no alarm going off, 'cause I had that disabled). One day I'm going to figure out which darn latch it is... but until then, I'll live with this minor incovenience. If anyone knows of a DIY method to identify which latch is the problem, please let me know. I'm tempted, but I'm not sure I want to use Dennis' guess+check method :)

Thanks Dennis for your explanation. For right now I am just not locking the car. The interior lights are shut off and there seemed to be a sweet spot with the seat. Tight times make me have to put this on hold for a bit and my hubby has back issues. So DIY would be good when I can get someone to do it. I also add that even when the car wasn't locked I was getting the dash light and interior light problems with an alarm when I was inside. A couple of weeks before the seat discovery, I accidentally had something get in the way of shutting the door and jarred it. Then I did it again with the seat belt piece accidentally again this week. Now moving the seat doesn't seem to make it happen. So the driver door was jarred twice. Not knowing what the little switch looks like, just wondering if part of the problem may have resolved but I know I still need to fix it so I can again lock the car. At least it's not making the noise and flashing off and on as I drive now. I will just have to live with it for a while.

@ Jkmama - sorry for the home issues and I'd wait too under the same circumstances. You asked about what the switch looks like. It's built into the door latch inside the door. The latch does 3 things. It latches the door closed and releases it, locks the door (either manually or electrically), and has a switch to tell the car computer when the door is open or closed. It's this last component, the switch (actually the contacts in the switch), that are failing. To see what the latches look like, open http://www.dormanproducts.com/gsearch.aspx?type=parttype&year=2006&make=Ford&model=Escape&parttype=Door%2520Lock%2520Actuator%2520Motor&origin=YMM You'll see what all 4 door latches (or the formal name is "door lock actuator") look like. The switch is buried in the latch and you really can't see that easily. @adunic - Hey!!! You shouldn't say "Dennis' guess + check method"... when it's actually "Dennis' guess + replace method"!! LOL - All kidding aside, I loved the reference!! :) ... and I too would like to hear if anyone knows of a DIY method to isolate which latch is failing!

I have had this problem on our 06 Escape for a couple of years. Replaced drivers door latch assembly, $350 and no joy. Took it to the dealer, $150 diagnostic. Their "factory" computers showed no faults in doors, and could not discriminate between doors in any case. Showed battery low voltage, so replaced 8 year old battery with no complaint, but no fix either. I think my next step is to follow Dennis's plan and replace the right rear door lock assembly. After cans of WD40 dripping out the bottom of all the doors, I pray the $110 RR door fix works. I asked for to disable the door chime/alarm and they refused as it is considered a safety feature. I consider it an insanity feature, and am ready to trade a car that I otherwise love, Ford has been no help at all.

My horn goes off but I am not experiencing any light problems. I have a 2006 Ford Escape. I had the battery in my vehicle changed today. I get back to the office and my horn starts blowing. There were two things I did that might of triggered it. I tried to lock my steering wheel and I tried to adjust the seat as those darn mechanics always move the seat. So not sure which may be triggering it.

I don't think that what you did with the steering wheel or the seat had any affect on the alarm; however, having the battery removed from the car may have caused the alarm to reconfigure itself so that is not properly set up for your car anymore. I had something similar happen to my 2007 Escape last week and this is what I did to stop the false alarming: 1.) Turn the ignition key to run. 2.) Hold the security override button down for about 15 seconds to get 3 beeps then let go. 3.) Tap the security override button to get 4 beeps. 4.) Press the FOB 'lock' button once to get 1 to 8 beeps. 5.) If the override LED is lit, press the FOB 'unlock' button. The LED should go out. 6.) Repeat steps 4 and 5 seven times. 7.) Tap the security override button to get 5 beeps. 8.) Repeat steps 4 and 5 eight times. 9.) Tap the security override button to get 6 beeps. 10.) Repeat steps 4 and 5 four times. 11.) Turn the ignition key to off. The LED on the security override should now remain off all the time and the false alarms should stop. This worked well on my car; however, do this at your own risk. Or, you could take the car to a Ford dealer and have them check the alarm programming.

to jpkellybrbank: I read your response. A few questions. 1. What is the security override button? 2. How did you know this sequence or technique? 3. On step four it says 1-8 times. Just to be clear, you're saying it doesn't really matter how many times as long as it's 8 or less? 4. Did you, or do you, ever get a "door ajar" light come on? 5. If this is the fix for shutting off the car alarm, what is the sequence for turning it back on? Thanks.

