Wind caught my Transit door and broke the check strap - what needs replacing?

A door check strap is a wear item on a van. With a tall body, a gust of wind can throw the door fully open and tear the strap, or in a worse case bend the metal around the hinges. After this happens, inspect three areas: the check strap itself, which must be replaced because it cannot be repaired; its mounting points in the pillar and door, as a torn mounting must be reinforced or the new strap will pull out again; and the hinges, which can develop play after a strong jolt. One useful detail for Transit Custom owners is that Ford fitted longer check straps to early 2012-2013 vehicles. After a series of doors were torn from their stops, the straps were shortened during warranty repairs. The doors now open a few centimetres less, but more safely.