Passenger door wont open !

**kityo** · 29-01-2009,07:42 AM

Hi !

Have problem with front passenger doors, they wont open from outside.
The only way u can get the interior door open is to pull the interior handle. This happened like two months ago but then resolved itself, now it happened again. I have tried to change the lock and unlock (yellow screw inside the door) with no change. Is this something that need to be serviced ?
Car is still under warranty, is this gona be covered ??

Many thanks for all help.

Chris

**Pernicitus** · 29-01-2009,10:07 AM

Funny you mention that!

The exact same thing happened to my car two days ago!
Diddent think much of it at the time as it is still in warrenty and its due for a service in a week or so, I remember saying to myself "That's a warrenty issue, that is".

Interesting that it happened to you too. Is it a common problem I wonder?

**Spudrig** · 29-01-2009,10:22 AM

Yeah this is a common problem with the Passats. Mines broke a few weeks ago and I booked it into the dealer, and they fixed it free under warranty. Its the door lock that is at fault, that has to be replaced. It takes about an hour or so to do.

**kityo** · 29-01-2009,12:15 PM

thank you, will book that with a dealer

**darth viking** · 30-01-2009,08:39 PM

Hi,

Same thing happened to mine.

A bit of fiddling with the lock sorted it.

I opened the door from the inside, and used a screwdriver to push the catch in the lock mechanism over (to simulate the door being closed).

I then opened the windows all the way by pressing the and holding the unlock button.

Next I locked the door and unlocked the door. In my case this did it.

Might be a coincidence, or I might have dislodged something, but if you have 1/2 an hour its worth fiddling.

I did see someone else suggest disconnecting the battery, though i haven't tried this myself.

Dave

**Pimped-Passat** · 30-01-2009,10:50 PM

Can't believe it..!!

Just today my passenger door is experiencing exactly the same problem - It won't open from the outside and the handle feels like it isn't connected to anything.

I was just about to "log a call" on the forum asking for help, but it looks like it's a dealer job....

Any ideas what the actual problem is..?

Is it a mechanical or an electrical fault..?

Curious that's all - And I want to go armed with the facts when speaking to the "know-it-all" dealer..

Cheers
Mark

**martin1810** · 30-01-2009,11:02 PM

Use the remote and listen carefully to the door, you will hear if the solenoid is moving. If it is you know the fault is the lock mechanism. If you can't hear it, it's an electrical fault.

**Pimped-Passat** · 30-01-2009,11:06 PM

Martin

Thanks for the info. I actually hope it is an electrical fault as I am having problems with the battery discharging when the car is left for over a week.

The dealer hinted that it could be caused by a faulty door solenoid.. Maybe both problems are linked... Wishful thinking more than anything..!!

Cheers
Mark

**harryb** · 01-02-2009,07:56 PM

I've just joined this forum tonight as I too am experiencing the same problem. Dec 2008 two days before warranty expired, reg. 13th Dec 2005, the passanger door wouldn't open off the key fob. The garage sorted it under warranty and said it was a loose wire. I didn't query that, just accepted that it was fixed. Last week just 5 weeks later (warranty now expired) same thing happened, same door. Took it back and got a call one hour later saying the technician couldn't find a problem and the door was opening. Sods law. When i got to the garage he took me into the workshop where he had the car wired up to a computer trying to look for a fault. Nothing showed and he assured me the door opened first time for him. So just had to accept that and left, it's been ok since then. Tonight the same things happened only this time it is the drivers door. All other doors are ok. I'm pleased to see that there are others who are having a similar problem but nothing seems to have been sorted from any dealer as to what the problem is. I did notice tonight when using the door handle that there didn't seem to be any resistance when pulling it. It felt very slack, don't know whether there is a clue here.
Just looking for help.

harryb

**Pimped-Passat** · 01-02-2009,08:08 PM

harryb - welcome

My passenger handle doesn't appear to have any resistance either when I attempt to open the door, so I personally think that a mechanical failure has occurred. I've got it booked in the main dealers on Wednesday for them to fix it. I'll keep you posted.

Cheers
Mark