Dennis: So now it's been 7 months since your posting about replacing the right rear door latch, and we're into the warm weather. Is that problem still resolved? If so, great! Maybe I'll do it now. By the way. Here's my way of telling that the first day of spring has arrived: The door ajar light comes on when the sun has been shining on the car few a few hours. And one more thing. I'm tempted to do go out one morning before it warms up, and blast a hair dryer on the rear right latch (first) to see if it activates the "door ajar light. What do you think? I'm expecting two answers. :)

to adunic: 1.) My security override switch is installed at the bottom of the dash near the steering wheel. The dealer installed it back in 2007 when I bought the car new. It has an LED on the front and a pushbutton on the back. 2.) I searched the Internet for information and used trial and error. The link at http://www.fordservicecontent.com/ford_content/catalog/accessory_files/Ford%20Programming%20Instructions.pdf was especially helpful. 3.) The first time you use step 4, you will hear one beep and the next time use use step 4 you will hear two beeps, etc. This step is actually moving the programming through the options that control the alarm in each program bank. If you find the LED lit an any of the options, the 'unlock' button can be used to turn it off (or the 'lock' button can be used to turn it on). 4.) No, I never saw any door ajar warnings on the dash and my doors operate the dome lights just fine. I have been getting false alarms for a long time and had put the alarm in valet mode and pulled the horn fuse to get by. Then, when I changed by battery last week, the false alarming got much worse. Now I have my horn back and the alarms are gone (fingers crossed). Interestingly, my perimeter alarm is still working. 5.) Assuming that the battery change fouled up the alarm programming, the only way to get it back is to have Ford reprogram. Unfortunately, I could not find the actual program options for my vehicle on the Internet, however, the info on the link provided here might enable one to reverse engineer. My Escape has Bank 1 with 8 options, Bank 2 with 8 options, and Bank 3 with 4 options. I do not have remote starting.

@ Adunic - Hey there - great to hear from you!! I'm pleased to report that our Escape is still doing just fine after the right rear latch replacement so we're still happy campers. As for the hair dryer test, I'd say give it a try... but I'd guess that odds are slim that it'll work since you're going to have to open the door (which will bump the switch) to try it... but it's definitely worth a try. That said, you've got me thinking on how to use the warm morning thing to your advantage. I'd ask which side of the car was the sun shining on when the alarm went off? That'll be the side that heated first and that's probably the side the bad latch is on. It's not terribly scientific, but can you turn the car around for the next morning to see if the problem repeats on the other side? @jpkellyburbank - are you describing an aftermarket alarm system installed by your dealer? Our Escape doesn't have the button and led you're describing. It does sound like you have a Hornet 727T aftermarket alarm system (or something similar) that many dealers were installing. It ties into your keyless entry system and has a dedicated siren and the button and led like you describe (it doesn't blow the horn, it sounds it's own siren and flashes the lights). The installer will put the led and button (which are used to configure the system) where they're not immediately visible, like high on the kick panel.

@Adunic - please be careful with the hair dryer on the paint. Our paint isn't all that great any longer, but there's no sense making it worse... this is just a precaution as directed heat from a hair dryer really "shouldn't" damage anything but I couldn't guarantee that - but a heat gun would really mess things up. :)

@Dennis - The Vehicle Security Owner's Manual that came with the car describes the system as the "Ford Motor Company PowerCode Vehicle security and/or convenience system." I do remember the dealer installing the override switch while I was signing papers, and they did some last-minute programming as well. Anyway, if someone has a car like mine and has the same trouble, my info may be of help.

@jpkellyburbank - Agreed!! More info is always better. Thanks for sharing your experience(s)!

I read a lot of information about the annoying alarm and door chime issues on my 2006 Escape. Many thanks to Dennis for his clear and concise information. I took a shot in the dark an replaced the right (passenger side) rear door lock actuator module. I got it from Amazon for $110, Dorman 937-641 Door Lock Actuator, and installation took under an hour. It as been almost a month, including some hot sunny weather that used to make it all worse, and have not heard an inappropriate peep from the alarm or the door chime. Many thanks to Dennis and all the other contributors to this thread. I was ready to trade in this great car just because of this problem, that the dealer had no clue how to solve.

