How to Lubricate the Sliding Door on a Van

Does your van door groan or squeak every time it opens or closes? Do you dread using the automatic sliding door because you fear it will give out at any moment? Perform this preventative maintenance to lubricate the door so that it will last for years to come!

The reason most automatic sliding doors on vehicles fail is that someone pulls on the door when the motor is trying to move it in the opposite direction. So avoid doing that if possible! Another common reason is that the bearings dry out and get full of dust and sand over the years and eventually fail. Lubricating the bearings on the doors will help to give it smooth operation for years to come.

The procedure shown here is on a 2006 Toyota Sienna, but the ideas and techniques should apply to most van sliding doors.

Tools and Materials:

• rag
• silicone spray lubricant

Step-by-Step Procedure:

The first step is to get a hold of some silicone spray, like this stuff for example.

Open the sliding door and locate the bearing near the bottom.

Take a rag and wipe out as much dust dirt and debris as you can from the track.

Once the track is cleaned out, take the silicone spray and spray the bearings.

It helps if you have a straw on the spray can to direct it toward the bearing.

Give a short shot of silicone spray onto the bearing and let it soak in, then wipe away the excess.

Now move on to the middle track and repeat the process. Position the rag underneath where you are spraying to catch any drips and runs.

After that, move to the top track.

When they have all been lubricated, exercise the door a few times by opening and closing it.

Then move on to the other door.

That’s it! I hope you have found this useful to extend the life of your automatic sliding doors!

Checkout more maintenance tips for your Toyota Sienna here.

Tools and Materials Used:

• Rag
• silicone spray lube