Greetings and the dreaded door lock question.

[MrPassat02]

Greetings, I've got an 02 Passat TDI and it has an apparently common problem - the front passenger door will not open at all. When I unlock the car all the other doors open but not this one, - the little button in the top stays down and will not come up whatever you do.

I guess I need a new door lock, and see them listed quite cheaply on e-bay. Are they a safe bet or is there a better quality option I should use?

Thanks!

[MiniMental]

I believe it's something to do with micro switches in the lock? And is a lot more common on the 2003-2005 cars (mines 2005 54 plate) mines got this issue with drivers side passenger door, which won't open without 10 mins of fiddling, and drivers door which doesn't lock at all unless you use the key. If you lock it with the key or push the button down, it will unlock like normal. Lol. Been like that for a year now. Alarm still works. Gonna buy four new locks next summer from the pre-2003 model and change them all. Newer ones are plastic and quality is crap. Need to change my gearbox on Thursday as it's gone, had a clutch and DMF, Service and four new tyres (premium) within the last 6 weeks. Glad I do it all myself. [emoji849] must be getting close to fixed now hahah just at that age I guess. 11yrs old and 134k miles lol.

As for yours, all you can do is try and see. Lol.

Aidan

[MrPassat02]

Thanks for the reply, so I need to look out for a pre-2003 replacement. Are the e-bay ones any good or are they as nasty as they are cheap?

Still riding around with a passenger door that won't unlock whatever I try.

[MiniMental]

I haven't really heard anything bad about the eBay ones to be honest. I know a few people who have fitted them with success and they are still working now. I suppose it can't hurt to give it a go. I'm gonna at some point. :)

[MrPassat02]

Happy to report the problem is resolved. To recap the door was deadlocked closed with no way to open. The answer was found on this very site in an old post. I was able to dril a small hole on the inside of the door and unscrew the lock lever, allowing the door to open.

The old mechanism was worn out (motor hadn't the guts to move mechanism when fed 12V to pins 1 and 2)

I've fitted a cheap ebay replacement mechanism and all seems fine... hopefully fixed for good.

Here was the useful link How To overcome the deadlock on the rear doors (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php/106579-overcome-the-deadlock-on-the-rear-doors)

[Gazwould]

New one on me .

No need to drill the actual door and put a duck tape plaster over it's wound , lol .

Walk the wheel...

http://rs1310.pbsrc.com/albums/s645/Gazwould/7bcc05ee-ad74-4649-83be-3bc3e688267e_zpse0f7e3fa.jpg?w=480&h=480&fit=clip

[MrPassat02]

New one on me .

No need to drill the actual door and put a duck tape plaster over it's wound , lol .

Walk the wheel...

http://rs1310.pbsrc.com/albums/s645/Gazwould/7bcc05ee-ad74-4649-83be-3bc3e688267e_zpse0f7e3fa.jpg?w=480&h=480&fit=clip


My problem was that it was the front passengers door, I could be wrong but I don't think there was anyway to get the interior trim/doorcard off without damage as at the front it is tight up against the side of the dash..

[Gazwould]

Front seat can be unbolted .

[allan_audi]

Before drilling etc, its worth consistently unlocking and locking the doors with the button on the drivers door arm rest with the engine running (raises system voltage), this eventually worked for me. Try clouting the door near the door lock too.