Electric tailgate locking gremlins anyone??

[SteveSAS]

Hi, Just wondered if anyone else has suffered from their tailgate unlocking itself sometimes on starting engine & then when driving along?? Doesn't seem to open once doors are locked up.
Either bad connection in wiring or electronic box thingy needs replacing,, any thoughts??

Cheers

Steve

 

[S3quatt]

Do you power hose your car? I'll bet thats the problem.
You need to replace the switches in the lid. Water gets in to the connectors & fries them causing them to short out.
If you go to Audi, they sell them as a kit as I recall as you may need to cut back the wires & re solder new ends on them depending on how bad the corrosion is. Not a big job, just fiddly to get the switches out.
When it comes to re-fitting, give them a good coat of silicone grease to keep the water out in future.

 

[danger S3]

this happened to mine, it was caused by the rear washer being nackered and leaking inside and onto the switch connectors and the latch, mine was opening on its own and the boot lights weren't working.
I took the switches out and cleaned them up, then put it all back together and fixed the rear washer and its all sweet as a nuns nut now.

the way you can tell if your rear wiper is nackered is if the jet follows the wiper arm across the window, it should spray straight up

 

[SteveSAS]

Thanks for the replys guys, never power washed mine (but only had a few months lol) & my rear washers don't work anyway so probably corroded inside. When you say switch connections you mean inside the small black box where the electric plunger comes from?? Had my boot up other day and the plunger was moving in & out on its own 10 to the dozen lol.

 

[S3quatt]

No, its in the back of the panel inside the boot, in line with the switches on the outside.
As i recall, you need a 10mm spanner & socket to undo them & pull the whole lot out to repair them...

 

[ZeeSaffa]

the way you can tell if your rear wiper is nackered is if the jet follows the wiper arm across the window, it should spray straight up

are you sure?
I think mine us ******** as well because the wiper has a mind of its own... But the jet can only follow the wiper.
It sprays just in front of the wiper as it moves. I can't see how it would spray up.

 

[danger S3]

are you sure?
I think mine us ******** as well because the wiper has a mind of its own... But the jet can only follow the wiper.
It sprays just in front of the wiper as it moves. I can't see how it would spray up.

yeah, the brass tube that goes upto the nozzle will probably be corroded and snapped, its that that holds the nozzle straight.

they can usually be repaired with the repair kit 8L0 998 711. there is also a thread with some pics which might help http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-forum-8l-chassis/10646-heres-why-some-peoples-rear-wash-wipe.html

if your wiper is being a bit possessed it could be the circuitry in the motor or it could be the stalk on the steering wheel. i would definitely check out the rear washer motor and see what state its in

 

[ZeeSaffa]

That thread is great - thx for the pointer!
Looks like I'm not the only one that thought the wiper following the blade was a 'feature'!

 

[A3 steve]

See this thread for why your boot opens: http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-...71-boot-opens-when-i-start-car-any-ideas.html The connections to one or both of the soft touch switches in the boot will be corroded. Easy to fix.