05 Reg VW Golf - Help Needed!!

[Kryten]

Bit of an issue here....I have an 05 reg VW Golf SE TDi, and generally its been a very reliable car...anyway, a rather irritating fault has developed which I am hoping someone can help me with before I shell out yet more money on it..

Went to unlock the car this morning, using the fob. The front passengers door refused to unlock or open from the outside - yet I was able to open it with the inside latch. I got out of the car, and the door seemed to work OK, however when I locked it up and then unlocked it again - the same problem occurred.

Any tips? Is this something I can solve myself? Or should I let the thieving leechs at Lookers do their magic stuff on it?

 

[Realist78]

Try Tinternet first, google VW forums.

 

[Spearmint]

Agreed, you may find that it might be down to a simple reset / sync of your key fob to central locking system which is required. Google the forums. Best of luck.

 

[grumpyoldb]

Don't know about VeeDubs but is what my vauxhall dealer tried to charge me for resetting the remote on my car. It was explained to me by a vauxhall trained service engineer.

Unlock the car by any method which is available to you. Sit in the drivers seat and close the doors. Switch on ignition. Press keyfob. Central locking will lock and then unlock by itself. Switch off ignition and exit the car. Job done.

Price charged by vauxhall....................................£180. Daylight robbery. DT_Xtremez_25:

 

[steve_k243]

Is the alarm/immob standard or a Clifford etc type?

You can check fob function by looking through the viewfinder/lcd of a digital camera and pressing each button in turn. This reveals the ir beam.
If it's one door, and that is the door you are pointing the fob at look for a tiny glass/plastic window usually on the handle itself. Give it a clean.

Worth doing as it will show weak battery or dodgy unlock switch, but this sounds like the door itself, and probably a mechanical or pneumatic (if VW use it) problem. Synching the fob, as posted before can help, it should be in the manual, unless it's an aftermarket alarm. Try the forums, the problem may well have been posted up a few times before.

 

[FOGHORN LEGHORN]

On my Golf one press of the fob opens the drivers door only. Two presses opens the passenger side and boot.

 

[Kryten]

Thanks for all your help and suggestions - according to the motoring forums its a common fault with VWs and Audis, especially those after 1992 - I have tried grumpyoldb's suggestion, which seemed to have no effect.

Rather interestingly, I went back to the car at lunchtime and tried the fob again and all the doors unlocked, yet this morning I had the same problem...

 

[Spearmint]

Rather interestingly, I went back to the car at lunchtime and tried the fob again and all the doors unlocked, yet this morning I had the same problem...

Moisture getting somewhere where it shouldn't? Then perhaps by lunchtime it has evaporated?

Find yourself a Haynes manual and locate all the components of the central locking system including the electrical aspects. Something might need a bit of extra protection from the elements.

 

[Kryten]

Moisture getting somewhere where it shouldn't? Then perhaps by lunchtime it has evaporated?

Find yourself a Haynes manual and locate all the components of the central locking system including the electrical aspects. Something might need a bit of extra protection from the elements.

A good point - the problem only came to light after I washed the car on Saturday....

 

[Entropy]

If you are still stuck to the point of clutching at straws then it may be the electric rail (I think thats what you call the power management system). I had a 10yr old Citroen and the drivers window gave up the ghost. It then needed some work where the battery was disconnected. After the "reset" the window started working again. If you desperate unplug the battery for an hour.

 

[merse2]

I had a Mk4 2002 Golf and this happened with three of the doors. Not sure if yours is a Mk5 but it is a VERY common fault on the Mk4's. The solder joints within the lock itself are of very poor quality and break down. This becomes more noticeable in the cold weather when you get the 'will it won't it' work symptoms. The only cure is to remove the lock, strip it down and re-solder the joints.

Hope it helps.

(Thank goodness everything in life isn't as reliable as a Volkswagon).

 

[Kryten]

I had a Mk4 2002 Golf and this happened with three of the doors. Not sure if yours is a Mk5 but it is a VERY common fault on the Mk4's. The solder joints within the lock itself are of very poor quality and break down. This becomes more noticeable in the cold weather when you get the 'will it won't it' work symptoms. The only cure is to remove the lock, strip it down and re-solder the joints.

Hope it helps.

(Thank goodness everything in life isn't as reliable as a Volkswagon).

Mine is a Mk 5 - and as you mention it, I remember having a similar problem last year as well....I have tried a lot of the suggestions on various forums, and it looks like its a trip to the garage to get the blasted thing sorted...

 

[merse2]

Mine is a Mk 5 - and as you mention it, I remember having a similar problem last year as well....I have tried a lot of the suggestions on various forums, and it looks like its a trip to the garage to get the blasted thing sorted...

Not sure how 'handy' you are, but the front door locks are pretty straight forward to get out (on the MK4 at least). A couple of hours and a haynes manual would be plenty of time to get it out. If you don't have access to a soldering iron I am sure a friendly fairy on camp would do it for you (it is only a 5 minute job). Good luck.

 

[Hoof_Hearted]

On a Mk5, the entire outer door skin can be taken off with a dozen or so Torx bolts - very easy with the Haynes Book of Lies. Locks are about £70 from a main stealer - and they are fairly universal across the VW range.

If the OP still hasn't got it fixed, I'd urge him to crack on with it ASAP - because they eventually fail with the deadlock activated!

 

[timaloy]

starnge question but does the interior lights work whilst this fault is on?? golfs are notorious for this, its usually fuse 14 (the interior light one) as the magicians at VW made this fuse the fuse for the central locking/interior courtesy light/alarms/service window/and electric windows. Its usually a bad earth, and usually in the boot. very easy to fix if your handy with a soldering iron.