Boot lid opening at random!

[S3quatt]

Can anyone help with this?

My boot lid has started opening at random.
it seems the only way to stop it is to lock the doors when i get in the car otherwise the mechanism operates on its own.

Another fault is the switch to open on the tailgate seems to be intermittent too. Some times it works as normal, & some times it simply wont work.

It seems fine once the car's locked but more or less as soon as the car's unlocked it starts to cycle the boot.

Any ideas?

 

[Nilz]

You sure there isnt a little troll or something living in there trying to get out??? LOL...

No seriously though, have you checked the catch and made sure nothing is obstructing it??

 

[FazS3]

have you checked in the boot maybe someone is waiting there for you

 

[Sanj]

Mine has started to do exactly the same aswell......
but also it didnt shut properly either, even tho it looks like it was shut, it wouldnt catch, I put some wd-40 on the latch and for the last few weeks it seems to have been behaving it self.....

 

[nashchrs]

I've got the same problem and its on and off.

Once i try to close the boot it can take upto several attempts to get it to lock.

Then again it doesn't help keeping your hand on the boot release button on the handle while closing it!!

 

[S3quatt]

I know it is catching ok, but it's opening electricaly & even after its open it sometimes cycles a few times...

 

[jimmp]

this is happening to me in my '01 1.8T Q sport. you have to get the boot to shut- then insert the key and turn the key hole horizontal (which locks the car and alarms it) and then unlock the car with the keyfob. Mine then shuts up.

Not a cure though.

I posted about this 2 weeks ago and was completely ignored!

 

[ty160]

just had prob similar on my s3 everytime i got in the car and started it the boot would pop open unless i dead locked with the key took it to audi under warrenty they fixed it apperantly the s3 and s4 are common for the wires from the boot latch to corrode so just clean and grease them up will sort it out hope helps?

 

[Peco]

Hi, sorry to barge in on this chat but I have also got the same problem with my s3 boot opening on its own!!!

It started out that it would only open when i started the engine but now it does it as soon as i unlock the car. I have to get in the car and quickly press the lock button on the door to stop it!! Very annoying! I have checked the wiring in the boot and checked the switches and all seems to be ok but not sure what to do now, any help would be much appreciated. cheers
:Flush:

 

[S3quatt]

I tried squirting WD40 into the lock at the back & that seems to have cured it.

Maybe this is just coincedence but it's worked for me. It seemed worse when it was really cold (sub zero)
Again this may just be coincidence...

 

[Peco]

Thanks for the quick reply! yeah tried that but didn't seem to sort it. Don't want to give it to Audi to charge me ££££'s and tell me they couldn't find anything wrong! The other option is to change all the switches locking mech etc one by one but that's going to be expensive.
cheers for your help

 

[S3 chj]

i had the same prob with mine it took a few slams to shut and opened on its own it was the look mech cost about £20 from the dealers job done

 

[Peco]

Thanks for everyones help on this one.
I finally figured it out today it was the microswitch on the boot release (rubber pads)!! The thing is it made all the wright sounds when you press it ie: click-click sound but it must have been shorting out on the contacts inside the switch and opening itself! I waited till the boot motor started going mental and pulled the connector out of the switch which stopped it immediately. As soon as i plugged it back in it started going mad again.
Sorted and i still have another switch as you know the s3 has two release swiches so just going to use the left hand switch now.

Hope this helps anyone else that may have this problem.
Cheers

 

[bantam1]

Got the opposite prob on mine - can't get the thing open as catch is jammed. Won't budge and had to climb in through back seat to get stuff out of the boot!

 

[Scraggy87]

Mine has just started doing this randomly today! And i also have a problem with my light switch... There seems to be too many common faults with the 8L chassis!

 

[Andrew@A.L.D]

Haven't had my S3 for long and the only way for me to open the boost is with the key, is there a button inside the car to open it? Its a 1999 S3 BTW

 

[Scraggy87]

Very strange but my boot started working normally again today! Just sprayed some WD40 into the boot lock and this morning it was ok! I'm sure the problem will come back again but for now thank god its back to normal!

 

[A3ster]

this is happening to me in my '01 1.8T Q sport. you have to get the boot to shut- then insert the key and turn the key hole horizontal (which locks the car and alarms it) and then unlock the car with the keyfob. Mine then shuts up.

Not a cure though.

I posted about this 2 weeks ago and was completely ignored!

I read it

 

[S3quatt]

Ok, I think i can cover pretty much all of these phantom probs...

If it's cycling & opening all the time then it's probably down to the switch or connecter having water in the contacts causing a short.

I gave mine a serious slam & it stopped working completely after that & would only open with the key fob.

After stripping it down i found the connectors all green due to the water & the pins burned out. The slam was then enough to break the contacts.

The expensive part is going to audi for the bits, as i recall it cost around £60 for the 2 switches, but for that you get the sponge sealing pads & the connectors you need to splice in to the original wiring loom too. I also covered mine with silicone grease to keep the water out on the long term...

Personally i think it could be down to the new power washer i got, even though i am pretty careful with that...

Hope this helps