Guys, WD-40 is NOT the answer to lubricating your door latches. Use a spray silicone lubricant instead. WD-40 displaces water and ONLY temporarily lubricates moving parts. THEN, it eventually gums up and attracts dirt. Spray silicone lubricant can be found at any Walmart, Home Depot, you get the point. While WD-40 has many uses, this is not one of them. Use silicone on locks, too. Good luck and take care, Maitai

Also, I'm going to hook up an OBD II code reader and see if a code pops. I'll respond here once I find out if it does. Regards

@Brian - I'm very happy for you that replacing the right rear door latch worked for you... and to do it in a hour on the first shot is really great! We've got 7 months of false alarm free operation out of ours so I'm sure that fixed our problem too. @maitai11 Let us know how your OBD II read works out. I tried 2 different readers and got nothing on the alarms or door latches. If you get a hit, I'd love to know what it is and with which reader.

Hi, OBD II scan revealed...nothing. In the interim, I lubricated all latches and did some door slamming. So far, the alarm hasn't popped since. Regards, Maitai

My daughter's '06 Escape: I removed the back door panels and peeled back the plastic sheet from the rear part of the door where the latch is. Without removing the latch, I found the two thinner wires and put a simple blue "displacement connector" on them. You can buy them almost anywhere. Done. Now the system always thinks the back doors are closed because the connector is making the closed circuit that the microswitch is failing to do. Let me know if you want a photo. So cheap. So simple.

@marktoo I would love to see a picture of this if you don't mind! I am now having the same problem with my car going off while I am working (small building with parking lot very close) very disturbing to my work.

Ah! I see I can add a photo here. This first one show one of the back door sockets un-cliped from the latch mechanism and the connector applied to the two thin wires.

Ah... no. That first one was the clip on the wires while it was still inside the door. Here's another view, with the harness decoupled from the latch. In any case, you do no need to remove the latch. Heck, you probably don't even need to lubricate it. A note on the front doors: all four wires are wrapped in a black outer layer of tape or something similar. You will need to peel this back to find the two THIN wires.

Hello @Dennis, I am happy to report that I followed your instructions on replacing the door latch and applied them to the passenger door, thus far al seems to be going great. I have a 2005 Escape Hybrid, the pointers to those videos were spot on and the Doorman piece fit just perfectly. :) thanks for all the writing.

@dansit - wonderful news that that your latch replacement worked. Thanks for letting me know that the information was helpful!! :) For the others who bypassed the switch by connecting the latch switch wires together, that will also do the trick to keep the alarm from randomly sounding, but it also means the interior light won't come on when that door is opened, and that door is bypassed from an alarm perspective (if someone breaks in through that door, the alarm will not know it and it will not go off). If folks are okay with losing those features, that is a cheaper fix. For our family, we wanted to keep them... especially the interior light control so I didn't go down that path myself.

Class action suit is warranted.

Is there a way to just disable the alarm? I don't need an alarm. Door locks will suffice, i just want to stop the alarm.

I sent an email to Ford.ca on Friday and got an email back from them this morning. Apparently they won't fix this problem under a warranty or a safety issue. They literally said that Transport Canada is the one who issues the Re-Calls on vehicles and they didn't see one for this problem. I think that Ford doesn't know what the specific problem is so they aren't doing anything about it. It is frustrating to say the least.

I have the same problem! Outrageous that it was never recalled and corrected! I have also emailed Ford in the hopes that they will do something! Thank-you all for your tips on fixing this though!

holy geeze! I had this problem with my car a few yrs ago and now it is happening again! my husband had a friend test the car it was the rear passenger door. luckily my husband is a mechanic and he opened the door panel and i think he bypassed the senser on that door. it still locks and everything. But now a few yrs later it is doing it again! even worse then before! I noticed it started in august agter my nephew was sitting in the back seat and had the window down. ever since then it has gotten progressively worse to the point the alram goes off as soon as it shuts off it goes off again! tried the air in the doors, disconnecting the battery. ugh! I think the door on the other side behind the driver now has a problem. ford should have did a recall and fixed this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love my escape! but ford company its self really sucks.. oh by they way they have transmission problems too! lost my trnasmission woth only 53,000 mile ad to drop a rebuilt in 4500 bucks later. their was metal in the trany something broke down inside the treany itslef causing the problem when my car was in there for the trany so were 3 others!!!!!! and i work for aaa i hear it all the time car moves won't drive.... fordd tansmissions suck! another thing they should stand by nad correct but don't.

