Boot Lock Failure

[nomoretears]

Christmas Woe

Suffered a boot lock failure on Xmas day on my A4 Avant. The boot lock will just not catch in the closed position. The rest of the central locking seems to work OK but the boot lock is dead, I can't even get the manual key lock to work. Any ideas..............I feel a boxing day of car maintenece looming!

Just an update:

I've disconnected the servo and can now lock the boot manually. I'm unsure as to whether the fault is in the servo now or in the electrics that connects with the soft touch release handle. Can the servo be tested...........it looks like a small piston type mechanism......any experts on servos out there?

[T-Sport]

Did you manage to get this problem resolved? If so how and what needed doing to get it back to full working order again as its just happened to my Avant !!

[nomoretears]

Yep sounds as though you have exactly the same problem as I have.

I was in seeing my local VW ******* yesterday (closer than Audi) and showed him the boot catch actuator that I had removed from the tailgate. He said that this would be the first thing he would replace since he has changed dozens on Passats. I take it that it is a common VW/Audi part and that failure is fairly common. With this advice I have ordered a new one at approx. £29.00 inc. VAT. The unit is sealed so I can't see any alternative other than buying a new one. I should have the part by Wednesday 10th and will re-fit myself. I'll let you know.

If this fails the only other thing it may be is one of the micro-swithces in the soft touch boot release but I'll see what happens with the actuator change-out first.

I guess if you put the car to a ******* you would be looking to shell out for 1.5 hours approx labour on top of parts.

To secure your boot for now you will have to disconnect the actuator from the boot lock and use the key in the lock.

To get to the actuator:

First thing to do is to disconnect the tailgate light. Next remove the tailgate trim panel by unscrewing the two visible screws and the two in the emergency triangle compartment.

Next pop the panel clips holding the trim panel to the tailgate.

Push/slide the whole trim upwards towards the tailgate hinges to remove the panel.

The actuator is on the left (white box about 3" x 2").

Carefully disconnect the control rod linking the actuator unit to the boot catch (small white clip).

Unscrew the unit from the tailgate and slide out. In your hand now you should have the actuator unit attached to a backing plate by torque screws and the control rod. Unscrew the backing plate and slide off the control rod from the actuator piston.

And that's it!

[T-Sport]

Thanks for the help and advise nomoretears.You were spot on with the diagnosis !!

Got the ******** to take the car in today as i really didnt have the time to DIY with work and home life + security issues of not being able to arm the alarm or secure the boot.

They rang me and said the tailgate solinoid valve had seized and they had to bypass the valve to get the boot to lock again manually!!

Apparently the part is on back order and there are none available in the UK at present with anticipated time of 2 weeks before getting one !!

They say all it has affected by bypassing the valve is the remote boot release function ?? but not sure till i get the car delivered back to me in the next hour ...

They charged me £57 to do the temp fix which i suppose is not too bad for a main ******* and quoted me £86 to supply and fit the new valve once it becomes available....

I can only think that due to none being available in the UK its a common thing to break but knowing Audi they wouldnt admit or do a recall on a faulty part ? but just rob the owners out of there hard earned money !!

[nomoretears]

Glad to be of some use.

I would hazard a guess that your ******* has just disconnected the wire control rod that links the boot catch and the solenoid.

This is what I did and I've been manually locking and unlocking the boot for the last week or so with the key. The central locking on the doors is not affected.

Nice to know I might have a wait for my spare and yes you are right about the recall. It may not be a safety issue but what use is it when you can't secure your pride and joy !

Let us know how you get on.

[T-Sport]

Just a quick update, i managed to contact a very handy parts manager at an Audi dealership up north and hes given me a number to ring (another Audi dealership) where i can get hold of the part which is supposidly not available in the Uk !! so just goes to show its who you know and dont believe everything your local Audi ******* says !!!

Ringing them Monday morning to order it so im not stuck with putting the key in the boot for the next few weeks ....

You would have thought the dealerships would have worked together countrywide in supplying parts to keep there customers happy as they make so much on the labour side....

[RickT]

T-Sport... when you say up north,.,,, where??

if you need any help give me a shout as i know the lads over by me.

RiCKT

[T-Sport]

Phoned around today and given various different Audi branches around the country to ring,(all were out of stock)and after 4 phone calls i managed to locate one at Bristol Audi so its now on its way to me !!

So just goes to show after a bit of ringing around yourself these parts can be sourced ...

[nomoretears]

I think your first ******* needs a bit of backside kicking.

Maybe room for negotiation if you are getting them to fit it.

My spare arrived today and I live in the northern isles of Scotland!!

[nomoretears]

Fitted the actuator (£24.00 exc.VAT) and tailgate lock works fine.

