A6 Avant - Doors won't close when cold

amimmortal

amimmortal

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Hi all,

Twice now, I've had to pour hot water on both front door catches to get them to close on a cold morning.

Is this a common problem, as I never had anything like this with my A4 or Golf.

I'm concerned as it seems to imply that water is getting into the locks - is that possible?

Would a spray of WD-40 into the locking mechanism sort this out?

Cheers,
A.
 
hi mate its a strange one this i have owned 6 audis and never had this problemm what i would do is take off the door cards to give you access to the lock mechanism drench the locks in wd40 and work the locks a few times re apply wd40 and work them again after this pack the mechanism with plenty of grease that should keep the damp out good luck
 
I removed the door cards plenty of times on the old Golf Mk1 - but I've not tried it on the A4 or the A6 - which I imagine is a little bit more complex.

Could it be a sign of water ingress? if so, where would I stand with Audi on this as the car is now out of warranty...

Cheers!

A.
 
hi mate it is pritty simple to remove the door cards its self explanatary as you go through the procedure once you have removed all the screws lift the card up as it sits on tapered sliders which pull the card tight to the door disconect the interior door handle cable by removing a spring clip then you can unhook the cable then it is just electrical plugs that can only refit one way so you cant get them mxed up. as regards warrenty i very much doubt you would have a case but if you want to give audi a call it wont do any harm
 
Update...

-5 degrees C this morning and, again, the doors wouldn't close. Had to get warm water and dribble it inside the lock to get it to close - which isn't ideal as I don't want water inside the doors...

Ended up late for work as a result.

After last time, I sprayed WD40 into the locks to a) lubricate and b) try and keep the moisture away from the lock mechanism. But I've just been told by a friend that this wasn't the best idea, apparently...

I just don't understand why this has never happened on any other car I've owned, and by the sounds of it no other A6 owners on here have had similar problems.

I did however find this: http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4168059 which seems to be a very similar problem, so I suppose I'm not entirely on my own!

I'm loathe to remove the door cards myself, but similarly reluctant to have someone "professional" do it for me...

Ach well...

Any other ideas?

A.
 
a6 doors iirc are just one wee screw to fix and the rest is just a casof lifting the card off ! easiest ive ever come across tbh .
 
bigdavie wrote:

easiest ive ever come across tbh .
Click to expand...
+1.

With the door open, you'll see one screw at each end, at the top of the door card. Remove both these. Now look underneath the front end of the armrest & you'll see a small hole. Using a small screwdriver or similar (I prefer to use a ball ended Allen key as the ball shouldn't do any damage) through the hole, push the electric window switch panel up & out at the front end until you can get hold of it & then ease it right out. This allows all the connector plugs to be removed. The door card can now be lifted up & away but there are still four (if memory serves) more connectors to be unplugged. Don't worry about noting which go where as they are all different sizes. The cable/wire (not electrical) from the interior handle to the latch mechanism needs to be unclipped at the handle end & the window switch plugs all need to be pulled out through the insulation too. Takes 2 to 3 minutes! Reassembly is the reverse but getting all the lugs relocated & the lock liftpin through the hole in the top of the door card can be a little awkward & don't overtghten the two screws as they wind into soft aluminium. Hope this doesn't make it sound too complicated - it really is easy!
 
Thanks for that...

I've now had to contend with this every day for the last week! Total pain in the ****. Haven't even had the car a month yet...

If I have time this weekend, and the weather isn't too inclement, I'll have a go at the door card and see if I can get in to have a look...

Cheers.

A.
 
Okay...

Audi have just informed me that my car has heated door locks as standard. Apparently you need to hold the door handle up for a certain length of time (or something like that) to activate them.

I'll be reading my manual tonight and trying it out tomorrow morning...

If they don't work, it probably means that the heating element isn't working properly and it will need someone to look at it.

Sounds like progress though....

A.
 
I don't think that this is a door lock problem but a door closing mechanism problem. Open the door and spray silcone grease spray on the mechanism door catch. I had the same problem a few weeks ago and it has not re-occurred yet.
 