I read this post and others for a year because of the same problem on my 2005 Escape. Random alarming, 2 dead batteries in 8 months. Eventually I ended up stranded when the anti theft (PATS) system immobilized my Escape. When that happens the car thinks it's being stolen and won't allow engine start. It's turned out to be a PCM problem. Will repost when I get the part and results.

Well, I have a ford escape. Thought I solved the problem Disconnected the horn. .but now the lights come on and wear by battery down. I'll read this site to try to figure it out...

Let me tell you a funny story but not funny story!! I had the right rear door latch changed out and it didn't fix the problem. Go back to the dealership and asked them now what since your 765.00 fix didn't work. They said they would have to do some checking. Go back to get my vehicle after a servicing and they said to me, want to hear a funny story? Okay I'll bite...they then proceed to tell me that they changed out the wrong latch. They changed the Left Rear Door not the Right! So now I sit and wait for that part to come in and try it all over again with the Dealership picking up the cost. Wish me luck!!! :-)

Paddydog, I have noticed if the horn goes off and you let it shut itself off the 4-way flashers front and back go on. The only way I could get them to stop flashing was to put the key in the ignition and turn to auxiliary. Then I went through the menu looking for clues and that is when it tells me to reset by opening and closing rear right door. Then good again for a little bit.

@ Paddydog - nope, disconnecting the horn won't resolve the problem and I'm sorry that you've found out why... @ MDBallie1955 Oh no... sorry about that. Please let us know if the right rear door latch replacement does the trick.

I have done it all except replace the latches. I have cleaned, I have vacuumed, I have sprayed air into the latches, I have lubed the latches, slammed the doors and nothing works. Lately, while I am driving, the inside lights are coming on like when you open the doors. I have disconnected the horn but I still have my marker lights front and rear blinking when the vehcile reads that a door is open.

I was told that the dealership should be paying the costs because it is a safety feature. Due to it saying rear right door on mine is open, and if I don't check it, that door could open and someone could fall out. But FORD themselves the big kahoonas say it isn't a safety feature and won't pay anything. I told them point blank...figure this out or I will never buy another FORD Vehicle again!

Have you heard anything back yet?

No I haven't. Going to call the mechanic next week see if they got the right part in yet. I'm becoming an unhappy customer!!! :-(

I understand the frustration of the folks who share this problem as I too was frustrated trying to figure out what the problem was. Once I did though, it was a pretty easy fix and cost about $100... which is less than the cost of a battery... in a 10 year old car... I've seen worse. Part numbers, videos, and how to descriptions are all included above. If you're okay with disabling the switch in the latch to fix the problem (which doesn't alter the ability of the door to latch and lock), there are also instructions on how to do that for almost no cost. Anyway, it's been about one year since I replaced our latch and we've been problem free since then. The Escape has continued to provide reliable and problem free service. I'm still very grateful for the time and effort others put in to updating this string as it really helped me work through our problem in a positive and proactive manner.

Glad to hear Dennis that it worked. Hopefully when the Dealership changes mine (for free) that it works as well. Your answer just jogged my memory to call Ford to find out if they got my latch in yet. Glad your frustration is gone! :-)

Well, now that spring arrived, the car alarm (door ajar indicator light) issue has come back. Still not interested in shelling out the $100+ to get the replacement part. So this year I just followed the no-cost, bypass method. Was done in under 30 minutes at no cost. The only drawback is that the rear right passenger door does not have the light come on when it is opened, and of course if there is a forced entry thru that door, it won't set the alarm off. No big deal for us. I'll paste the youtube video that I used as a reference, below; but essentially you will need a thin copper wire, about an 1 to 1 1/4 inches long and have it bent in a wide-U shape. Nothing thicker than copper telephone wire. I used 4 pieces of bare, strand wire, combined and twisted and snipped it to about an inch in length. This thin wire will connect the black/white line to the pink line just below it (this is described more exactly in the video). This tricks the sensor into thinking the door is closed. Easy access is shown in the video. I did it a few weeks ago. Problem solved. Just be sure you get a tight fit when you "jump" the terminals. And like so many others are reporting, it was the rear-right door. Here is the youtube ink I used. (There is another link out there that describes the same process, but it uses the terminals at the latch, but I prefer the location referred to in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV1r9wUy6_M) Hope this helps anyone dealing with this headache.

