Front Passenger Door Locks Stuck

[5-pot]

Hey all,

I've got a MkV Golf (obviously) and the lock in the front passenger door is stuck.  I can hear it trying to lock/unlock itself but I can't get the door open from either the inside or the outside.  Pulling the interior door handle twice doesn't unlock it.

Anyone got any tips/tricks that don't involve taking the car back to the dealer to get it fixed and fluffing around with a loan car to get to work?

Cheers.

[b0000st]

These are a dick tbh as to gain access to the lock you need to remove the outer door skin and guess what you need to do to remove the skin, have the door open 

I have found that sometimes if you bang the door quite hard around where the lock is fitted and operate one of the handles that if you are really lucky the door will open. You can then remove the outer skin to replace the lock but you need to keep the bolts in order as some are different lengths and if you get them wrong you can damage the outer skin.

Good luck.

[M]

These are a dick tbh as to gain access to the lock you need to remove the outer door skin and guess what you need to do to remove the skin, have the door open 

I have found that sometimes if you bang the door quite hard around where the lock is fitted and operate one of the handles that if you are really lucky the door will open. You can then remove the outer skin to replace the lock but you need to keep the bolts in order as some are different lengths and if you get them wrong you can damage the outer skin.

Good luck.

I agree with all of this. Note: I have once had to use a hole saw on an outer skin to access the lock, then as it was deadlocked I had to destroy that too in order to open door...... customer was not happy but there was no other option.

[b0000st]

I agree with all of this. Note: I have once had to use a hole saw on an outer skin to access the lock, then as it was deadlocked I had to destroy that too in order to open door...... customer was not happy but there was no other option.

If you can remove the inner trim panel you can also drill into the lock but this is a bit hit or miss as to wether you can then get it to release but if it works the damaged area is covered over and is reasonably small.
Just be aware that there is really no easy way to sort this ( unless banging it works) and there is a possibility the inner or outer metal work may need to be cut. Its a crap design tbh and should no longer be happening, theres been lock problems like this since the 3B Passat was launched 

Just on a side note do not turn your child locks on unless you have kids in the car as we had a Golf where the cable from the lock to the exterior handle popped off and had even though the owner never had kids in the car had activated the child locks so what would be a 5 minute fix took a lot longer as the door was essentially stuck shut.

[5-pot]

Great... So, I'm up sh!t creek with no paddle huh?

Back to the dealers then?

[5-pot]

Bugger it and my third party warranty ran out about a month ago...

[kiwihigh]

Useless VW door locks 

Do some poor driving on the way home and sideswipe the passenger door and claim insurance.. 

[5-pot]

Useless VW door locks 

Do some poor driving on the way home and sideswipe the passenger door and claim insurance.. 

Believe me, the thought had crossed my mind...  I'm not that desperate though 

[KARTS]

This happened to front passenger door on my Skoda. $1600 to fix and I was told quite pricey to do preventative maintenance on the other 3 doors. Wish mine was a minor 'accident'.

[charles]

If you going to be using a drill to destroy the lock, it might pay you to try drilling the barell out of the lock (if it has one) and seeing if you can manipulate it from the outside rather than destroying your door card to destroy the lock from inside?

[5-pot]

nah, the MkV has no lock barrel on the passenger's side.  At least, mine doesn't...

[BB]

They are crap eh those mk4s
Sorry to hear the skoda did it as well but its is a vag.
All the passats are doing it as well.
Big pain in the ass, I have helped try to sort a rear passat door and it was a pain in the ass BIG time.
The guy still don't have it fully fixed.
Use the internet for detailed how toos tho I think 5-pot.
We managed to get the door panel off the passat I think.
The wires all bust up in the door hinge area as well so pull the boot back and look there too.
but because you can hear your its probibly ok there.

[5-pot]

Yeah, it's a right PITA alright.  I can't get the door card off because i can't get the door open...  And I'd really rather not drill into the outer door skin or the door card to get to the locks...  That's all the advice I can find. Will see what the $tealership says.  It's booked in for a service next month and they will do a vagcom on it.  Till then...  I'll just have to drive solo...

It was an electrical fault that caused the same thing in my drivers door.  Got that fixed under warranty, fortunately.  *sigh* 

Should've stuck to my old quattros...

[M]

I managed to un-deadlock a car the other day by gaining access to the correct wires in door and giving the deadlock motor 12v in the correct direction, then the door open by pulling the handle as it would then un-lock manually. I had to destroy the door card to access the wiring loom though.

The trouble is the door control unit is in fact the window motor so the wires you have to access are only available in the door, you can't fire them from anywhere else in the car.

[5-pot]

*whew* somehow, for whatever reason, the passenger side door works now...

It's still going in for a service next month though.  Seems some people have managed to get VW Aus to pay for the repair...  Hope the two rear doors are OK...

[M]

I strongly advise you to have the lock replaced whilst the door is opening. It will failt again........ ask me how I know. 

[b0000st]

I strongly advise you to have the lock replaced whilst the door is opening. It will failt again........ ask me how I know. 

I agree it will definitely pack up again so I would change it as soon as you can.

[5-pot]

Definitely will do that.

Thanks guys.