Drivers door lock

[PeteRepeat]

So my drivers door sounds like it's trying to unlock, but it then relocks again without it ever unlocking. The sound is a bit faint on the drivers door compared to whennitnwas working properly. So I checked with the obdeleven and drivers door actuator grounded.. So assume this means it's a failed door actuator.

However what throws me, is if i press unlock and it doesn't unlock on the outside, if I have the window open I can pull the inside handle it opens the door. How can I open the door if the door isn't unlocked? Or do the inside and outside handles operate on a different locking mechanism? I expected if it was the lock actuator that opening from the inside would also not work..

Any suggestions? I don't particularly want to pull the trim off without having an actuator sitting there. But I also don't want to waste money buying an actuator. Any ideas of good places to buy the actuator if so?

[gregozedobe]

On both my R and my Octavia the inside door handle unlocks on the first pull ( I think maybe manually, not electronically), then opens the door on the second pull. So yes, the inside door handle works differently to the outside handle (the car has to be unlocked before the outside handle can do anything)

I'm guessing either the lock actuator or the wiring to the actuator is the problem. I'd get onto it and fix it sooner rather than later, as if the door gets stuck deadlocked it's a real PITA to get at the actuator to replace it. If the deadlock is stuck on you won't be able to open the door at all.

Sorry, can't help you with a source for the actuator, but I'd buy new, not s'hand from a wreckers.

[DV52]

Pete: Interesting problem and I have never replaced the door lock on a mk7. So, my reply below is definitely NOT a master class in fixing lock problems- I'm just speculating! This said, I'm fairly certain that the answer to your principal question about the inner/outer handles is that they operate separate parts of the lock mechanism via 2 x short-length Bowden cables - see diagram below.

The other important part of your diagnostic process in this instance (I think) is to determine which of the lock motors (if any) may be causing the problem - because the door locks in Australian vehicles have 2 x motors. As you can see from the wiring diagram below, there is a second motor in the locks on our cars that operate the SAFELOCK feature. This is a type of deadlock function that stops the internal handle from opening the doors when the door is locked.

I'm not sure how this 2nd motor is involved in your problem because you say that the internal handle does open a locked door. This shouldn't happen if SAFELOCK is operating correctly (the internal handle is rendered inoperative). Does this happen ONLY when you defeat the SAFELOCK mechanism (by pressing the lock button on the fob twice)? If not (i.e. if this happens every time you lock the door)- it suggests that the problem may be related to the SAFELOCK mechanism. Of course I'm guessing because I only know a small part of the complete picture in your case

I'm not sure how proficient you are with wiring diagrams, but the arrangement below shows that there are 3 x mechanically operated switches in the lock mechanism that tell the door control module when the motors have locked the door. In the diagram below, F2 and F241 are what's known as "normally open" switches - which means that when the V56 motor locks the door, these switches should earth pin #5 & pin #1 on the 20 x pin connector on the module. Separately, but in the same manner F243 should earth pin #6 when the SAFELOCK motor (i.e. V161) operates correctly. You could test the state of these switches with a multi-meter (on the module connector pins - see below) by locking the door both with and without the SAFELOCK feature.

Finally, and again with the caveat that I've not replaced one of these locks, I would be surprised if you could buy a lock actuator separately from the lock mechanism (if the Bowden cable on the outer handle is OK). And, even if you were able to source this separate part - I've no doubt that VW would charge an amount close to the annual budget of a small African nation - . But I'm happy to be proven wrong.

Anyhow, might be worth considering a wrecker part (i.e. the entire lock)- IMO, of course.

Don

PS: All of the above assumes that you haven't inadvertently tinkered with the software switch in long-code in the driver-side door control module (@ address hex42) that disables the SAFELOCK function - which is Byte 2, Bit 0

[PeteRepeat]

I'm not sure how this 2nd motor is involved in your problem because you say that the internal handle does open a locked door. This shouldn't happen if SAFELOCK is operating correctly (the internal handle is rendered inoperative). Does this happen ONLY when you defeat the SAFELOCK mechanism (by pressing the lock button on the fob twice)? If not (i.e. if this happens every time you lock the door)- it suggests that the problem may be related to the SAFELOCK mechanism. Of course I'm guessing because I only know a small part of the complete picture in your case

Hmm why I didn't think of this before but I have noticed the SAFELOCK error come up in my dash since I have had it.

Best think about this some more and read your very informative post in more detail.

[PeteRepeat]

The error from obdeleven. It can't be cleared