Given the age group of these escapes and the fact that 6 relays (4 doors, hatch & hood) could be causing it, you could spend a lot of money on these. I'd try cleaning them, first, then bypassing. If that doesn't work, or you don't have the skills or time to bypass, consider just disconnecting the horn (1 wire, front left bumper), or perhaps just pull the fuse (reconnect for inspections). If you are driving a 2005-7 Escape, you are either a college student or FRUGAL, so don't pay the dealer.

Really funny as I am reading your response my horn goes off!! Go Figure! Mine is a 2006 Escape and definitely not a college student. Now that the United States has released the parts after they fixed all the recalls down there, my part finally arrived today and is being fixed tomorrow. This one is a freebee because I paid for the first one and they changed the wrong door. So Ford is picking up the $765.00 cost on this one. After this fix it better work or I will be wringing someone's neck!!

I have been having the same issues, passenger door ajar. I was at the point to where I didn't lock it, left the lights off etc. Two nights ago I found someone had stolen my stereo and left a knife in my side console. Kind of creepy so I'm going to see about getting it fixed. I see people getting different items. Does anyone know about the passenger front door and which part to fix the ajar message?

Woohoo! 2 years of my car randomly beeping and alarming are now fixed with a strategically placed copper wire. Thanks to the youtube video (by Mike Bragg ) listed in this thread. I didn't even get my hands dirty, but I did break a nail. WELL WORTH IT! Also, a big shout out to Dennis, who figured out the more expensive, but more thorough repair. (I'll do that repair next if I need to.) I'm so unimpressed by the way Ford has done nothing. At the very least they could offer a small piece of copper wire and some decent instructions. But, alas, they make it someone else's problem. THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE FOR MANAGING THIS ISSUE THAT FORD COULDN'T BE BOTHERED WITH. THOUSANDS OF FORD OWNERS ARE GRATEFUL. (and thinking about buying a different brand next time-LOL)

Hello, like many of you on this forum, my 2007 Hyundai Tucson started randomly alarming any time after midnight. I found something that might work for everyone, its worth a try? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmOY-fygOrA Basically the video is suggesting to spray latch switch to the hatch door, generally with WD-30, then open and close the hatch multiple times (20x or more), if this doesn't fix the problem, the suggestion is to spray all of the door latches (open and close), and hopefully this will fix the problem. there many who had viewed this video and this method fixed their problem. Good luck and please post if this fixes the problem.

I did that and it didn't work. The only thing that has worked for me is physically having the latches changed out. So far I haven't had anymore problems.

This is happening on our 2016 Escape. Alarm going off in the evening for no apparent reason. Not getting any door ajar indicators on. No lights coming on except outside signals and horn blaring. Its a week wait just to get into the dealership. Think I will take it to my neighborhood mechanic. Still under warranty, but since its had collision repair, most likely wont be covered.

If you live in the United States there has now been a recall on the newer vehicles that are having this problem. Older vehicles they don't. If you live in Canada there is no recalls unless that has changed recently. I have had two door latches changed. The first one because the dealership changed the wrong latch and the second one the correct latch that was giving us warning info. Since that was changed all has been good until last week now my horn has gone off 3 times in two weeks with no notification what it is. Mine is a 2006 Escape.

2005 Escape. Door ajar light was sporadically wacky when driving about 3 times over 6 months but didn't think much of it. Then last week the alarm started going off constantly. Tried manually locking all the doors last week but came home tonight to a dead battery. Battery replaced and bulbs taken out of overhead lights. I think I have to take it in if the battery is being drained, but am worried mechanic won't be able to totally fix it. Should I call ford?

Good Luck, no one seems to know why Escapes do this. I have been told to clean locking mechanism, and did that. Was told to slam the doors, did that. Been told all kinds of things did them all. It is a design flaw and Ford won't do a damn thing. It is going to cost you to have it fixed. I took the fuse out for the horn so at least I can get a good nights sleep and my neighbors also.

From my answer about a month ago where the horn started going off again but wasn't giving me a reason.....now when the horn goes off and I let it shut itself off, I have to go out and open the door so the 4-way flashers go off or it will drain the battery. But now when I do that it tells me that there is a passenger door open but doesn't tell me which one. I think that Ford doesn't want to fix them so you will go buy a new vehicle. I don't know if my next vehicle will be a Ford or not.

After talking to my father I think I understand the issue better. He thinks it is an electric module because all the sensors go back to these things. He thinks that the broken door sensor is causing the car to think that a door has been opened causing the alarm to go off at night. When the alarm goes off the overhead lights stayed on draining the battery. We scheduled an appointment with a ford dealer for a diagnostic. I'm nervous they're going to fiddle with the latches rather than the sensors. Has anyone had this fixed successfully? I think I'm just going to have to be aggressive about what I want focused on.

