A4 cab passenger door won't open at all!

[tristanod]

Hi,

I've just found a problem with my nice new A4 cabriolet (03 plate).

The passenger door won't open. At all! Neither the interior nor exterior handles seem to be working.

Needless to say, this is somewhat annoying. It was working fine a couple of days ago.

I've tried re-synching the key fob. All the other doors work fine (boot and drivers side). The windows still work.

Anyone know what I can try?

Tris

[RickT]

When you remotely lock and unlock do you hear anything from the door??

(just trying to elimate the issue from the lock to the opening mech)

Rick

[tristanod]

No sound from that door. What does that mean? Lock rather than opening mech?

[RickT]

Sounds like the door lock mech has stuck...

Sometime these just need a bit of grease following the winter months.... Seen a few issues on the forum here..

Not much really you can do without stripping it down..

I would give it a day or so it see if unsticks... --

but SAYING THAT... if there is no sound at all... it could of lost the power source to it..

Rick

[tristanod]

Would an Audi main dealer be able to get my door open again for under £100? Think I might just take it in tomorrow moring

[RickT]

They may be able to...

I would take it in and get them to give you a WORSE price before asking them to look at it..

If not... Where abouts are you??


Rick

[tristanod]

I'm in Guildford, Surrey, though I'm driving up to Leeds for the weekend (I see you're in West Yorks)

Just took it in to Audi. He says it's probably the lock that needs replacing, but the only way to get to it is by opening the car, which means breaking the door card!

He's taken my details and will get back to me with a price. Reckons in the region of £500 or so. :(

Anyone know where I could get a cheap door card myself? Tempted to ask him not to damage the card too much so that it can be fixed temporarily whilst I look for a cheap door card and replace myself.

ANy thoughts?

[dansansome]

there are a few a4 cabs being broken on ebay. you might have some luck there...

search for "a4 breaking" that should get you started :)

[tristanod]

Does anyone know how big a hole would need to be cut into the door card to allow access to the locking mechanism to get the thing open?

[tristanod]

hmmm, just realised something else. The door card seems to be in two bit. The top half starts above the plastic strip. It seems to be glue onto the bottom half underneath the strip, but I wonder if it can be prised off without damaging it cosmetically. You'd then presumably be able to get something down to the lock to open it before getting the rest of the door card off.

Any thoughts?

[tristanod]

Just spoken to Audi. They're quoting £907 to do the job.

That's for a new door card, new lock and 2 hours labour! :zx11:

Are we allowed to swear on this forum?

[bez101]

you would get a full leather for that price i got door card off a avant and didnt do to much damage was at bottom screw clips and a slight bend in panel i used my trusty glue gun for the clips and screw at bottom i redrilled as u cant see it unless u like getin on all fours to look at peoples car doors when u try it take seat out 1st and pull from end of card not dash side took me a few hour but looks as good as new

[RickT]

Hi,

How long are up in Leeds for?? -- I may be able to get a mate to have a look at it... (lets just say he works with Audi's on a minutely basis in the week :D...)

Rick

[tristanod]

I'm in Leeds till monday lunchtime. Where's your chap based?

I'd be interested to know if it's possible for their to be a fault with the locking mech, solenoid etc. but for the door to still lock/unlock until the fault finally gives way.

The reason I ask is that under the sale of goods act, within the first 6 months of ownership, it's actually up to the trader to prove there was no fault when he sold it to me. If it's possible that there can be a developing fault with the door still locking/unlocking then he has no way of proving that it was fine when I bought it, unless he actually checked the locking mechanisms (which I very much doubt).

What I'm hoping is that he has a mechanic that can do it significantly cheaper than Audi and will recognise I have a strong case and just fix it himself, rather than risk going to a small claims court and having to potentially pay for the full Audi cost. I don't want the hassle of going to small claims court but I will if I need to!

Any thoughts from anyone?

[tristanod]

Just noticed something else today. The passenger window switch on the drivers door doesn't work either. The window does open and close but only when using the drivers door switch.

Could this be related?

[RickT]

Sounds like a power issue on the door...

My mate is based in Halifax... I will have to call him to see if he is free though as i do know he is working on some over things this weekend..

Rick

[tristanod]

Hi Rick,

I probably won't get a chance to get over to Halifax anyway. However, it might be quite useful for me to have a 10 minute chat with him to check a couple of things. I'm interested in people's (other than Audi main dealer) views as to whether it's possible to get the door open without too much damage to the door card (ie. can it be patched up with black tape?) and also as to whether it's possible that this is due to a pre-existing problem (ie, more than a week, which is how long I've had it).

I want to be fully prepared for my converstation with the person I bought it off so I can get him to fix it!

Any chance if getting his number?

Tris

[tristanod]

Hmmm, something new cropped up earlier on. For some reason the jey fob wouldn't unlock anything. I had to use the key in the door to unlock the driver's side. The key fob did lock the door though. Anyway, this happened for a few minutes then it was fine again (apart from the ongoing passenger door problem!)

[RickT]

Hi,

The key fob battery may be just on its way out...

I will have a word with my mate for you and report back

Rick

[tristanod]

I did wonder about that but:

1) surely it's all or nothing. Either it unlocks all the doors, including passenger, or it unlocks none.

2) the passenger door won't open from the inside either.

[dhatch]

Just noticed something else today. The passenger window switch on the drivers door doesn't work either. The window does open and close but only when using the drivers door switch.

Could this be related?
Hi, did you ever sort out your door and window problem as my father-in-law has a 2001 A4 and the passenger door also won't open and the window doesn't work? Please let me know if you fixed it and how

[tristanod]

No, I ended up taking the car back to the trader I bought it from. I was concerned that it could have been a deeper electical problem and didn't want to take the risk of something else happening further down the line. He gave me £250 less than I paid, but I was happy just to get shot of it!

[dhatch]

Ok thanks for the quick reply. I posted a separate thread b4 I saw yours so I may get lucky.

Cheers...