Jetta Central Locking Problem - Passenger Side Opens and Locks :s

The Fed said:

You probably need a new passenger side door latch. Everything is in it - locking solenoid, microswitches that tell the ECU if the door is open or closed, unlocked or locked. Sound like the microswitch that tells the ECU the door is unlocked in bad. The switches are not individually available or replaceable - you need to replace the entire latch. Believe me, I tried - contacted the manufacturer of the switch and ordered the closest thing they had - didn't fit. Must be a special job for the company that makes the whole latch assembly, which you'll never find unless you work in VW procurment.

Get a VCDS scan - it will show a fault. Don't know what latches currently go for in the UK - probably 300-400 USD. You can replace it yourself if you have a couple of specialized bits. I think you can remove the outer door skin on MKV's to access it.

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The Fed said:

Nah - you don't take the window out of the car. I guess you can't just remove the outer door skin then. You remove the inner door card. There are two big plastic plugs you pop out. Then you lower the window about halfway until you see the rubber-lined clamps that hold the window to the window regulator. You loosen them and pull the glass up to the top of the frame and duct tape it to the top of the door frame.

But it's a tedious job. You need to almost gut the door. And if the outside door handle falls out of it's groove it's a PITA to get to back where it belongs. I did the job twice on my MKIV and the handle fell out both times. Took me longer to get it back in than it took to do the whole job.

Make sure your mechanic scans your car first because there was a problem with some of the wiring harnesses where they go from the door to the body of the car. Wires would get pinched and break. Much more likely it's the latch though.

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