Sorry to hear about your problem. Many of us have tried lots of things. For my 2006 Ford Escape, initially I took it to the dealer. I paid $650.00 to fix the front passenger door sensor. 2 weeks later it started again. I called and had told them about all the other people having the same problem. They didn't care, just wanted me to come back and see which door it was this time. Sometimes it seemed seasonal. I made a practice of locking the steering wheel when I locked up. Often when it went off the wheel hadn't been locked. Later it started reading a door ajar when I moved the seat forward or back. Adjusting the seat would make the door ajar light go off. I found out my seat and the door ajar lights were on the same fuse. The fuse didn't look bad nor did I change it. Then finally it just kept happening more often. I couldn't handle it and we finally we got rid of the car because of an engine problem. Good riddance. I didn't get another Ford either. Maybe if there had been more of a safety issue with it they would have done a recall. I could have said my people were threatening me.... Many did complain.

Maybe I'll try calling Ford tomorrow. If they know this problem they should at least tell me more about the fix that I'm going to have to pay for. I'll happily pay if it works, but I'll be livid if it doesn't and the alarm is going off this weekend again.

took my 2007 escape to ford twice. their diagnostics and inspection showed nothing. i asked if i would disconnect the battery to reset computer.they said they would reset the computer for me .it's been 2 months and so far so good .if disconnecting the battery resets the computer it's worth a try.ask somebody if that's what happens .i won't go back to this ford dealer again for repairs it was a waste of time and money

That's what started my problems in the first place. I got a new battery. It was after that I started having problems. So you are saying they should reset the computer and things will start working or again? Or should I say all the headaches will go away?

i don't know if disconnecting battery resets computer ;it's what i was told . dealer did the reset .i don't know what they did . i only know their diagnostics didn't show anything twice and they had know answers .i suggested the reset and they did it.

Very Interesting...I may have to mention it to the mechanic next time I go for an oil change.

If your problem is the sensor in the door actuator (latch assembly) then you will get door ajar messages on your dashboard. My 2007 shows which door is ajar so there's no guesswork involved. The trick is getting it to go off while you're in the car driving. The passenger rear is by far the most likely culprit. That's the first one that failed on my vehicle a couple of years ago and many others who have posted here and on other sites. The front passenger door actuator failed on my 2007 this year and the hardest part was getting the aftermarket (Dorman) actuator assembly because they had a shortage this spring. I will tell you based on my experience that WD-40, Silicone Lube, Compressed Air, and slamming the door a bunch of times will do you little to no good and may actually cause more problems. The only true solution is to buy a new aftermarket (Dorman) or genuine Ford actuator assembly and replace the defective unit because it's either contaminated or worn out. The wire bypass option is a workaround if you can't afford the real solution. Pricing depends on which route you take (DIY - $113-$156 per door or Mechanic/Dealer - $250-$700 per door parts & labor). If you want to DIY then search DormanProducts.com and find the part number, then go to Amazon or eBay to purchase. Go to YouTube for How-To videos and study those before you start and have them handy while you're out in the car doing the work. The tools you need are pretty basic and you'll see that in the videos. If you're even a little bit handy, have enough strength in your hands to pop a plastic door panel off a door (I'm a desk jockey and I've done it twice now), want to save hundreds of dollars, tired of an embarrassing random car horn going off, and don't mind getting a little dirty, then this is probably worth your time and effort. I've had zero problems with the doors after installing the aftermarket door actuators/latches and they come with lifetime warranties, so your risk of loss ($$$) is minimal.

You will notice that it goes off after cooler evenings and once the sun begins to shine on it. If it is a dark colored car, the sun heating up the outside makes the hood expand while the inside stays cool, this creates a gap in the sensor so the alarm goes off.

Just to follow up on what we did, we took it in to our local mechanic and he disabled the alarm, and flicked a switch (?) to make the car think the doors are closed all the time now. This has fixed the problem for now, without really giving me comfort that the car is long for this world though. Thanks for all the input!! We would have wasted a ton of time and money without it.

