Patent ID: 6588829
Filing Date: 2003-07-08
Classification: B60J,E05F,E05Y

Abstract:
In a vehicle having a body, a sliding door system and a fuel door, the sliding door system including a door assembly slidably interconnected with the body, a power door drive assembly having a drive motor for driving the door assembly between an open position and a closed position under a source of power, a power latching mechanism for engaging an element carried by the body, and an interior door handle for manually controlling the latching mechanism from an interior side of the body of the vehicle, the fuel door coupled to the body and operable in a first condition wherein the fuel door is substantially flush to the body and the fuel door operable in a second condition wherein the fuel door extends from the body into a path of the door assembly, a method for controlling the operation of the power sliding door system comprising:determining whether the fuel door is in the second condition by providing a fuel door switch operative for generating a fuel door sensor signal and generating the fuel door sensor signal when the fuel door is placed in the second condition; and inhibiting the sliding door system from operating in a power-operated mode if the fuel door is in the second condition.