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GOLFMKV

Time for 1 actuator? Or 2? Or something else?

CoconutPete

Passed Driver's Ed
Well... just like on everyone else's MKV, my door locks are acting up.

Symptoms started with the car not knowing if the front driver's side door is open or not. The car thought it was always closed. This wasn't a huge problem since really the only side effect is the dome light never turned on.

Now more symptoms are showing up. Sometimes when i lock the car, it won't honk. Only 3 doors lock. The driver's side rear door does not. I can open it and when I do - all hell breaks loose because the alarm goes off.

If I open and close both drivers side doors a few times, it locks, no problem.

Odd though, that the alarm still arms, but no honk and one door remains unlocked......

Symptom # 3 has only shown it's ugly face twice. As I'm driving, the doors start locking / unlocking and the radio shuts off! Then it comes back on! WTF!

So I'm thinking either 1 actuator or 2 - both driver's side doors.

Symptom # 3 makes me think there' something else at play though. Any ideas?

I do notice every once in a while that it sounds like a small chipmunk is locked behind the trim piece at my knees when driving and he is knocking - trying to get out. This happens maybe once a week and lasts for 2-3 seconds.
 

ROH ECHT

K04 PLAY
Location
PDX OR
Car(s)
2007 MKV GTI
You haven't scanned it? That should tell you which is not responding. Sounding like the driver door latch...but would give it a scan.
 

CoconutPete

Passed Driver's Ed
Scanned it. Nothing! Weird!

I did analyze the problem a little more though.

Front drivers side door: The car does not always realize this door is open. This is annoying, but I don't think it's necessarily contributing to the bigger picture.

Drivers side rear door: This door does not lock 90% of the time. If I lock/unlock the child safety and SLAM the door, then the door will lock and I will get a horn beep, but unless I do all that, this door does not lock. I think the problem is in this actuator. Of course the rear ones are more expensive, but oh well. I think I"m going to do this one first.
 

MKVADR

GTI Lady
Location
Destin, FL
Car(s)
MKV
Possible failing module? If you can find a program someone will let you use to test the actuators, I'd start there. That's what we do at the shop I work for. Also not all codes will show unless it's a code that is ...ill say...'required' to show when an issue arises. My radio has issues cause its aftermarket.. it doesnt show up any codes on a regular OBD11 scanner, but, hook it up to a program that you can get more details out of and it'll throw stored codes that won't generally appear on a scan tool that cant dig deeper.
Anything that is starting to go to shit can and will cause other problems to arise that don't necessarily have jack diddly to do with it (radio tripping out and door locks having issues)
 

c3156

New member
Location
USA
I am of the opinion the MKV door lock actuators just suck. I had issues with three of four on my TDI and one on the GTI.

The door closing sensor and lock are all combined into one unit. There are two (2) micro-switches in there which are most likely the problem. One senses door open/closed, the other lock/unlock. Read through this thread which describes removal and disassembly of the actuator assembly. It works but invariably it seemed like the issue would come back after a couple of months. The only thing that made the issue disappear was a new actuator assembly which cost$$.

Door latch fix
 

CoconutPete

Passed Driver's Ed

clockwise33

New York Giants Fanatic
Location
NJ
Check the wiring where it bends at the door hinge. It's fairly common for the wire insulation to crack is areas where it is flexing frequently. Mine is cracking at the hatch hinge.

As someone who plans to keep my MKV for many years to come, I have big concerns regarding the quality of the wiring VW used on this generation.
 

CoconutPete

Passed Driver's Ed
Well... as of yesterday, the rear drivers side door has started also making a "BRRRRRRRRRRRRPPP" noise when I lock it.

I think more and more signs are pointing to this actuator....
 

CoconutPete

Passed Driver's Ed

CoconutPete

Passed Driver's Ed
Well ... it has been about 6 weeks and I would say the car's problems are 97% cured.

The front drivers side door still does not register being open every once in a while and I have experienced the radio "rebooting" itself along with a rapid "lock-unlock" cycle about 2 or 3 times in that period.

I think I'm going to replace the front actuator as well and see where that takes me.
 

CoconutPete

Passed Driver's Ed
Well .... it's been 6 months and the rear passenger door officially does not lock any more.

The car also has no idea whether or not the front drivers side door is open.

Both actuators are sitting on my workbench.

Going to be a fun weekend!
 

CoconutPete

Passed Driver's Ed
Front left actuator replaced.
Right rear actuator replaced.

For the first time in a long time, all doors lock with the lock button and the horn honks to verify!

The check engine light even stopped lighting up on the way to work this morning. No idea if it's related...
 
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