I too have the very same problem. I love my vehicle ( 2007 Escape) but this horn (panic alarm) and now I have seen the door ajar light come and chime as well as my interior lights (the ones in front of the moon roof). I did book an appt today with a very well reputable mechanic. He did ask though if I will have the part!?? I did some driving around town and researched Google. It's about the same price here....in Canada. It around $250 for the part and $75 in labour. Although he felt bad and I'm convinced it's the rear passengar door latch he wants to inspect it first. He said why spend all that money on a part?? I do see his point of view. Just meaning to look at the guts of this part and go from there. Dennis, so much thanks to you as I have myself followed this thread to try and understand it all...for a better part of a year. I also prefer my vehicle working at its best. I did take out the fuse for the horn (panic mode on vehicle) but I also truly miss the horn. I live in Canada and bought my vehicle at 73,500 KM. That was in July of 2012 and it's now at 111, 470 Km. Please help!!!

Be glad that is all it is costing you. When they changed my door latch first the changed the wrong one and charged me $750.00. Then when it was discovered they changed the wrong latch they wanted me to pay it again at that price. I told them they screwed up they can pay the price of the second one or I would never buy another FORD Product again!!!....They covered the cost of the second latch. Hmm I wonder why.

@Md, not so sure what it will cost me. But wow, 750 a latch is very pricey. Are you in the States?? Just asking....Question?? How does one know if its in fact the correct latch to replace?. Yes, I do hear you about the issue. Darn Fords!!! Lol

Hi CatBow49 no I live in Canada. I knew it was the right rear door latch because it told me in the car menu digital screen.

Sorry to ask MD, but what exactly is the car menu digital Screen?? My Handbook seems to cover all makes and models however it does say....if applicable

I have a 2006 Ford Escape and by the radio there are buttons like "menu", "setup" etc. I hit those buttons and where it shows the average fuel consumption etc (behind steering wheel in the dash), when the horn goes off it will tell me in that little screen what door is causing the problem.

ours is a2007 escape .i took it do the dealer and twice his analysis showed no problems .i suggested resetting the computer because i read that somewhere.i thought that i could just disconnect the battery and the computer would reset itself. he saiid they would reset the computer ; i don't know exactly what they did but there has been no horn sounding since then

can I just cut alarm wire ? was told one is in stereo, or is it by resivour in hood

@ MD & Lazzer, I thought I was going to get it fixed for 250$ plus 75$ in labour. Well, that fella did not want to trust the instincts I had about it being the 'right rear passenger door latch' (actuator). He is an older mechanic and believed it was best to bypass that door first. I did not want that as I wanted the vehicle in its original state. So....I called Napa and they had the Dorman part in stock at their Warhouse.

Continued....and I meant Warehouse!! So I did buy the part and had a coworkers hubby put in the new latch. I am very happy to say that it's been Great and alarm free since having it fixed. That was about 2 weeks ago. What a pleasure to sleep at night, lol. In total the part and labour was around 450$. Well worth getting it repaired properly

i also have 2007 escape same problem alarm kept going off i have finally fixed it here how most time the door aljar came on while driving no alarm they when i parked the alarm wouid go this is how i found the door ajar light came on while driving i pulled over right away opened every door one by one pushed door latch down with hand while doors were open to see which one would still cause door ajar would u are doing is tricking computor to think all doors are close did this as i stated one door at a time got to rear passenger and door ajar stayed on so i bypassed that sensor by joining black and white wire with oink and terquios wire alarm hasnt went off in a week and it was going off 2 to 3 times a day hope this helps

I followed BensonTech's advice and handled the rear passenger side door. I was not sure if the rear passengers side door was the issue, because the instrument panel does not specify which door is open ... just that one of them is open. I looked on Amazon and the part I needed was $157. A little steep as the other door locks were $110, but I'm sure it had something to do with supply and demand. Anyway, I bought the part on a whim, hope and a prayer. I'm not what anyone would call mechanically inclined but it took my about an hour taking the old part out and about 30 minutes putting it back. Pretty straight forward process to be honest. All is well now, the alarm still works, except now it works when it should and not randomly as it was before. Good luck if you decide to take this on.

I have the same problem! My alarm goes off for no reason. I fixed the problem!!! When you exit the car just push the lock button on door handle. This lock is not hook to the alarm system. If other people leave car from other doors just have then push their lock button at handle.

my Escape is a 2014...and it has been doing the random alarm for about a year. No rhyme or reason. So it is not just 2005-07

I have a 2006 escape and have been fighting with this problem for over three years. Finally figured out the other day like GuruX98SL said. Lock the doors manually USING THE LOCK BUTTONS BY THE DOOR HANDLES and the alarm doesn’t set. Do not use the key fob, or the electric door lock switches.

