Driver's door won't open

[yowie]

Hi and apologies if I missed a relevant thread but can't find the answer to this anywhere.

My Mk3 five door GL TDI driver's door will not open either from outside or inside.

The key works the lock in manual mode, the button goes up and down, but that's all. Passenger door lock needs a new key cylinder, (which I have a kit for but not fitted), so ATM the only way in is open the boot, pull up passenger side button, open pass. door and slide across. One of the few times I've been glad its an auto.

I can lock the car manually, using the key to lock the boot last. Ive looked through lots of you tube videos but none seem right for the car. Tried poking a bent wire in the handle as per one video but couldn't find anything to hook onto release it.

With the door in closed mode, I can't get into it at all, so I figure VW must have a release mechanism somewhere, they think of everything, right?

Needless to say, any advice would be a major improvement.

[yowie]

So far all I have is this... a bit drastic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-Z4GbzBqrE

[yowie]

So 65 views here and no clues.

I have been in for a minor op, but home and all good now. While I was away, the door lock buttons sucked down into the lock position. which says to me the vacuum system is good.

So I'm going to suspect the micro-switch once I get the door to open and can get at it. Tried wiggling a cut-off coathanger through the lock as per one you tube clip, but it didn't seem to do anything.

Might be calling the pros on this one Thanks for reading guys.

[feenix74]

Have had this happen to my CL three times during my 19.5 years of ownership. My VW specialist mechanic fixed it for me each time so I am not sure of the exact details of the fix but the way he explained it was that the mechanism seizes up with normal wear and tear and needs some lubrication periodically. I assumed that you need to get some WD40 or white lithium spray and spray the door latch mechanism. Worstcase would involve removing the door trim to lubricate all the door latch parts.

Pete Shelley at Canberra VW Centre is the man to talk to, he is the owner and fixed it for me the first two times before he seachanged down the coast to open up workshop #3 in Kiama. He is on this forum time to time and now runs the Newcastle workshop (workshop #4) http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/...op-112318.html. Pete might be able to give you some pointers over the phone if you give him a call.

[yowie]

Many thanks that's great.
Good to know.
I will be following up!

[Mk1sleeper]

I had it happen to my wife's Mk3 years ago, it's an easy fix once you get the door trim off!
Its a hard task with the door closed, but doable if you're patient.
then release the latch from inside the door, and free up the latch mech, it gets stiff and the handle mechs don't quite actuate it far enough to release. Getting the door trim off was a bastard, I can't recall if I had to remove anything to do the job!
Hope this helps,
Cheers, Scott.

[yowie]

Thanks for that Scott.

For a reason best known to itself, the driver's door decided to open this afternoon. It may have been the poking it got with a coathanger or the foul looks it was getting. Anyway, a T30 Torx and 45 degree key wiggle gets the outside handle off, squirt of liquid moly inside the inner door mechanism then replaced the handle. Now both the inside and outside door handles work.

Central locking is different story. I can now manually lock the driver's door with the key again, but have to go round and manually lock each of the other doors. Started pulling bits off the inner door but ran out of light and time.

I've looked through the Bentley manual and can't see a fuse for the central locking, (I thought if a micro-switch was gone it may show up as a blown fuse as well), so will pull stuff apart and see.

Cheers

[yowie]

I suspect this isn't as easy as it used to be

Anyway, Pulled the door apart and fixed the mechanical side of the lock with a bit of cleaning and lube. So the key works.

Separating the lock from the door is a pain.

The vacuum lock system still does not work however, so I've disconnected the pump, and the fuel filler lock so I can put fuel in, and am going to think about it.

The RHF door lock/actuator code is 1Ho 862154A, and is very simple compared to later models, but I'm not sure its the problem. Can't seem to locate a relevant fuse and when I pulled the lock apart everything seemed OK.

Apologies to those waiting with bated breath, been preoccupied with a skin graft on my ear which has prevented head down work.

More when I have news

[feenix74]

If the central locking system is not working then I believe the usual suspect is a leak in one or more of the vacuum hoses, which is to be expected due to the age of the Mk3s. Look for a perished vacuum hose.

[yowie]

Thanks, that looks like fun, pulling every bit of interior trim except the dash.
I'm going to ask an auto-electrician or a Vagcom-equipped person to see if there's a fault.
If that's all OK, will start into the irrigation system.

[yowie]

Fixed, at last.

I have spoken to a few people now and have found the following, in case anyone else has this issue.

First, Jimmy (Alba) local legend in Brisbane, who worked on Mk3's when they were new, said there is no VAGCom diagnosis for the auto door lock mechanism. Its either the pump, the door lock or an air leak in the tubes. He also said you can test the pump unit via the passenger door lock, which I replaced, including the entire handle as a previous owner had ground off the peg that the key centreing spring sits on so their dodgy bolt and nut was able to hold the cylinder in the door lock so its looked OK from the outside (!)

Second, the Bentley manual says to run a few tests, but if the issue is inside the door lock itself, replace the whole unit. I ran the tests and everything pointed to the lock micro-switches, or one of them.

Third, Matt at Camden GTI is a great source of parts. Mk3 door locking mechanisms are not the same across the years, so you need to make sure its a match. I sent Matt a pic and got the right part back, $80 inc postage and well-packed. Swapped the part out and its all good.

The only thing I didn't get to resolve was where the door lock mechanism links into the fuse box. Must be somewhere but I never found it and couldn't read it in Bentley's either; some of the wiring diagrams are in tiny-as writing, so I may have missed it.

I did manage to kick the brake light off-switch off its holder in front of the brake lever arm while I was poking around the fuses, resulting in the brake lights being ON permanently, but now I can fix that too

Thanks for your advice and support in here. Til next time I guess!

[feenix74]

Glad to read that you have sorted out the problem. I have to hit up Camden GTI for a new power steering rack for the Vento so I can get it on the road, once the teenagers have stopped costing me a fortune.

[dylan8]

Glad to see it worked out