You really have to ask does anyone from Swift read this Forum?
They should be ashamed !
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Swift Challenger Locking Door
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They should be ashamed !
No such thing as "sold as seen" if buying from a dealer.
Tried exactly like this and the door lock still didn’t close properly, and I flipped the recess section around. Had the exact same issue after the guy on video flipped it
Maybe it’s another trip to the dealer after all, which is a shame as it just needs a file down then the lock would pass over. Still needs a good pull / slam to engage
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Was it heavily discounted because the door wouldn’t lock?
Ok travelled to the dealership in Scotland today to point out the door snag.
The Tech came out and said it was normal for Swift users to slam the door so the lock mechanism can engage. I said it wasn’t good for the neighbours hearing that at 11pm at night, he sort of gave the look of ‘why should we be so bothered about others..’
Can any of you who are in their Swift caravan please take a photo of their mechanism and advise if it’s the same as ours and have you got to slam the door for the 2 silver bolts to engage and lock?
The Tech came out and said it was normal for Swift users to slam the door so the lock mechanism can engage. I said it wasn’t good for the neighbours hearing that at 11pm at night, he sort of gave the look of ‘why should we be so bothered about others..’
Can any of you who are in their Swift caravan please take a photo of their mechanism and advise if it’s the same as ours and have you got to slam the door for the 2 silver bolts to engage and lock?
We have a Swift. . I was concerned about slamming the door. Or worried about the strain on the handle when trying to shut quietly. . A bit of silicone spray on the latch made it shut easier. . .
Mel
Moderator
As I mentioned before ours ( Swift Alpine 2) was a slammer until we turned the latch plate around; now it just needs a definite pull, rather than a slam.
Our mechanism is exactly the same as yours. Van in storage so can’t do photo at present.
BTW I found out about the latch plate being the wrong way around on Facebook posts in two Swift and Swift/Sprite owners groups. It is a common issue. If you are on FB, it may be worth a trawl.
Mel
Our mechanism is exactly the same as yours. Van in storage so can’t do photo at present.
BTW I found out about the latch plate being the wrong way around on Facebook posts in two Swift and Swift/Sprite owners groups. It is a common issue. If you are on FB, it may be worth a trawl.
Mel
Mel
Moderator
Yes he has but in his case it still needed a slam as per the video I posted.
Mel
Yes will try Mel, but not sure if they will fix this!
I would need to have someone upload a Swift caravan on their door so I can send him an example. He was very adamant you do need to slam the door..
I also checked another brand new Swift at the dealership and they too had the plate reversed, and the door had to be slammed shut.
I would need to have someone upload a Swift caravan on their door so I can send him an example. He was very adamant you do need to slam the door..
I also checked another brand new Swift at the dealership and they too had the plate reversed, and the door had to be slammed shut.
Great British craftmanship at its best! The best carp.
I have asked my brother , who has a 2023 Swift if he can send me a couple of pictures of his lock. He says he has to pull it really hard to get the pins to close properly.
I happened to visit a certain dealership on the outskirts of Shrewsbury for some odds and ends from the accessories shop yesterday. While there we looked at some caravans (after promising each other we wouldn't make any rash purchasing decisions).
Some of the vans we looked at were Swifts and that reminded me of this thread so I started checking the door locks, all had the strike plates how yours were originally. I didn't try shutting any doors though.
The strike plate on my 2024 is also fitted the original 'wrong' way. I expect they all come out of the factory like that, and actually it will be in the manufacturing specification that the lock assembly is put together that way as standard by Swift's supplier when they ship it to them.
I'm more of the opinion now that that is the 'correct' way.
When we're inside the van, we normally just pull the door gently to the first latch position. We don't attempt to lock it - why would you when you're inside anyway? There's enough of a detent that the door is never going to blow open (though if the weather is really wild then I might slam the door shut so I can lock it).
When we're not in the van, we always close the door firmly, compressing the rubber seals, and lock it. It's totally a good thing that it takes some force to squeeze the rubber seal so that it limits water ingress when towing or in wild weather. Really it's the locking pins that do the main job of holding the compressed position, but it helps that the latch is holding the door in tightly because then the locking pins are engaged easily with the key. If the strike plate is adjusted so that the door is not held in as tightly, then you might be relying on the locking pins twisted by the key to pull it in the last couple of mm.
Having said all that, the assembly is good in that it provides options for people to adjust to suit their own preferences!
I'm more of the opinion now that that is the 'correct' way.
When we're inside the van, we normally just pull the door gently to the first latch position. We don't attempt to lock it - why would you when you're inside anyway? There's enough of a detent that the door is never going to blow open (though if the weather is really wild then I might slam the door shut so I can lock it).
When we're not in the van, we always close the door firmly, compressing the rubber seals, and lock it. It's totally a good thing that it takes some force to squeeze the rubber seal so that it limits water ingress when towing or in wild weather. Really it's the locking pins that do the main job of holding the compressed position, but it helps that the latch is holding the door in tightly because then the locking pins are engaged easily with the key. If the strike plate is adjusted so that the door is not held in as tightly, then you might be relying on the locking pins twisted by the key to pull it in the last couple of mm.
Having said all that, the assembly is good in that it provides options for people to adjust to suit their own preferences!
Very interesting thread as I have exactly this issue on our 2019 Swift Challenger 480 and have always thought, "this can't be right!!".
When we viewed the van at the dealership prior to purchase I noticed that I had to slam the door to get it to close properly, (sometimes having to make 2 or 3 attempts), and mentioned it to the sales guy who said it wasn't faulty and gave it a right good 'slam' which of course closed it. I accepted his explanation thinking that I had been over gentle as I hate using excessive force on anything mechanical especially where plastic is involved!!
I'll check our plate to see if its been fitted incorrectly when I next visit the van in storeage and report back very soon.
When we viewed the van at the dealership prior to purchase I noticed that I had to slam the door to get it to close properly, (sometimes having to make 2 or 3 attempts), and mentioned it to the sales guy who said it wasn't faulty and gave it a right good 'slam' which of course closed it. I accepted his explanation thinking that I had been over gentle as I hate using excessive force on anything mechanical especially where plastic is involved!!
I'll check our plate to see if its been fitted incorrectly when I next visit the van in storeage and report back very soon.
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The fault (along with a couple others) have now been accepted by the dealership.
looking at the lock plate when the door is just about closed, it's definetely not fitted correctly.
If you have a look at the image below. The lock plate is roughly 1/2cm lower, which stops the actual lock snib from engaging properly. I'm sure the dealership said they will try lowering the plate first, which will presumaby allow the lock to engage more easily without slamming the door every time.... which I know is wrong
looking at the lock plate when the door is just about closed, it's definetely not fitted correctly.
If you have a look at the image below. The lock plate is roughly 1/2cm lower, which stops the actual lock snib from engaging properly. I'm sure the dealership said they will try lowering the plate first, which will presumaby allow the lock to engage more easily without slamming the door every time.... which I know is wrong
Progress of sorts but from some of your previous posts, and others I wonder how Swift got it so wrong?
Probably the same guy signing off all the caravans thinking its correct 😉
1. Close door (check)
2. Door Closes (check)
3. Door Opens (check) all complete
4. Seats fold up....
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