Rear passenger door not opening

[thecoolalhambra]

Hi All

I have a problem with the rear passenger side door (near side) on my 2001 Passat not opening. The lock mechanism (little knob) comes up when i unlock the doors using the key fob, but the door can only be opened from inside.

My footwells are dry and have never been flooded (although i did have the plenum problem, which has been fixed).

Any ideas of what it can be?

Thanks

[Crasher]

It is a very common problem on the Golf 4 and Passat which use the same lock unit, the lock has jammed due to not being lubricated during servicing and getting the door open again can be a nightmare. I try carefully thumping and pushing at the door with someone inside doing the same whilst we both operate the respective door pulls and also operating the remote control, usually the door will suddenly pop open. The first time I did this I lubricated the lock and closed it again. An hour later when I eventually got it open again I did not close it again. Occasionally I have had faulty window winder motors cause comms problems with the lock and this is shown in a fault code read. When you do get it open, fit a new lock unit. Once I had to strip down the door internals with it closed and lever the unit until it let go, I have heard stories of people using an air hacksaw to half cut through the striker plate.

[passat99man]

Had my rear door its apart the other week as the glass had come loose. The external door handle operates a cable rather like a bicycle brake lever cable. It is under the blanked off bit where the lock cylinder would be on a front door. To access that there is a largish screw located under the seal of the door. Slacken it, then the blank can be prised out. From memory, this should reveal the cable end.
I had a problem yesterday with the (other side) door locked shut. In desperation I sprayed some WD40 into the gap that opens as you pull the handle. To my amazement it worked and the lock seem to work fine again. Might be worth a try first.

[Crasher]

And how do you do this if the door will not open?

[passat99man]

The gap between the handle and the bodywork it sits against.

[sooty]

Hi All

I have a problem with the rear passenger side door (near side) on my 2001 Passat not opening. The lock mechanism (little knob) comes up when i unlock the doors using the key fob, but the door can only be opened from inside.

My footwells are dry and have never been flooded (although i did have the plenum problem, which has been fixed).

Any ideas of what it can be?

Thanks

OMG This happened to my car a couple of times now! Sometimes it like it gets stuck and you have to give it a good old tug before it will open.
I put it down to my mates wife not pulling hard enough!! he he

[passat99man]

You are quite right, but the man says he can open the door from the inside. At least that is my understanding of the problem.

[Crasher]

You are also quite right, I misread it! Must get my eyes tested.

This happens when the Bowden cable slips out of the serrated adjustment groove it is in. On my Octavia I had to pull the handle twice to open it but adjusting the cable sorted that out.

[thecoolalhambra]

Thats right, the door only opens from the inside. Tried tugging hard on it but it just doesn't open.

Will try the WD40 in the first instance and see if it works!!

Other then that i will try and locate the cable.