mkIV golf gti central locking problems

[daniel7y]

hi all

i have a 2002 gti, and i've been having issues with the door locks, which have gotten progressively worse. at the moment the passenger side front door is permanently locked and can't be open with the remote or even manually from the inside; the passenger side rear occasionally opens with the remote but you usually have to open from the inside manually; the drivers side door rarely unlocks with the remote so you need to use the key to open. the only door that seems to work properly is the rear drivers side.

from what i gather the locking system is fairly troublesome on these cars. i have called a few auto electricians, two wont touch it because its a volkswagen, and the one place that i took the car in for them to inspect turned it down too. i'm assuming this must be a bitch of a job! i'd really prefer not to take it to a volkswagen dealership, they tend to rip you off blind.

so my question is: does anybody know somewhere in Melbourne i can take my car to be repaired?

this is proving to be more difficult than i first thought!
thanks in advance for your help

[audi-tone]

sounds like the solder on the pcb board has corroded. i had this problem on the drivers door. pulled it apart and soldered it myself. if you're handy it is a hard job but do-able..
check it out
VWVortex.com - MKIV door locks explained - why you're having problems!!!

[RolfGolf]

If you'd prefer to take it somewhere, check out: http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f12/...ead-11511.html

[daniel7y]

hey guys thanks for your help

i ended up taking it to VW to take a look (for $110). its going to cost me $1500 for parts/labour... apparently the passenger doors motor is gone and it needs a replacement, on top of the other issues. the $1500 was the trade price too, i wonder how much it would normally cost.

i don't have the time or space (or patience) to attempt to fix the locks myself unfortunately... it's probably more complicated than the cracked solder issue listed in the link above too. i found a place called 'volkspower' in burwood, i'll take the car to them and get a quote. i hope it's a lot less than the dealer. i can't afford $1.5k! almost feel like selling the car.

... why on earth did vw engineer such an over complicated door locking system?!

[Manaz]

Go see someone like Volkspower. If you'd like, I can source VW OEM parts for a fraction of what VW Australia will charge either you or Volkspower for them - it'll add a slight delay as parts are shipped from overseas, but I've seen savings of hundreds upon hundreds of dollars in the past on orders of this sort of size. That said, Volkspower may not source locally either, and that'd mean you'll get a much better price overall.

If you need help, flick me a PM.

hey guys thanks for your help

i ended up taking it to VW to take a look (for $110). its going to cost me $1500 for parts/labour... apparently the passenger doors motor is gone and it needs a replacement, on top of the other issues. the $1500 was the trade price too, i wonder how much it would normally cost.

i don't have the time or space (or patience) to attempt to fix the locks myself unfortunately... it's probably more complicated than the cracked solder issue listed in the link above too. i found a place called 'volkspower' in burwood, i'll take the car to them and get a quote. i hope it's a lot less than the dealer. i can't afford $1.5k! almost feel like selling the car.

... why on earth did vw engineer such an over complicated door locking system?!

[daniel7y]

that would be fantastic manaz. i'll see what volkspower come back with and take it from there. i'll let you know if i need parts. thanks for the offer!

on another note, i have actually been thinking about selling my golf - after getting the locking system fixed. i figure it's nearly ten years old now and i just recently hit 150,000 kms, so maybe its time to let her go. i'm thinking i might sell it and add some cash to buy a polo gti.

i'd appreciate to hear your thoughts... do you think it would be worth upgrading (downgrading?) to the smaller polo gti? or should i just get my golf fixed and stick with it. i figure i'm bound to have less trouble with a newer car... only downside is it's a polo, which is smaller and a bit girly lol. would love a mkV gti but can't afford one of those yet!

[dubbed]

$1,500. What an absolute joke. I would try and find the time to take your door apart and do it yourself. I'm going to do mine soon so will let you know how difficult it is.

[RolfGolf]

on another note, i have actually been thinking about selling my golf - after getting the locking system fixed. i figure it's nearly ten years old now and i just recently hit 150,000 kms, so maybe its time to let her go. i'm thinking i might sell it and add some cash to buy a polo gti.

i'd appreciate to hear your thoughts... do you think it would be worth upgrading (downgrading?) to the smaller polo gti? or should i just get my golf fixed and stick with it. i figure i'm bound to have less trouble with a newer car... only downside is it's a polo, which is smaller and a bit girly lol. would love a mkV gti but can't afford one of those yet!

For what it's worth I think the Polo GTI is a great car and not dissimilar in size to the MK IV Golf - the bonus is you can get a three door as well! It's not a heavy car and has decent fuel economy and performance from the twin-charged engine. Also, the standard package is pretty well optioned. You could do a lot worse than to consider a Polo GTI if you decide to sell your Mk IV Golf.

Small cars tend to get bigger with each iteration and the current Mk VI Golf seems a bit lardy in comparison.

Best Wishes.

[daniel7y]

thanks for your input rolfgolf... i have decided that as great as the polo gti is, i just can't help think i'd be settling for second best. i have been trying to convince myself that a polo gti would be good, but i have wanted a mkV gti since they came out, and i don't think i'd ever be completely satisfied with a polo. at this stage my plan is to get my car fixed, and keep an eye out for a well priced mkV gti.

[RolfGolf]

thanks for your input rolfgolf... i have decided that as great as the polo gti is, i just can't help think i'd be settling for second best. i have been trying to convince myself that a polo gti would be good, but i have wanted a mkV gti since they came out, and i don't think i'd ever be completely satisfied with a polo. at this stage my plan is to get my car fixed, and keep an eye out for a well priced mkV gti.

Probably a wise decision if you're looking for a tuneable car ... Car Sales has a few Mk V GTI's for sale ... The Mk VI Polo GTI has similar performance to a Golf GTI due to its lighter weight, but is perhaps less tuneable due to the limitations of the 1.4l engine.

[Fragile]

Just had to fix the drivers door on my 2003 MkIV, not an insurmountable task. I recommend getting a workshop manual (I got a Bentleys) to supplement the VWVortex guide and ensure you have all the tools required. It took me a while to get the car back together as I had to source a different mircoswitch for the door open/closed part of the lock. Basically do some research before you pull the doors apart.