Strange Problem (or It Was A Couple Of Weeks Ago)

[corskey]

hi,

 

my missus had a strange problem a couple of weeks ago. After freeing the kids at school, the door catches on the drivers door and rear o/s door had jammed in the 'door closed' position. Trying to close the door just resulted in the catches hitting the bar retainers on the B-post and C-post.

 

When the man from the AA eventually arrived, all he did was force the catch open with a screwdriver while holding the door-open handle in the release position - and hey Presto, both doors could be closed again.

 

never had this problem again, but I'm still confused as to why it could happen (though I used to do this myself as a schoolboy prank) anyone else had this problem, or any ideas as to why it could have happened??

 

I ain't too bothered as a large screwdriver is now part of my travel accessories, though I'm still curious.

[Guest vr6galaxy]

The only time that has happened to me has been when the locking latches have been manually tripped! its a good thing to do if you leave the rear hatch open for any length of time as it turns off the interior lights off :D the other reason for doing it is to secure the hatch or boot lid closed when the load is to big and the hatch/boot lid wont close enough to latch, I manually trip the latch and feed the rope I'm using the secure the hatch closed through the locked latch and use it as an anchor point on the hatch, that way it saves you paint work and the rear wiper being pulled off!

[MrT]

Not sure if it is the same issue but if I unlock mine with the remote and do not open the drivers door, it deadlocks itself after a minute or so. I suppose it is a safety feature so you don't accidentally leave the car unlocked.

 

However if like me you accidentally sit on your remote fob in the car and lock the doors, the only way to open the doors are with the remote fob (everything is deadlocked and you cannot open the windows). A minute or so later, it will lock again if you don't open and close the drivers door.

[Guest vr6galaxy]

From my experience the locking latch has to be manually tripped either by a finger or by hitting the retaining loop on the B/C post, the central locking motors have no control over this action, if the door is left open when you press the lock button on the remote the door mech will try to lock but wont be able to and will cycle a couple times before giving up, it wont trip the latch or it shouldnt do!

[Topbloke]

there is a small spring inside the latch assembly this breaks over time, the spring holds the catch in the open position, try comparing it with the other side , open the door and with a screw driver close the latch to the shut position (if you see what i mean) then pull the handle inside or outside and the latch should spring open with a positive action if it don't then the internall spring is broken , falling that a squirt with wd wont hurt, just as an after thought was it a cold frosty mornin , not unusual for mechanism to freeze especialy if its been jet washed

[Masked Marauder]

Not sure if it is the same issue but if I unlock mine with the remote and do not open the drivers door, it deadlocks itself after a minute or so. I suppose it is a safety feature so you don't accidentally leave the car unlocked.

 

However if like me you accidentally sit on your remote fob in the car and lock the doors, the only way to open the doors are with the remote fob (everything is deadlocked and you cannot open the windows). A minute or so later, it will lock again if you don't open and close the drivers door.

The auto re-lock feature is a requirement of the Thatcham Category 1 alarm standard.

[groundbased]

So in that circumstance of locking the doors from inside with the remote, is there any other way of opening them from inside other than using the remote?

 

Just ask because we had this problem, but couldn't get to the remote as it had dropped into the innards of a child seat and we couldn't get it out.

 

53 TDi ghia

[insider]

If there was then it would make it simple for a potential thief to do it too!

The reason for deadlocking is that none of the doors can be opened from inside. This is to prevent thieves simply smashing windows and unlocking / opening the doors from inside.

[Smilge]

Im confused groundbased or I haven't read the thread properly? ........ Pull the drivers door handle open ... mmmmm ...... select the top switch on the drivers door window control panel to unlock ..you know the one that locks all the doors whilst driving.

[groundbased]

Bleeno,

 

Just tried that, got in the car and locked from inside with the remote. But pulling the door handle has no effect, the button on the drivers door arm rest is still disabled.

 

Wondering if there is a fault somewhere, but think this may just be a design feature.

 

GB

Edited August 1, 2007 by groundbased

[mumof4]

what i dont understand..is why you are locking the car from the inside with the remote??

If you have locked the car with the remote from the inside then it wont open from the inside as the doors are dead locked and wont reopen unless with the remote.

 

if that button on the drivers door panel is disabled then if i were you i would re-enable..could be a loose wire etc...

 

one other thing to consider..

 

in the event of an accident..i believe that the doors will automatically unlock if locked by useing the button on the drivers panel..but..if im right..if you have locked it from the inside useing the remote..then they wont.............mind, would the car drive if locked from the inside useing the remote as isnt the car effectively immobilised??

 

edit:

just read your other post..now i understand.....couldnt understand why you were having this prob till i read your other post!!..should have explained on here aswell...i get confused easy.lol

[groundbased]

What happened was that the kids managed to lock the car from the inside with the remote, keys were on the drivers seat while kid #3 was strapped in. Shut the door to walk round to the drivers door and they had locked it. Then they dropped the keys down inside the child seat and couldn't get them out.

 

So then we had 2 kids plus baby plus mother in law in the car, locked from inside by remote, no access to the key and the button on the armrest will not open the door.

 

Only by getting MIL to clamber into the back and dismantle the child seat could they get the doors open. She's nearly 70 and it took half an hour. with kids screaming and windows steamed up as it was chucking it down with rain.

 

Unusual set of circumstances I know, but that is how it happened.

 

Sorry, just read your edit, but have given the full details anyway. Think this is just one of those things that is a million to one chance.

Edited August 1, 2007 by groundbased

[mumof4]

And the moral of the story is.....dont let the kids have the car keys.lol...

[insider]

To clear up the confusion, there is no fault with your locks, etc.

If you deadlock the car with the remote key you cannot unlock it from inside with the door handles, button on the armrest, etc. This is what deadlocking is!

The only way to un-deadlock your car is with the keys / remote control.

[Smilge]

Arrrrrrr got you Groundbased ....... easily done matey .... a warning to us all I think. :16: