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  1. #1
    Active Member One Ring SchrodingersCat's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 01 2016
    AZ Member #
    372668
    Location
    Dublin

    Repairing Audi A4 B8 8K door not unlocking with remote fob

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    The latest to go was locking mechanism on the drivers side door. When I tried to unlock the door with the remote key fob, the door made made a grumble but failed to unlock. It would require a second press of the fob to unlock the door, or else it wouldnt open at all. Instead, I would have to roll down the windows with the fob and open the door by reaching in and opening it from the inside.
    I also noticed that the automatic locking of the door when the vehicle went over 30kph was making a strange noise on the drivers side.

    I tried a few different solutions outlined on the various forums:

    Pull the outside and inside handle at the same time until you feel it click: This appeared to work for a while, but failed again.
    Spray WD40 over all the moving parts including lock tumbler and handle cable: No effect
    Dismantle door lock module and grease all parts: no effect
    Using the VAG-COM VCDS diagnosis software and cable, I found a that the door lock module was throwing a "outside limit" error. Worse again, after a while, the issue appeared in the passengers side door too. Due to the noise that the locking mechanism made, I suspected the door motor. As such, I removed the trim and then the paneling of the door. There are about 6 torx screws that you have to remove to unfasten the paneling. Then you have to start pulling out the panel from the bottom. once you get the top, you can lift it upwards to remove it. Next, you can remove the blue internal door handle cable by unhooking it from the door handle side. Once that is done, you have to remove the outside door handle cable from the lock module. Reach into the door frame and twist the yellow catch on the end of the cable going into the door lock module. Next, remove a rubber gromit on the edge of the door frame to expose a grub screw securing the lock tumbler. Loosen this, and pull out the lock tumbler from the outside. Then to remove the door lock module, you will have to remove two large bolts from the outside edge of the door frame. Then you can reach in and remove the loosened door lock module.










    Take the module to your work bench and remove all the screws on the outside. Open up the small gray hatch window. You will see two axels coming out from the main housing into the locking mechanism. Insert a flat screwdriver and prise the axels from the lock mechanism. You will be left with just the main housing. Using a spludger tool, prise the two half of the housing apart. Inspect the two halves when apart- if the water proof gromit has come loose, press it back into place.










    Inside, you will see the two motors of the module. Remove the largest. Clean the two contact that insert into the motor. I used some fine (2000 grit) sandpaper. At this stage, I tested the motor using a 12v supply and found that it struggled to turn without help. There was obviously something wrong with it. Using a small screwdriver, lift the two tabs on the end of the motor. You can then prise the end off the motor. There was much carbon dust in the motor from the brushes. As such, I tapped the motor on the desk to knock it out. The commutator on the motor was blackened from the brushes. Again, with the fine grit sandpaper, this was quickly cleaned up. You can remove the brushes with a sim card removal tool. I cleaned these up with a small rag. I put the motor back together and tested it with a 12v supply. It ran perfectly.



    Finally, you can put everything back again. Using the VAG-COM VCDS diagnosis software and cable, I reset the error codes. I tested the door, and it worked perfectly!. A month later and it still hasnt given any problems or caused errors in VCDS.


    There is some more information and photos to help here: http://warrantyvoidifremoved.blogspo...-door-not.html

  2. #2
    Veteran Member Four Rings
    Join Date
    Aug 19 2016
    AZ Member #
    378862
    Location
    Newport Beach/CA/USA

    Thanks great write up.


    Sent from my iPhone using Audizine mobile app

  3. #3
    Veteran Member Four Rings
    Join Date
    Nov 23 2009
    AZ Member #
    51117
    Location
    NYC, US

    How much does this job cost by the dealer or a shop?

    I am having the similar issue. The driver side door won't unlock with the key flab. Everything else works fine. I have a 2010 with 29k miles.

  4. #4
    Veteran Member Three Rings GilliamOS's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 26 2015
    AZ Member #
    334305
    My Garage
    2013 A6 3.0T Prestige | 2013 Elantra GT
    Location
    Mormon Country

    Quote Originally Posted by AutoRacer100 View Post
    How much does this job cost by the dealer or a shop?

