09 JSW door latch mechanisms

[Mondog1]

So far i've had to have the front passenger door latch replaced. I now have to have the rear passenger door latch replaced. Each time this has happened the door won't lock but at least the alarm turns on.

Has anybody else had these problems? My dealer said they haven't had any other problems with this other than my car.

If this happens 1 more time could I claim "Lemon Law?"

 

[Plus 3 Golfer]

Haven't had the problem.

You probably need to contact a PA attorney that specializes in Lemon Law issues if a third door latch fails but it seems to me that you've had 2 seperate problems - the front latch fixed on the first attempt and the rear latch to be fixed (hopefully on the first attempt). I highly doubt that if another door latch fails or even if the latch that was fixed fails again that it qualifies as a lemon.

 

[Pelican18TQA4]

This is the first that I've heard of the door latches failing, let alone more than one on a particular car. As for Lemon Law, I have gone through a Lemon Law suit in Pennsylvania before and I'm fairly certain that this situation would not qualify. Either the car has to be in for repair at least three times for the same repair or the car has to be out of service for more than 30 consecutive days, all of this within the first 12 months/12,000 miles of ownership. From what the OP is saying, there are two separate problems.

 

[fmrownr]

Similar Door Handle / Latch Problem

The passenger rear handle on my '09 JSW is doing the same thing. The door intermittently will not lock and the horn will not honk to audibly note the alarm setting when locking from the fob. If indeed I pull the door open the alarm will go off. The door also intermittently will not open from the outside handle as well, regardless of how many times the keyfob is cycled.

Must just be a PA thing with these cars.

 

[tdiatlast]

I know you're talking about electrical issues here, but...
The driver's side door on both my VA (not PA!) cars has more resistance than I would like, as if the mechanism is binding, maybe even from a lack of lubrication...or, the door latch needs adjustment for being too tight.
Any others having this issue?

 

[Pelican18TQA4]

I know you're talking about electrical issues here, but...
The driver's side door on both my VA (not PA!) cars has more resistance than I would like, as if the mechanism is binding, maybe even from a lack of lubrication...or, the door latch needs adjustment for being too tight.
Any others having this issue?

My driver's side front door is the same way and requires slightly more effort to close and latch. My mom's '09 has the same symptom on the passenger's side rear door. I chalk it up to adjustment tolerances but maybe I'm wrong. Never had this weirdness with my '08 R32 but that two less doors too

 

[darrenf]

I've got you beat. I'm on my THIRD door latch! (door lock actuator, technically) This is an '09 JSW TDI that I've had for just under a year. The driver-side rear went at ~32k, the passenger-side rear went at ~34k and the passenger-side front went at ~37k (out of warranty, of course). It's 5 weeks later and I'm pushing 42k and haven't done anything about the front door. VW won't fix it under warranty and I don't have any more time to waste on the phone with the useless VWoA reps.

I may pay to have the front one fixed or I might strip it down and see if I can lubricate it or something. By the time they all break again, I hope they are covered under a recall. I offered to make my car available to help identify the design flaw (the rep confirmed that the part hasn't been redesigned) but VWoA is truly useless -- they could just as well be selling refrigerators.

-darren

 

[tdiatlast]

Darrenf,
So, did the mechanism feel like it was binding? Did anyone attempt to lubricate it, or is it just a design issue w/ excessive friction?
Is it possible that the strike plate on the B pillar just needs to be moved outward a bit? Knowing how VW service can ignore the obvious, do you think it's possble that it's a simple adjustment?

 

[Turbine Suburban]

So it is the electrical solenoid that is failing?

Any more descriptions of the actual failure mode? Corrosion ? Burned out? Just jammed?

 

[darrenf]

The failure experience was the same for all three: first, I would hear groaning while locking (for a few days), then the door would not unlock from the remote but could be unlocked from inside with the handle (for a day to a few weeks), then the door would refuse to lock with the remote and the little red security light on the driver's door stays lit instead of flashing to indicate a door lock failure (nice of them to announce the fact to passer bys ).

The door won't lock with the interior button either since that triggers the same sequence as the remote button. Only the driver's door has a keylock (and that is the one that hasn't broken ), so there is no other way to attempt to lock the door so it simply can't be locked. Sucks really.

-darren

 

[Pelican18TQA4]

The failure experience was the same for all three: first, I would hear groaning while locking (for a few days), then the door would not unlock from the remote but could be unlocked from inside with the handle (for a day to a few weeks), then the door would refuse to lock with the remote and the little red security light on the driver's door stays lit instead of flashing to indicate a door lock failure (nice of them to announce the fact to passer bys ).