My 2000 S6 does the same thing with the drivers door when cold. I use WD40 as spray grease seems too thick and doesn't work for me.
 
This is a common problem in norway, usually the problem is dirt.
The locking mechanism gets dirty. The fat that Audi uses too lube the locking mechanism will allways attract dirt. Dirt attracts moisture and when the temperature is below zero this moisture freezes.
WD40, silicone and crc-556 freezes in below zero temperatures.
So, try cleaning the locking mechanism, and use all purpose fat to lube the mechanism again. And be shure that the car is placed in a warm place after you cleaned it until it's dry. Otherwise you have to do it all over again :crying:
 
Thanks folks.

Seriously though... pay £30,000 new and you need to breathe on l the locks to close the door!

A.
 
I dismantled my rear drivers side door at the weekend as the lock was playing up. Holy crap, this turned out to be a big job, door panel comes off in two minutes, but taking the lock out is another storey, I ended up taking the window and frame out to get the lock out, then a shim fell out and I didn't know where it came from, so I had to take the other rear door apart to see... all in all, it was a PITA.. I got the lock out, took it apart and cleaned it.. re-installed it and it wouldn't lock at all. had to do it all again on sunday.. got it working, but it still throws a vag-com code. Might try it sometime with the front door, but not 100% sure, it might be easier to get the lock out as the back of the door isn't sloping, but we will see..
 
Sorry to "bump" this thread, but...

My wife just called from her work's car park (she's the only one there) and the driver's door won't close. She's basically going to have to wait until the car warms up sufficiently for the lock to start working again.

What an unbelievable pain in the ****!

I couldn't find anything in the Audi A6 manual that explained how the heated door locks work - does anyone know for sure?

Thanks!

A.
 
I have had exactly same problem this week with both front doors on my A6, but only happened one morning and has been ok since, luckily! - mine is '52 reg so would be same model as yours?
Bit cold atm for taking door cards off tho':laugh:
 
Hi All,
Im new here so hope I post this in the correct place. I too am Audi driver. I have a 2003 A6 Avant limited Edition 1,9TDI remapped. Recently I took my car to audi for an oil change and a check over as its mot is coming up. I was told my drivers door lock and my passenger rear door lock were not working correctly due to wear and tear and that my alarm wont work. Got the car back the alarm works fine the back passenger door lock is fine but as most of ye my drivers door lock keeps freezing/seizing in cold weather. Audi want £280 for this fitted. I have done the greese and wd40 thing but didnt work. I have taken off the door card and the lock looks like a complete pain in the **** to remove. I have been told that if I give it a stripdown and a good clean it should do the trick. However I am seriously thinking about taking it to Audi as 1, I need to make sure it works right and 2 how will my key work in it if I do it myself. I have also considered buying a second hand lock from ebay or any breakers and clean that but again the key issue. Does any one no where I could get detailed instructions and removing the lock itself. The door card is a piece of **** but it looks like half the window stuff needs to come out to get the lock out. I think ill do it myself and ill let ye no how I get on. Im not looking forward to it though, but if it fixes it its better than standing in the cold freezing my nuts off.
Just another question for ye please. I asked Audi to check the car over as its due its mot. They told me that because I put in aftermarket Xenon lights that I need washers for the lights and it will fail an mot??? Has anyone else heard of this???? Thanks for yer time and sorry about the long winded post..

Regards,
Bunnyboo.. :blackrs4:
 
Hi,
Is this literally just a question of the door not latching shut when it's been cold? This happened to my 2001 A6 Avant with the recent cold snap, all I did was poke a finger into the latching mechanism on the end of the door, wiggle it round a bit, problem solved. I would've thought that the heated door locks are more relevant if using the key rather than remote central locking, to enable the key to turn in freezing conditions..
Hope this helps, and apologies if I'm way off the mark...
 
Before all this cold weather my passenger door started to play up, not closing. I have found that if i wind the window down it shuts fine, then wind the window up again. Its intermittent, 3 days family trip over the break door opened and closed all the time, and it never happened once, until i got home unloaded the car and it did it again. My moneys on the sticking mechanism but i'm intrigued why opening the window fixes it. Maybe i can just slam it harder....
 
