Courtesy light comes on when cornering

**audinut** · 19-08-2007,08:24 AM

First post - be gentle

Just bought a 2002 A6 2.5tdi quattro SE. Beautiful car. Odd trait.

When cornering hard (either way) the courtesy light cluster above my head comes on for a couple of seconds. Need to take it to an empty carpark or similar to diagnose it further but any initial ideas ?

**Lex Luthor** · 19-08-2007,09:59 AM

It will be one of the micro switches in a door lock.

**audinut** · 19-08-2007,03:28 PM

Thanks for the quick reply Lex.
I had a look and can see no door switches.
So you're referring to the lock mechanism itself ?
Without deconstructing every door, any clever way to isolate it ?

**Ben** · 19-08-2007,10:33 PM

I think lex means the little push button switch in the door jam by the hinges. When the door closes, it pushes the switch breaking the circuit thus turning off the light. Unless its done some other way on the A6 than what i've just typed is nonsense.

could it not be a loose contact within the interior light switch?

Its a good job its only on cornering as you wouldn't want to start the day with a flat battery.

**audinut** · 20-08-2007,09:33 AM

hmmm that's what I thought. But I searched front and rear door openings for a push-in switch but cannot find any. They have to be _somewhere_ ....
I think he's on the money though because when driving to work this morning it happened once on a roundabout (enjoying the quattro bit

) and I intentionally checked the DIS - it showed the door open warning.
Quite right about the flat battery bit though

Anyone know for sure how it's done on an A6 ?

**Lex Luthor** · 20-08-2007,11:19 AM

hmmm that's what I thought. But I searched front and rear door openings for a push-in switch but cannot find any. They have to be _somewhere_ ....

It is integral with the door lock.

VAGCOM can display the status of the door lock switches.

If you are near LE17 4HZ I could help.....

**audinut** · 20-08-2007,11:29 AM

That's very good of you. I'm up in Peterborough all week so could nip across one evening this week. Would that work for you ?

**gazza57** · 20-08-2007,12:49 PM

Lex Luthor is right,
it's the microswitches in the door lock itself, unlike many other cars the switches are not the push type within the door jamb but are situated near the door lock itself.
This is a common fault on A6's I 've had it on my A6 C5 you also get lights not coming on when you open the door and the warning buzzer that reminds you that you've left your lights on stops working.
There are a few other functions such as alarm system status also which can be affected.There is a multi stage switch which provides all these status signals.
the door trim requires removal and switches replaced followed by refitting of door trim.
Gazza57

**audinut** · 20-08-2007,12:59 PM

Thanks for the PM Lex. I Can't PM back (only 5 posts

). I'm very interested in your suggestion.
I seem to remember that the last time the light came on that both nearside doors and also the driver's door showed open on the DIS but I only got a glance at it.
I just took the car out for 10 minutes hard "roundabouting" to try and get it to fail and the darn thing wouldn't.
So I'd like to let it get worse (repeatable) then give you a call to try and track which door it is.

And thanks for confirming the design and fix gazza. Going to let it develop a while then when it becomes a firm "feature" I'll try Lex's help in identifying the duff doorswitch (and replacing) it.

**lennymfo** · 22-12-2008,10:22 AM

Hi Ive noticed something similar with my A6 recently particularly in the morning. The courtesy lights flash on and off when I open the drivers door. I took the car in to get the alarm fixed recently cause it kept going off, not sure what the problem was but it is fixed. Also there was water coming in through the rear bumper which he fixed as well. Its not a warning that my battery maybe low is it?