All electric windows lowered and stuck

[tintininuk]

Hi
I have a 97 vw sharan 2.0GL and when I got home yesterday from a long journey in the icey cold I went to get out of my car and all 4 of my electric windows decided to lower themselves and stay down. This all coincided with the driver side door barrel spinning and not locking the car. Absolute nightmare. Pitch black freezing cold and all my windows are stuck down. Have checked the obvious eg fuses but all ok. Has anyone else encountered this problem and any ideas how I could repair it. Or at least raise all the windows for the moment as it is currently snowing and my car is covered in black sacks and tape to keep the inside dry. After reading some of the posts on this forum I have checked under the passenger seat but no ECU or electrics. Any help would be much appreciated.

[kite]

On a VW you can lower all windows with the key in the drivers door lock.
As your having problems with that barrel, I would think the window issue is connected.
Try the key in the barrel turningit both ways and see if your windows free up..

[andy e]

putting the key in any lock on the car will do the same, raise and lower the windows works on my sharan

[andyjohno]

mine did the same, the mechanism on the end of the door lock barrell had buggered up,got a new repair kit off e bay for £15, came with instructions etc.