Rear door won't open, do i have to cut the door open?

[doggybs]

Hi All,

I've need many similar posts like this but none seem to be my situation.

The rear left door won't open from the in-side or the outside.

I have removed the door cards and all the inners of the door

I have access to all the controls on the lock but nothing I do will unlock / open the door.

I have a new lock sitting in front of me and i've had lots of practice in what to press and move to unlock the the lock, but nothing works on the lock in the door.

What options do I have here?

Thanks

 

[MOZ_LC_TDI]

Hi, I had a similar problem last year with my drivers door.

Have a look at this thread
http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=407397

In it I refer to some other threads that are good guides but didnt fully solve my problem as my door mechanism was bust and not just the lock. although it sounds like you are most of the way through the guides - most of which is getting all the innards of the door out.

I suspect you are in the same situation as me with a totally unopenable broken lock
I ended up using a chisel and hammer and a lot of sweat and frustration, to try to break through the side of the lock from the innards of the door and after lots of hammering and chiseling of the lock, and it finally released for me to open the door, and swap it out for the new one.

Hope this helps and Good luck.

Moz
Good luck

 

[MOZ_LC_TDI]

One more point as mentioned in one of teh threads I refer to in my other thread is that you will need a

12 point star driver/bit (aka triple-square or spline bit): M8

to remove the 2 lock holding bolts (once you manage to open the door. Don't be fooled they are not standard Torqx head bolts and need the 12 point spline, standard torques driver will round the head innards.

Good luck.
Moz

 

[doggybs]

Thanks Moz, Very helpfully.

I did have my hammer and chisel standing by, but just needed the morel support that smashing it for hours would actually work . I'll get started on that.

Cheers for advice about the bolts.

One other question I have is about the replacement lock I have. I have connected it to the electronics and locked / uplocked the car a few times but the new lock doesn't seem to respond. Do I need to do some vag-com magic to register the new lock?

Cheers

 

[MOZ_LC_TDI]

Hi,
My new lock was from ebay (a new part but aftermarket for about £25). I just installed it and away it went, didn't have to do anything other than fit it and connect it all back up, so no Vagcom for me. I must admit I didnt try it before fitting it so not sure if there is anything to do with orientation etc, but I doubt it.

One further note on the chisel and hammer. It was very frustrating and the lock is pretty solid and you will feel like your getting no where. at the bottom of teh lock looked like an area that could be split and wiggled but it's all solid metal. I found 20 mins + of frustrated hammering finally got me far enough where the lock released, don't know if I was just lucky or not cos I didn't manage to break right through the lock sidewall. Theres not much space in there and i didn't explore it, but you might want to get a drill to it if you can get one in, otherwise keep at it and don't get defeated.
I know it took me about 6 or 7 hours to do including getting the door panel off and innards out (with the door closed) and just kept thinking how much it would have cost at the garage in labor time!!.

Also do that inner door seal (between the metal inner door window carrier and the door frame when you put it back together, I have done all mine now after my footwell was flooded 3 weeks ago (already did the drivers when I had my lock issue, but done all the rest now).

Good luck.

Moz

 

[doggybs]

Cheers Moz,

I guess I'll smash the plastic stuff off first, and then get drilling some of the metal casing. Nice one seat!

 

[doggybs]

Yah!, Got the door open w000hoooo!.

Only took half and hour of hammering and smashing. Crowbar and big lump hammer. Builders gloves were an essential.

Now just got to try and get all this stuff back together and hope the new lock works.

 

[MOZ_LC_TDI]

Well done

 

[doggybs]

ahh man :-(, new lock doesn't work. Mechanically its fine, but the electronics don't work :-(

 

[MOZ_LC_TDI]

Really sorry to hear that, what a shame.
Was it a new one or from a scrapers?
If new you should get a refund but that doesn't help the delay in getting the replacement delivered and fitted.

Hope you get it fully sorted, but at least you have done the difficult and worrying bit, just the frustrating unnecessary frustration and waiting bit.
Soon be over.
Keep us updated.
Moz

 

[doggybs]

w0000t! All sorted

Turns out of the lock won't work unless the window motor is connected.

Its now all back together and working, oh my gosh! what a mission.

Thanks again for your help / moral support.

 

[MOZ_LC_TDI]

Brilliant news , well done

 

[rackers]

I'm having this issue at the moment (MOT failed). I've got to the bit where i've got all the bolts off the metal skin but don't know where to go to remove the metal skin without busting the window etc. I've looked through the other threads briefly but a bit stuck and don't want to break the window/holder etc. I've got an electric window if that makes any difference.

If I do manage to get it open can I leave it just to pass the MOT or do i risk it locking or will it just not shut?

Sorry for all the questions, complete newb with all this!