If this happens to anyone else I suggest you get the part ordered and DIY............then take the wife out with the money you saved!

[Mark 2007]

I think I have fallen victim to the same problem. I have a 1999 Audi A4 Avant. When the lock is in neutral it keeps opening. I can still lock the boot manually. I am a novice is it really a job I could do? What do Audi call the part

With Thanks

[nomoretears]

Hi Mark 2007

Check back over this thread and you will see I posted instructions on how to remove the part. The hardest bit was getting the tailgate trim off !!

I got my part from a VW dealer and showed him the actuator I removed.....either Audi or VW will know what it is. The part is common and likewise so is the failure. (Note: Boot will still lock manually with the actuator removed).

Let us know how you get on.

Nothing major mechanical to do takes about an hour.

[SVS3]

Hi,

Got the same problem on my 2001 S3. Tailgate will not 'latch' when shut. Tried to lock tailgate with key (in tailgate lock) - this doesn't work either.

Removed tailgate trim and removed three connectors - the one to the white box behind the lock, the one to the catch itself and the one to the unit that unlocks the other doors. Still will not lock/latch!!

Any ideas???

Thanks!

Stew

[Mark 2007]

The problem with my car was corrosion on the soft boot sensors. I am not sure if that is what they are called, what you squeeze to open the boot. The replacement cost was approx £80 at an independent audi garage.

Good luck

[nomoretears]

All you should need to do to use the manual (key) lock is disconnect the metal rod from the actuator unit to the boot latch. Leave everything else in place.

When you get a chance remove the faulty unit itself.... thats the bit with the small piston that comes out of it that connects to the metal rod. Either a VW or Audi ******* will hold the part.

Let us know how you get on.

[SVS3]

Thanks. Will have a go at disconnecting the rod tomorrow morning. Will let you know if it cures it.

[SVS3]

Tried this morning disconnect each rod and manually locking - no joy! Removed lock and can't see anything obvious. Problem is that catch mechanism won't latch. Pics attached.

Have I missed something??

Thanks. Stew

UPDATE: Piston that is linked to soft touch handles on tailgate works fine.

[dittonboy]

Yep sounds as though you have exactly the same problem as I have.

I was in seeing my local VW ******* yesterday (closer than Audi) and showed him the boot catch actuator that I had removed from the tailgate. He said that this would be the first thing he would replace since he has changed dozens on Passats. I take it that it is a common VW/Audi part and that failure is fairly common. With this advice I have ordered a new one at approx. £29.00 inc. VAT. The unit is sealed so I can't see any alternative other than buying a new one. I should have the part by Wednesday 10th and will re-fit myself. I'll let you know.

If this fails the only other thing it may be is one of the micro-swithces in the soft touch boot release but I'll see what happens with the actuator change-out first.

I guess if you put the car to a ******* you would be looking to shell out for 1.5 hours approx labour on top of parts.

To secure your boot for now you will have to disconnect the actuator from the boot lock and use the key in the lock.

To get to the actuator:

First thing to do is to disconnect the tailgate light. Next remove the tailgate trim panel by unscrewing the two visible screws and the two in the emergency triangle compartment.

Next pop the panel clips holding the trim panel to the tailgate.

Push/slide the whole trim upwards towards the tailgate hinges to remove the panel.

The actuator is on the left (white box about 3" x 2").

Carefully disconnect the control rod linking the actuator unit to the boot catch (small white clip).

Unscrew the unit from the tailgate and slide out. In your hand now you should have the actuator unit attached to a backing plate by torque screws and the control rod. Unscrew the backing plate and slide off the control rod from the actuator piston.

And that's it!


Hi, I know this post is a few years ago but this fault has just happened on my 2003 A6 Avant. I used your step by step instructions and hey presto it worked. New actuator orded. Many thanks for tips. Andrew

[rya4]

My boot on my a4 1.9tdi avant b5 will only open after i press the door lock button on driver side door, locked then unlocked then the button on the boot will work other wise it won't open and they key dosn't seem to fit it has been like it since i bought it . Just thought i'd say it may help someone .

[vince70]

I wonder if someone could give me some advice on the bootlock before buying a new one..

On my car (1995 A4 saloon with no remote locking) when I undo the the lock on my doors with the key the boot unlocks but I cant unlock the boot with the key and just wondered if there was a simple explanation to the problem, or if it's just a knackered lock.

When I insert the key in the boot it won't move as if it's the wrong key rather than seized..

It's been like this since buying the car 4 years ago (as you can see I'm very quick at getting round to things) but I didn't want to buy another lock without consulting someone who may have some knowledge of this first