    I am having the similar issue. The driver side door won't unlock with the key flab. Everything else works fine. I have a 2010 with 29k miles.
    The dealer will not repair the lock module, they will replace it outright. MSRP on the module plus probably 1.3 hours book.
    2013 A6 3.0T - Slightly better than poverty package.

    Past:
    2009 A4 2.0T Avant - Totaled
    2000 A4 1.8T - Sold
    1999 Millenia S - Sold, though it should've been crushed 'n cubed
    1997 A4 1.8T - Totaled, repaired, sold years later better than before
    1990 Maxima - Totaled from hail dents
    1987 Maxima - Sold
    1986 Golf Diesel - Rusted and fell apart

  5. #5
    Veteran Member Four Rings
    Join Date
    Nov 23 2009
    AZ Member #
    51117
    Location
    NYC, US

    so I'm looking at approximately $300 to fix this problem (Parts plus labor)?

  6. #6
    Veteran Member Four Rings WokkerK's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 21 2015
    AZ Member #
    364787
    Location
    Portland, OR

    Quote Originally Posted by AutoRacer100 View Post
    so I'm looking at approximately $300 to fix this problem (Parts plus labor)?
    The part alone depending on front/back is around 300. I recently bought a front and a back and they average out to about 200 each. I can't speak to labor costs as I do all my maintenance myself.

  7. #7
    Veteran Member Four Rings The Infiltrator's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 09 2010
    AZ Member #
    63852
    Location
    Destin, FL

    Took my door apart when I got home today, cleaning the motor didn't work and can't find one so I said screw it and ordered a new one. $120 shipped (front left/drivers door). I had part number 8J1837015D and being replaced with 8J1837015F, they're the same thing.

    Site I used:
    http://parts.byersporsche.com/p/Pors...J1837015F.html

    The cheapest site but didn't have it in stock:
    https://www.parts.com/index.cfm?fuse...-LOCK-ACTUATOR

    Looking at the pictures of the motor I noticed that yours has the plastic at the bottom, mine was at the top and connected to the rod that had the wheel attached to it.
    Last edited by The Infiltrator; 01-26-2017 at 02:37 PM.
    2018 S6 Prestige | Black Optic | S Sport | Driver Assist | Carbon Atlas
    DS1 Stage 2 | SRM TCU | Mike's GESI DP's | AWE Touring w/Black Tips | AWE S-FLO II Intake | SRM Turbo Inlets | H&R Sway Bars | ECSTuning Trans & Diff Mounts | JBX Driveshaft Carrier | Power Stop Z16 Ceramic Pads | BC Forged RZ21 20x9.5 ET30 Brushed Black 22lbs w/Michelin PS4S 265/35/20 | -15mm w/VCDS | CS-II Ceramic Coated | 20% Tint

  8. #8
    Senior Member Two Rings helldriver's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 25 2014
    AZ Member #
    290810
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio

    Crap my whole passenger side is now not unlocking with the fob, I thought I saw these modules at ECS for almost $300, I'm not paying that..... yet?, I'll try a few of the tricks you listed 1st, thank you for the great how to write up. Great to see some alternatives here.
    2008 Audi RS4

  9. #9
    Registered Member One Ring
    Join Date
    Dec 29 2015
    AZ Member #
    366443
    Location
    NY

    I am also having these problems with my 2010 A4. The right rear door will not open from the outside. All other doors work fine.
    * I bought a second hand lock actuator (ebay) and there is no change
    * sometimes if I open the fuel door, The rear door will open.

    * Question 1: Did I buy a part that just had the same problem or is there some other component that is
    causing the problem?
    * Question 2: when I removed the lock actuator it was part 8K0839016A most parts available are 8K0839016D. I did buy the part
    with the "A" at the end but I'm wondering if the parts (which are more plentiful) ending with "D" would still work.
    I believe my 2010 A4 made in 2009 used the "A" part and those made later in 2009 and all in 2010 used the "D" part.

    * Unrelated question: My parking speaker/buzzer is throwing a fault code so I'd like to replace it. Where is it?

    thanks for any suggestions

  10. #10
    Senior Member Three Rings
    Join Date
    Dec 05 2019
    AZ Member #
    529886
    Location
    MONTREAL

    great thread!! My front driver door stopped working yesterday, before getting a new module, i will attempt cleaning up the motor. It seems to always be the issue!

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