 

[MOZ_LC_TDI]

Hi,
if you follow the procedure in the link below, items 9 to 14 explain the glass disconnection

http://www.taligentx.com/passat/maintenance/doorlockmechanism/

Next, window glass removal:

Remove the two large, circular rubber inserts from the metal door panel. If you pry with a screwdriver, take care not to damage the mating surfaces. (illustration)
Reconnect the handle/switch assembly to the brown wire harness to allow window control. With the key in the On position (no need to start the engine), roll up the window until the window clamp screws are accessible through the circular cutouts.
Use a 10mm socket to loosen the clamps holding the window glass in place - it will only take a few turns to loosen the clamps, no need to remove the screws entirely.
Roll the window down until a third of the window glass is left visible in the window frame.
Disconnect the handle/switch assembly.
Remove the window glass. Reach over the top of the door and pull the window glass upwards (towards yourself). As you raise the window glass, angle it towards the hinge side of the door to allow the window glass to clear the window slot. Set the window glass aside.

basically once you are at the point where the door card is off and you have the metal inner panel visible, there should be 2 large (2 or 3" diameter rubber bungs) if you pull those off you can see inside to where the window moves up and down. You need to lower the window to the point where you can see the glass holding clamps (plastic). You can access the release bolt for these clamps through the rubber bung holes and loosen them off (don't loosen them so much that the bolt falls off. Once loosened you can lift the glass back up to its closed position by hand (leave the winding mechanism where it is) and tape the glass up to the body to keep the glass out of the way (I used gaffa tape and worried about removing the adhesive later- better that than the risk of the glass falling and breaking).
then you can proceed to remove the metal inner door panel as per the rest of the procedure.

Hope this helps.

Moz

 

[doggybs]

I didn't have much luck getting the window out of the plastic clip, didn't notice there was a release screw and other forums talked about a special tool for pushing the plastic bung out the glass.

Instead I just drilled out the two rivets holding the window slider to the metal door cover. I used a 4mm drill bit and the rivets drill out easily in a few minutes.

Then once i'd got the metal cover off, I could easily remove the plastic window holder from the glass as I could get two hands on it.

You will need a rivet gun (£10 from screw fix) and some 4mm rivets to re-fit the window sliding mechanism.

I suspect there is an easier way do this like moz is saying. But I couldn't see the release screw or an easy way to get the glass out of the plastic holder.

 

[rackers]

Thanks for the info, appreciate it! I'm gonna give this a go tonight!

 

[MOZ_LC_TDI]

Yes the easier way is to remove the rubber bungs and lower the window until you see the plastic window holding clamps behind the bung holes, then you can get to the tightening bolt on the clamp with a ratchet (cant remember what size nut it is probably 10mm?, loosen them off and the glass should pull free when you lift the glass up, saves drilling and riveting.

Regards to the earlier question about just opening it for the MOT, i'm not sure, depends whats wrong with it, if its like mine then the whole lock and opening mechanism was dead and I had to smash it apart to open the door so needed to fit a replacement.
I don't know, but would guess its an MOTR failure due to the safety aspect of a passenger not being able to get out of the car in an accident, so just having it open I would suspect may not suffice, in case the next time you lock it it does the same thing (just my thoughts I don't know what the MOT legalities/criteria on this are)

If its just the lock sticking, then you may be able to free it up and get it working again, but if it were me I would be replacing the whole lock regardless, - a new one should be pretty cheap from ebay (mine was brand new aftermarket from an ebay trader - not second hand breakers) and was only £25 ish. I had mine bought and ready to fit before I did the job.

If you don't replace it now, my guess is it will only be a matter of time before you have to do it again - this problem seems extremely common, so I would recommend changing the lock. Also if you are going to do it, I would get some of the butyl rubber sealing strip off ebay too and replace the inner door card seal before putting it all back together as that will cause you some headaches with water in the footwell in the future, so do it now while its all apart to save you doing it again- believe me you will need to do it at sometime, ive had it on 2 doors now and have subsequently done all the inner door card seals- another common problem.

All the best.

Moz.

 

[rackers]

I went at this tonight! Went mostly well....

Unable to do it the easier way, ended up drilling the rivets out which did the job, only problem is now the window clips/cable configuration is all in pieces, not entirely sure how this even goes back together! Been trying to find a diagram or some photos but I haven't been able to find anything! Only the VW post, but that one is all different as far as i can tell....

Got to the door lock, as with Moz had to smash it to get the door open, can't get the remaining part of the lock out though as it appears to be attached to the handle, any ideas on removal or is it just a matter of break it?

Waiting for the new lock to come, gonna use ebay, looks to be best option as you've specified.

Thanks for all the help so far, anything further anyone can add to the above would be greatly appreciated! Especially getting the window clips etc all back together!

 

[MOZ_LC_TDI]

If you read the links in my original post I think there is some instruction on removing the door handle. If I remember correctly, when the door is open there is a rubber bung covering a hole next to the lock (About handle height), removing this should give you access to a screw which releases the door handle. Then a bit of prizing should allow the handle out of the door ( it will have a little strange paddle shaped bar between the lock and the key hole part of the handle.

Hope this helps.
Moz

 

[rackers]

Thanks, once I've got the new lock i'll get get started! Found some vague diagrams and pictures of what the regulator should look like together, should give me enough to get that back together!