Mine did it on drivers door monday after car wash sunday, so guess water in places not supposed to be! Set off down lanes holding door shut and in about a mile it worked fine. Dried it with hairdrier after work and this morning worked fine - seems to be just excess water in wrong places?
 
audi upgrades
Hi guys. This does seem to be a problem on A6's. I repair cars for a living and am self employed. I have just bought an allroad tdi and it has the same problem. I was only able to use it for 1 day before this happened. Drivers door would not shut unti the car was warm. Strange when all the other cars in my yard worked fine including the S3 and a golf. I have just replaced the regulator in the drivers door and decided to remove the lock to investigate the problem. 1 terminal in the multiplug was corroded and the lock was corroded inside. New 1 bought from TPS, fitted today and now the remote will not unlock the doors only lock them. fault code stored 01570 (switch-off delay, terminal 15) Seems that the water ingress has caused a short in the central locking controller. Nightmare!!!
 
The driver's door on my A6 2004 (C5) Avant doesn't shut very well either. Most of the time it just 'bounces' and ends up just on the latch. A gentle close seems to work, a slam does not work.

I thought it was just an adjustment issue of the lock but perhaps not. Reading this I think Audi need to do a complete recall and fix of our prestige cars for us!! Ha ha!! :weight_lift2:

Ace
 
so we need new locks then as my drivers door doesnt open half the time either
 
I had to get something from the car late last night (allroad 2.5tdi) and couldn't get the front passenger door open. I didn't force it. Experience has taught me not to mess with it if you're unable to take steps to fix it. Googled the fault and came here and went to bed.

I'd started her up a few minutes ago, gave her a few minutes to defrost a little. Tried to open it from the inside, door opened up ok. Couldn't get it to close. Oops. Ran round, tried to close it a few times and it wouldn't close. I'd poked around a little. I'd sprayed some white lithium grease in and around the mechanism during the summer, checked it was still thin enough and hadn't caught tons of dust and grit. Then dropped the window, tried to close the door. Ta-da!

It isn't fixed. But thanks to all of you for helping me secure the door. No-one is going to use the door until i can get it to the garage for someone to have a look at it. Oh yeah, I'd stupidly tried to clean the rear window with the washer jet when it was frozen and popped the rear wash pipe off the coupling. Need to get that looked at too. Anyone got some tips on how to get the rear trim off? Lots of posts and advice all over the interweb. Unfortunately i have the factory rear sunblind. Meant to be a nightmare.

How great is it driving in the snow with Quattro (Torsen diff), it's so stable and sure-footed? Friend in a haldex equipped car is struggling a little as the front wheels need to slip for drive to go to the rear. Nearly makes it worth carrying the extra weight around and using so much extra fuel. Is it too early to wish everyone a Happy Christmas? Oh wait. 4 days till Christmas.
 
I had the problem of a freezing boot latch in all the recent cold weather which was a real nightmare. Had to dive the car about with the boot not closed properly with the warning light displaying in my dash which was very annoying. Warm water was the only way to fix it, which is obviously not a good idea as it can then re-freeze. eventually WD40 seemed to stop it recurring, but I kept avoiding opening my boot just in case.

Can anyone help me solve another problem my Allroad now has? Basically, the nearside rear door lock has stopped working through the central locking. All the other doors work fine still but it sounds as if the mechanism is not working in this one door. I can still open the door from the handle inside initially, and when the button is then up I can use the door normally from inside and out, but I have to remember to press the button down on the inside of the car to lock the door when parking up. It's just really annoying. Audi want £225 to fix but I've already given them way too much money recently fixing other problems. I have taken the door card off and it looks very difficult to get to the locking mechanism. Anyone know whether power could be failing to get to the locking mechanism, or will the mechanism just be broken? Can get a second hand mechanism off eBay for £43 but I really don't think I'll be able to put everything back together myself. Was hard enough just getting the door card back on!

