Why won't my Chevy Uplander's power sliding door close, and why won't the chime stop?

Short answer: On the Uplander, a power sliding door that won't close, reverses on its own, or keeps the door-ajar chime going is often caused by dirty or worn electrical contacts. These are the contacts between the door and the B-pillar (the post behind the front door). Owners say cleaning the contacts and doing a reset fixes many. Others needed a relay, a lock actuator, or a door seal.

Symptom: The door starts to close and then reopens, won't close at all by power, or the van chimes constantly as if a door is open.

What to check first

1. Clean the contact plate and pins where the sliding door meets the B-pillar. A dealer tech suggested fine steel wool.
2. Reset the system: pull the power sliding door (PSD) fuse for about 30 seconds, then cycle the door twice with the overhead switch. One owner's van used fuse #25 near the glove box.
3. Pull the PSD fuse to stop nonstop chimes until you can fix it.
4. Check the door seal and rear hinge for wear that keeps the door from closing fully.
5. Check your VIN for open recalls.

Likely causes

1. Dirty or worn B-pillar contacts. The most common fix owners report.
2. Bad relay or control module. One owner needed a relay.
3. Failed door lock actuator. Can keep the door from latching.
4. Worn door seal or rear hinge. Can stop the door from fully closing.

What it usually costs

Owners reported a $200 relay part and a $365 unlock actuator. A dealer may need its scan tool to relearn the door after repairs.

Is it safe to keep driving?

Yes, as long as the door is fully latched. If it won't latch, don't carry passengers next to it, and don't drive with it open. Verify with a mechanic.

DIY or shop?

DIY for cleaning contacts and the fuse reset. Relays, actuators and relearning are usually dealer or shop jobs.

Recalls, bulletins and complaints in plain words

• No sliding door recall found for these years. NHTSA's Uplander recalls cover other items, such as a second-row seat release (05V061). If your car is part of a recall, the dealer fixes it for free.
• NHTSA complaints: 152 keyword-matched complaints for Chevrolet Uplander 2005–2009 (of 584 unique complaints queried, NHTSA complaints API by model year, queried 2026-10-22; keywords: sliding door, power door, door ajar, chime, door won't open or close). This counts complaints that mention these words. It is not a defect finding.

What owners report

• In Uplander power sliding doors on ChevroletForum, owners described doors that wouldn't close or reopened, plus door-ajar chimes, after repeated dealer visits. On page 5, a dealer tech advised cleaning the B-pillar contact plate and pins with steel wool. Owners also reported a bad relay ($200 part), an unlock actuator ($365), a scan tool relearn, and a worn door seal and rear hinge.
• In Incessant chimes on ChevroletForum, a 2006 owner had nonstop chimes. Members said to pull the PSD fuse (#25 by the glove box) to stop it, clean the contacts, and reset by pulling the fuse for 30 seconds, then cycling the door twice with the overhead switch.

Quick tip

Before paying for parts on a minivan power door, clean the contacts and do the fuse reset. It costs nothing.

Vehicle focus: 2005–2009 Chevrolet Uplander with power sliding doors. Pontiac Montana SV6, Saturn Relay and Buick Terraza share the design.

Safety / mechanic note

A door that isn't fully latched can open while driving. Verify with a mechanic.