The door won't lock with the interior button either since that triggers the same sequence as the remote button. Only the driver's door has a keylock (and that is the one that hasn't broken ), so there is no other way to attempt to lock the door so it simply can't be locked. Sucks really.

-darren

Hmm, one of my locks (can't pinpoint which one because it happens so sporadically and so infrequently) makes this groaning noise you speak of. I chalked it up to some sort of weird happenings with the solenoid or something. I can't say that I've even thought about it lately until you mentioned this. I will certainly keep an ear open for it now!

 

[darrenf]

Hmm, one of my locks (can't pinpoint which one because it happens so sporadically and so infrequently) makes this groaning noise you speak of. I chalked it up to some sort of weird happenings with the solenoid or something. I can't say that I've even thought about it lately until you mentioned this. I will certainly keep an ear open for it now!

Your time draws nigh!

-darren

 

[Pelican18TQA4]

Your time draws nigh!

-darren

Spoken like a true omen!

 

[deezulvw]

terrible customer service

my 2009 JSW TDI has had every door latch replaced! front passenger had to be fixed twice! still doesn't sound right inside the car when you close the door... monkeys

I have had so many problems with the car in under a year and only 12k miles

so disappointed with VW quality

so disappointed with VW customer service

dumping the car and never buying/recommending a VW again

 

[darrenf]

deezulvw, did the dealer offer any explanation for why the door locks were failing?

-darren

 

[deezulvw]

no real explanation? they did say the engineers have seen this happen before? a bad batch of door latches...

 

[macejh]

2009, JSW TDI
I'm seeing the same thing at 70K on my drivers side, rear lock. If I attempt to lock with the keyfob or the internal lock, the door doesnt lock and the alarm doesnt chirp when locking with keyfob because of the unlock condition. Don't have VAGCOM so cant confirm what the sensor sees as open or closed.

Was told by my VW service man that he just had to replace two door latches ($400 each) on a single car a few weeks back. Said my fate was probably the same for my single latch failure.

$400 isnt appealing but neither is leaving my car unlocked everywhere I go. Any ideas at troubleshooting\repairing\replacing this DIY?

 

[JB_VW]

The same thing happened to my 09 tdi sedan. First it was intermittent now it's every time. The button on my drivers door doesn't even work so there's no way for me to actually lock that door once I'm in the vehicle! What you can do to lock the other doors is use the key or perhaps a chopstick to poke into the 'emergency lock' hole behind the rubber plug on the side of the door. That way you're not leaving it unlocked.

 

[timwagon]

Just got back from the dealer - had both rear door lock mechanisms replaced due to intermittent failures as described in this thread. I have a 2010 JSW, so luckily I'm still under warranty.

According to the dealer, they've seen "a few" of these failures before. The service rep seemed very familiar with this issue.

 

[lad]

door locks

I had 1st fail at 35K and replaced under warranty and told it would be a $600 repair. Now at 56K I have a 2nd one fail. I am starting to think it isn't that uncommon

 

[tdiatlast]

Here I am again. Rear passenger door latch was replaced under warranty many months ago.
Driver side rear now intermittent. Good news, so far, is even though it isn't locking, at least the alarm will sound when the exterior door handle is removed.
I don't know exactly WHAT needs to be replaced. As soon as I find out, I'll weigh having it done to doing it myself. I've never removed a door "skin" before...it's probably a no-brainer (which I'm good at!!!)...but I'm worried about deforming/scratching/misalignment issues.

Anyone in the No VA/DC region willing to join/share in the process? It's always nice to have someone to share the responsibility with when things go bad...HAH!

 

[kentr6727]

Bought the lock for my 2009 online for $120 from Riverside VW. Thought I was going to replace it at home. Someone had already stripped out the screws heads. You need a #6 triple square for the latch bolts. The bolts have blue locktite so they take a bit of torque to remove. Took it to dealer and for another $130 got the job done. Of course they found three other items that "needed to be fixed right away" ! ! I didn't go for it.

If the screw head splines are not engaged too much with the bit, be careful. Or, get an e-z-out ready!. When I asked what bit fits the screws they showed me a #6 triple square. That bit seemed to fit better than the one I bought at OReillys. Hope yours fits better.

