A3 boot unlocking with key but not opening when pressed twice

Munichman · Jul 22, 2015

Hi all,

Firstly I hope I'm posting this in the right area. Forgive me if I haven't as this is my first post!

I just purchased my first Audi today from a second hand car dealership. It is a 2013 Audi A3, 1.6 Tdi SE, 3 Door.

Reading through the user manual it states that using the key, the boot can be independently unlocked by pressing the middle button once and following another press of the button the boot will open (to allow you to load it with groceries, for example, without manually opening the boot).

However, when I press the button once the boot does indeed unlock however with the second press of the button it sounds like a mechanism is trying to release the boot and open it but the boot does not open at all.

Manually, I have no problem opening the boot after I have unlocked it, however, I would prefer if the feature did work as it was meant to.

Is there a catch or anything I should be clearing/anything I should be aware of in order to make this work?

Do only certain models of the A3 come with this function?

The reason I ask is because the dealer never made me aware that the key/boot function does not work properly and I want to be 100% certain that the car should work as I've described above before contacting him about this issue.

I'd greatly appreciate any help you can provide me with.

Tfsi gone · Jul 22, 2015

You tried holding the boot opening button down? Not sure on the A3 model tbh but on my A4 it automatically opens the boot fully. Great for scaring old people from a distance...

Munichman · Jul 22, 2015

Many thanks for the reply!

Yeah, I've held it down and as I say, you can hear a sound from the boot, almost as if there is some sort of mechanism trying to open it.

The first press of the button which unlocks the boot is silent.

My dad also has an A4 and the boot opens with ease once you hold the button on the key in so it's quite annoying as I've seen the function for myself working perfectly!

Tfsi gone · Jul 22, 2015

Is it definitely ment to open the same as the A4? Reason I ask is my wife had an A3 TFSI and all that did when using the key was to 'pop' the boot ready to lift manually..

Munichman · Jul 22, 2015

From what I've read in the owner's manual, the description seems to be the same as the A4! Press the button once to unlock the boot or hold it in for 2 seconds to open the boot.

Even if it was meant to slightly pop the boot ready to open, it unfortunately isn't doing that either!

Tfsi gone · Jul 22, 2015

Strange one. I take it there's no options in the MMI in this? Otherwise open the boot and manually check the catch locks.
I.e - move them and if need be give them a little bit of lubrication.

RichardT · Jul 22, 2015

I think that boot opening only works on the saloon. Hatchbacks just pop open but do not fully open. I guess the door would be too heavy for a spring to open it?
Are the A4's you guys are talking about saloons?

mjcourtney · Jul 22, 2015

RichardT said:
I think that boot opening only works on the saloon. Hatchbacks just pop open but do not fully open. I guess the door would be too heavy for a spring to open it?
Are the A4's you guys are talking about saloons?

Correct. The 3 door and Sportback only release the boot catch when you hold the boot button. The saloon is the only model which fully opens the boot.

Sounds like an error in the owners manual. There are some threads on here about adding extra springs to the boot struts to get them to open, but its not a very popular mod.

RichardT · Jul 22, 2015

Yet another reason for choosing the saloon option ! :blahblah1:

Ignition1 · Jul 22, 2015

So it doesn't pop it open a bit either? Sounds like a fault to me - best go to an Audi garage.

If I press and hold my boot opening key it just pops it so I can lift it up without pressing the button underneath the tail, however it doesn't open fully. Not sure what pressing twice does but I'm assuming it's the same thing as long-pressing. I'm not aware of an option that opens the boot fully on a Sportback/Hatchback.

Seems a pointless feature in my opinion. Popping the boot (still requiring you to lift it open fully) is not much different from opening the boot normally.

veeeight · Jul 22, 2015

Ignition1 said:
Seems a pointless feature in my opinion. Popping the boot (still requiring you to lift it open fully) is not much different from opening the boot normally.

I've used it a couple of times where I had reversed the car in a multi storey against a concrete wall. When I returned, one arm was used carrying a box, leaving only the other hand/arm free.

Couldn't walk round to the rear of the car (concrete wall) to reach the hatch release, couldn't stretch to reach the central handle - but could reach into my trouser pocket to press the middle button.

Ignition1 · Jul 22, 2015

veeeight said:
I've used it a couple of times where I had reversed the car in a multi storey against a concrete wall. When I returned, one arm was used carrying a box, leaving only the other hand/arm free.

Couldn't walk round to the rear of the car (concrete wall) to reach the hatch release, couldn't stretch to reach the central handle - but could reach into my trouser pocket to press the middle button.

I can see that situation occurring, though in that case I'd either use the back seats instead or park facing the wall.

Would be great if it opened fully but I suspect that's just a saloon thing (I'm even reading the 8V PDF manual right now just to be sure)...nope, just unlocks it. Thinking about it, I have used it myself once when shopping and needed to drop something off into the car without unlocking/re-locking all the doors. When the car is locked and you unlock the boot only, after closing the boot it'll automatically re-lock. So...there's that.

veeeight · Jul 22, 2015

Ignition1 said:
Would be great if it opened fully but I suspect that's just a saloon thing (I'm even reading the 8V PDF manual right now just to be sure)...

Yes, the saloon (only) fully opens the boot, the HB and SB only release (pop) the hatch, they do not fully open the hatch.

This would be disastrous in many situations though, the opening height of the hatch on the HB and SB is considerably higher than the roofline of the car, and would hit a low ceiling, or car park concrete overhead beam etc.

@Daveotto damaged his car on the Eurotunnel roof:
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/channel-tunnel-train-warning.219089/

The saloon has a much lower opening boot height, no or little danger of it flying open to hit an overhead obstruction.
(and has parcel shelf space to have the torsion bars to assist the opening)

h5djr · Jul 22, 2015

veeeight said:
I've used it a couple of times where I had reversed the car in a multi storey against a concrete wall. When I returned, one arm was used carrying a box, leaving only the other hand/arm free.

Couldn't walk round to the rear of the car (concrete wall) to reach the hatch release, couldn't stretch to reach the central handle - but could reach into my trouser pocket to press the middle button.

Personally I always park face-in in a car park for that very reason. It is then always very easy to open the hatch and the doors open so that you don't have to go past the door first. I also find it quicker to drive in forwards and therefore cause less inconvenience to others if the car park is busy. I can always choose the best moment to reverse out.

Ignition1 · Jul 22, 2015

h5djr said:
Personally I always park face-in in a car park for that very reason. It is then always very easy to open the hatch and the doors open so that you don't have to go past the door first. I also find it quicker to drive in forwards and therefore cause less inconvenience to others if the car park is busy. I can always choose the best moment to reverse out.

For me it depends on how much I need to use the boot. I also admit I struggle to just "turn in" to a parking space and find it far easier to reverse park!

/dev/null · Jul 22, 2015

My saloon has stopped doing this - the boot pops then you need to give it a shove to open it fully. Trip to the dealers needed I think....

Rob2k68 · Jul 22, 2015

The keyfob unlatching on the H/B and S/B is useful on occasions when you cant quite reach the centre of your car and can therefore open the hatch with your hand anywhere above the number plate.

mark holloway · May 23, 2019

Sorry to revive an old thread but is the A3 8V cabriolet meant to fully open when pressing the key fob twice (or a long press)?

RichardT · May 23, 2019

Boot opening is done with a long press of the middle button. This is for the saloon - not sure about the cabriolet.

A3 boot unlocking with key but not opening when pressed twice

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