I have a 2005 Escape XLT and it has that intermittent alarm problem. I suspect it is at least partially temperature sensitive. Mine seems to alarm when the outside ambient temp is either rising or falling. It happens in the evening when it turns cool after a warm day or when warming up in the sun after a cool or cold night.

2006 Ford Escape XLT, ordered a right rear latch today but going to try GuruSYNH9 trick too.

Locking the door inside has stop the alarm issue and the Dorman 937-641 Door Lock Actuator from RockAuto came today. Will get it put in this week and hope for the best as I could not get FORScan to find the bad lock.

If you sit in your Escape and close all the doors, then arm the alarm using your fob, wait about 30 seconds to a minute and then open one of the doors. If that door is functioning properly then the alarm should start beeping. Do this procedure for each of the doors, until you open one and the alarm doesn't go sound. This will be the door that needs worked on then.

We change out the right rear door latch today and change out the hood ajar switch a few weeks ago

Would removing the Fuse to the Alarm stop it from going off and setting the dome light to the off position to keep the Battery from Draining?

Read up to see how to lock the door inside the car.

The 4th answer in this thread from mpisfc worked for me like a charm. I had sprayed lube on all the latches with no luck and was getting ready to take panels off doors when I looked at this thread again and saw her hood latch tip. With her description it was easy to find near the washer bottle. It was easy to disconnect and the contacts on the connector were very oily and dirty. A quick spray of electrical contact cleaner and wala! Seems to be fixed as it was going off several times a day and has not for a week now. Thank you mpisfc!

Hello Papawrench, I did have a new accutator (spelling??) Installed by a private person, saved an abundance amount of money...put in my right rear door. Just went by my gut instincts and reading this thread. I believe it was a nice Dennis follower that did this to his daughters Escape. Worked like charm...for a bit. Lol. I am now experiencing again a panic noise. Seems to only be when the weather is warmer. Would you please send me, or copy and paste this 4th answer to me?? Please.

And I am CatBow49 in the thread. Ugggh, do not know why it’s appearing differently

My car alarm had the exact problem; clean or replace the hood ajar sensor located right next to the windshield washer resevoir. I little rubber nub. I never even knew mine was there. I cleaned it and so far so good. You could also just purchase a new one, easy to replace with a 10mm socket. I've replaced a door latch, hatch latch and rear hatch sensor and after almost $800 paid the repair shop, it appears I fixed it myself.

@ papawrench can you post a picture of what this "nub" looks like and where it's located? I looked next to the windshield washer resevoir and did not see anything. thank you

Hood Ajar Indicator Switch at RockAuto

@ Erin, not sure if my user name shows up...I’m CatBow49. I did switch out my right rear door accutator. I have no messages that show up on my menu within the radio area. Please see my previous replies. I also cleaned my hood ajar sensor nub as papawrench suggested, rubbing alcohol does the trick. I found it difficult to find the rubbing alcohol for a bit with this pandemic. It worked great and did the trick for a wee while. It started alarming again since the beginning of summer, usually when the weather went warmer. I began to LOCK any doors that were opened, manually. I have stopped using the fob entirely!! So far so good since mid July. No alarm going off is such a relief! Also, my fob worked well when I was within about 25 feet of the vehicle. I couldn’t shut off the alarm from inside my house. I have truly found this thread/forum to be the best for the older Escapes. Mine is a 2007 XLT, approximately $600 put into it yearly since I’ve owned it (2012-July). It then had 73,500 kms on it, it now has 124,115 kms. I still love my Escape!! Best of luck to you!!

I have a 2006 Escape. I shorted the switches as in an earlier post, but did not tear the doors apart. I inserted little jumpers in the connectors in the wiring to the doors, which is accessible when the doors are open. the connector just unplugs. You have to identify the correct wires, and just slip a small, 22 gage jumper between the pin. I did this to try to diagnose the failing switch. Over a period of weeks I removed one at a time (all because the damned ECM does not recode which door is failing (door ajar) Ford engineers UGG! The down side to this is it takes time and the interior lights won't come on when you open the door at night.....but you don't have to take the doors apart. Mine turned out to be the lift gate. I replaced the latch for about $20. Good luck. I recently removed the read door jumpers and the alarm problem it back....Think I will just put the jumpers back in.