EDIT - The screws were NOT stripped out. They ARE 6mm triple square, they just have very short splines in screw head. If you buy the low priced set of 4 bits it might be worthwhile to have the tip ground down until the bit fits better because the bit is tapered. Maybe XZN or other bits fit better.

EDIT - The rear door mechanism is FULLY enclosed and would not benefit from squirting any thing 'into' it or at it.

 

[Mike in Anchorage]

I had both rear door locks replaced under warranty a couple of years back. All seems to be well, so far. I'm wondering about my hatch lock now, though. It's been partially open a couple of mornings. It may be a 17 year old in the house opening it sometimes & trying to close it quietly.

 

[tdiatlast]

Thanks, kentr6727. When time permits, I'll actually start looking at it!

 

[ccantrell1986]

I too have had issues with my door lock actuators. The first one (rear passenger) was replaced under warranty, I was having issues with the driver's side rear door but was told that it was too intermittent to diagnose by VW techs... Oddly enough when my warranty was up they figured out that problem and wanted to charge me 350-400 bucks to fix it. Needless to say I left asap. I have called VWoA and was told since I have 89000 miles on my 09 jetta that this was my fault due to abuse. I never use the back doors!!! Now my drivers side door won't lock either. I have removed a door skin to look at the actuator, I lubricated the mechanism but it didn't work at all... sorry for the long post but this is the most ridiculous issue in my opinion. Seems to me we are on our own to fix this issue.

 

[GTIDan]

Never heard of it? BS! First the driver's door latch Assembly was replaced and recently I had the driver side rear door latch Assembly replaced. Both under warranty. Out of pocket price? 305 bucks. Same story both times; door would not lock or not open. Good to know I only have two more doors to bust. 610 bucks out of pocket. Right now I feel it's not if but when. You would think after five or six years producing the MK5 they would have ALL the bugs out.......hmmmmmmmmmmm.

 

[Charrigan]

My drivers rear just started acting up. It will lock or unlock about 50% of the time.

When it wont unlock it can only be opened from the inside by pulling the door handle.

 

[CLUTCHNSHIFT]

Left Rear Door Lock - Intermittent

My 2009 Jetta TDI Sedan had the same issue with an intermittent Left Rear Door Lock.

DTC WAS ERASED @ 115,556 MILES FOR "CENTRAL LOCKING THERMAL PROTECTION" NOTED AS INTERMITTENT AND LOGGED @ 114,190 MILES (183,771 Km)

I have the fault code(s) on my Laptop. When I get a chance I will post them on this thread.

The fault would come, but if I cycled the door locks the faulting lock would eventually actuate. It would sometime fail in the LOCKED position and other times it would fail in the UNLOCKED position. But again, when I would cycle the locks (unlock-lock-unlock or lock-unlock-lock) the Left Rear Door Lock would eventually move to where I needed it.

However, sometimes the fault code for the failing door lock would have a little friend (a secondary fault code, note in caps above). This secondary code was for "thermal protection". I think the door lock was binding up or overheating, tripping this secondary code.

I used VCDS to check operation of all the locks and found that only the Left Rear Door had this issue, furthermore, I checked specifically for door lock BUTTON operation. Everytime the buttons were pressed VCDS would indicate LOCK or UNLOCK and if the door lock mechanism did as told it would indicate LOCKED or UNLOCKED. When the door lock would fail, you can see real-time that even as you hold down the button in LOCK the lock mechanism would indicate UNLOCKED or vice versa. VCDS is quite handy, if you intend on keeping the car for a while, get VCDS as it pays for itself.

The strange thing is that the lock would not fault for miles/weeks, then it would come back and tease for a week or two. So, is it the door lock mechanism or the controller??? If thermal protection is being tripped and the door lock fails to move to the commanded position, seems like the lock mechanism is really the culprit. Cheap I guess? But why not the driver's door, the most used and abused door lock mechanism? Looks like too many folks have issues with the same Left Rear Door Lock.

 

[kentr6727]

"However, sometimes the fault code for the failing door lock would have a little friend.."
Seems the controllers like to confuse each other.. ;-) My door lock was puttin out problems with Injectors! A miscoded radio was puttin out errors on the ignition switch AFTER I changed the switch the errors changed but were still there. With Correct radio coding and new ignition switch and rear door lock replaced - ALL DTC's are finally clear ! !

Forgot to add - now I know why dealer had 5 rear door switchs, and 4 ignition switches in stock - yep - frequently replaced items is my guess.