A6 door catches that don't - again

[Phutters]

I know this has been covered several times before, particularly by Mr Ametlib who described how to lubricate the lock without dismantling the entire car first.

I've been down that road many times over the years with my 2004 allroad, both in the winter (when it happened more often) and in the summer too. And in autumn, and in the spring.

The same old symptom - the door bounces off the striker unless closed with gentle, finely-judged and continuous force whether applied from the inside or the outside.

Obviously it's a pain in the *rse. I can cope with it - not least because it's the front passenger door - but Mrs Phutters, who isn't blessed with a bottomless well of mechanical empathy and is most often the front passenger, is not as accommodating.

Over the years I've stuck my nozzle into the hole and injected varying amounts of a range of lubricants, none of which have had more than an irritatingly temporary effect; lithium grease, PTFE spray (both wet and dry), silicone, and even, in hope more than in expectation, some WD40. I haven't taken the door card off, partly because I don't think it will improve access to the offending component without removing the lock itself and partly because I suspect there are several inches of a vile mixture of the above ingredients swilling around glutinously in the bottom of the door.

This weekend the lock had the sulks again so I tried something I hadn't tried before.

I tried Servisol.

I gave the mechanism a good dousing, sprayed it vigorously into the internals of the lock through the hole exposed by rotating the latch into the locked position (remembering to release it before attempting to close the door again) and wandered off to make a brew. A little while later I tried closing the door. I tried gingerly at first, fully expecting that horrid, solid clonk.

It worked properly, and it continued to work properly during repeated and increasingly less cautious closings until it was behaving like the other doors, something it hasn't done for years.

Anxious to be seen not to be talking out of my fundament, I've just been out to try it again. While I haven't actually slammed it - something inside prevents me from ever slamming car doors - I did make sure that the car wasn't expecting it before closing the door with something vaguely approaching gay abandon.

The Servisol seems to have cleaned out the scummy residue of umpteen applications of lithium grease which was probably exacerbating the problem rather than helping to cure it, and I've no doubt that because of its nature it will penetrate where white lithium most certainly wouldn't.

Servisol won't fix punctured suspension airbags, revitalise exhausted compressors, cure rocker cover gasket leaks or weeping rear diff oil seals, and it certainly won't stop a plenum chamber flood or a buggered injection pump ECU, but if your door catches are driving you nuts it might just be worth a try.

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[ametlib]

but Mrs Phutters, who isn't blessed with a bottomless well of mechanical empathy

Hmm, maybe a little dash of Servisol will soften her up . . . . .

[Fort Jefferson]

The same old symptom - the door bounces off the striker unless closed with gentle, finely-judged and continuous force whether applied from the inside or the outside.


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My front passenger door is exactly the same, so I'll give it a try.

[JMR1]

Something for you to try. From outside the car, close the door while keeping the handle pressed ( as in opening the door) and see how far it goes before meeting resistance. The striker plate on the door piller may need to be moved out a bit. While you are at it, bend down and check that the striker is meeting the lock in the centre, neither too high or two low. Try putting some tippex on the lock, then closing the door, the exact point where the lock meets the striker will the be shown by the tippex.
Hope it works for you !!

[mike ryan]

Mine did this on the passenger side and it was only when it gets wet ie raining. Gave up in the end and changed it. Drivers side is going now so a trip to the scrappy is in order


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[stephenwhite990]

Mine did this on both door , tried every lube available . Only cure is too replace the locks like I did and no problems since then two years ago !!!!!

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[WhiteyAR]

Has anyone tried the cheaper Chinese made locks on eBay? When I last asked at audi they were about £150 each!

[stephenwhite990]

Mine were off eBay , I think mine were about 25 quid each a couple of years ago

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[JMR1]

Has anyone removed one of these locks, and examined it to see what exactly is wrong with them? Worn pins or bushings? Has to be some kind of wear and tear on the lock mechanism it self....??????

[JMR1]

Stephen, did you need the lock part Nr, or just general description as in " Drivers side front door lock, to fit 2003 Audi A6-C5"
Thanks Jim..