Any help much appreciated!
 
have you checked the wiring going into the door as often this can break
 
I've noticed a great deal on this site, and others, that when the door won't "lock" is that in reference to the key not turning or the remote not locking, or is it the latch that has the lock assembly attached to it half way down the door?

If you want good locks, both latched and key hole locks, then get some good branded low temp gun oil from gunsmiths or online. It is a permanent solutuion. :w00t: For tailgates that have the key hole flap that "should protect" from the elements, tape it over with some jungle tape for the winter. Faulty contacts in the boot lock mechanism causes alarm faults and flat batteries.
 
[/QUOTE]
Just another question for ye please. I asked Audi to check the car over as its due its mot. They told me that because I put in aftermarket Xenon lights that I need washers for the lights and it will fail an mot??? Has anyone else heard of this???? Thanks for yer time and sorry about the long winded post..

Regards,
Bunnyboo.. :blackrs4:[/QUOTE]

Hi, and welcome.
I had HID lights fitted to my A6 which has now gone through 2 MOT's at different places without anyone mentioning this idea at all. I would suspect that, as is so often the case, the dealer is trying to drum up trade!

marsmail
 
Ha! I have the same problem with my 04 allroad. As one user posted:

"The driver's door on my A6 2004 (C5) Avant doesn't shut very well either. Most of the time it just 'bounces' and ends up just on the latch. A gentle close seems to work, a slam does not work."

I too thought this was an alignment issue. I've had to nudge the door for the past year. A hard slam bounces it open.

With the recent cold spell, it doesn't latch, at all. The "fix" is to blow hot air on it for 15 seconds with a heat gun. Well, not only is that a major hassle but my employer failed to install an electrical outlet at each parking spot, so I'm out of luck. I have to go in through the passenger door.

I removed the door panel, but the latch mechanism seems pretty well tucked away. I've tried spraying T9 (waterproof lube) and it worked ONCE, but not every time. If it worked once, I'd think it would have displaced any water and "cured" the problem if that were it. I don't know. What a PITA.
 
my passenger door was just like this sprayed lithium grease on the latch mechanism visible from the door edge and it works fine every time even in v. cold weather!!!
 
I had the same problem, but found it to be the door sensor getting affected by freezing. Not the lock.
 
I have a 2000 A6 Avant 1.9tdi and I am also having problems with doors but not temperature related. I've had the car for 15 months and for virtually all that time the passenger door has "bounced" off the latch and needs either a firm pull on the armrest or some leaning on the door from the outside to close it. The drivers door has just started to do the same.

I had put it down to being a part of the general electrical problem that I seem to have as the electric windows will not always close when opened and they occasionally open of their own accord but it seems from the comments above that the doors may be a mechanical problem after all. I'll try WD40.
 
New Mots from March , have a read ,
DubGeneration • Login

Lighting
Products on the lens or light source that obviously reduce the light's
intensity or change its colour will become a reason for failure - applies to
front/rear position lamps, registration plate lamps, stop lamps, rear fog
and direction indicators,

Headlight requirements are updated to take account of the particular
characteristics of High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps.

HID headlights can cause dazzle if they are dirty or aimed too high so car
manufacturers must fit headlamp cleaning and levelling systems. A car will
fail if a mandatory headlamp cleaning or levelling system is missing,
doesn't work or is obviously defective.

Vehicles fitted with aftermarket HID systems must also be fitted with
properly working washer and levelling systems.

If a headlamp bulb is not seated correctly the resulting beam pattern will
be indistinct and this will result in a test fail.
 
I have the same problem. I tried a deicer in every part I could think of. We ended up leaving the car unlocked and took a cab. Came back about 3 hours later, and wiggled the key back and forth and got it fixed.
I am now nervous to open my door.

Had a similar problem in warm weather where my window wouldn't go back up after being put down for about 5 hours. Pain in the but. Something is funny about the doors on this car.

CM
 
My passenger door window has now dropped and will not go back up. The car in now indoors defrosting...... See what happens.
 
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