Help/advice urgently needed please.
 

Hi All
I have an issue with my passenger side front door. I just went to lock the car and the alarm wouldn set as I now know It couldn't find the passenger door. It is completely dead, nothing works ( mirror, window, lights etc) and it will not open from the inside or outside. It won't work from the drivers door controls either. So very inconvenient but the worst is I've got the MOT due on the 9th November and it's obviously a failure with the fault. I've no access to VCDS so had an Audi tech come and scan the car but with an Snap on scanner. First off lots of faults recorded for the door so cleared faults and rescaned. Door was not even found on second scan.
So my thoughts are; break in the wiring to the door, or the door module?
Do any of the more experienced amongst you know if there is a way to get into the door to open it without destroying/cutting off the door card? It seems to be the only option open to me that I can see.
Any suggestions are very welcome
Thanks for your support in advance
Cheers
BLAKEY

It does sound like the door module, and as for getting into it, that's tricky....

I'd be asking which is easier to replace - the door card in that colour, or the door itself.

You could break in through the door skin, or the door card in theory.

Whether the door not opening is an MOT fail, may well be down to the tester.

If its latched, and secured, its not about to flap open so its not unsafe to drive I would suggest - so its whether its considered unsafe in the event of a crash and people can't enter / exit the vehicle I suspect..... ?

Worth a chat with your MOT tester perhaps before you do anything too drastic ?

Hi IT
Thanks for the quick response. Sorry i didn't mention it but I have checked with an MOT station already.
A great point about the door instead of the door card though. I'll check with our sponsors to see what's available. Seems a bit silly there is no way to open it externally but keyless is here to stay!
Thanks again +++

Maybe it would be worth finding out what exactly is locking it mechanically making the handles have no effect, once you know that maybe it would be as simple as using a core drill through the door card and metal plate in an inconpicupous location such as behind the walnut strip and manipulating the mechanism. This could then be easily repaired by gluing back the door card cut out and soldering/JBWelding back the metal cut out.

What about the storage compartment? can you break this out and fix it afterwards? I seem to recall the module is behind this to the left of the speaker.
You can see it clearly in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU7qwuzEyK8

It might be worth removing the Driver's door to evaulate - also order some of tehse clips ready for refitting as they are designed to be once-use only.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292519594770

Also, have you tried disconnecting the battery for a while and reconnecting? Maybe the controle module needs resetting.

I had a B6 S4 Avant that the door module failed in at 2 years old, couldn't be unlocked. Warranty repair so new door card etc was fine. A few years later I had another B7 with the same issue, out of warranty. Persisted with the unlock button, eventually it did +++ Maybe different if you have no comms to the module of course, but bear in mind it has started to get colder, if you have an option to get the car inside and warmed up try that before getting destructive!

Failing that in the spirit of minimising damage, take a look at the B pillar trim / latch area, I suspect the latch itself will only be mild steel so if you can get to cut it would release the door and allow access, recline the seat, pull off the pillar trim and rubber seal maybe?

Paul may have nailed it on the head. I came across a post on the Audiworld forum, and someone was having the exact same issue (but a back door). Nothing they tried worked, he had been away for some time, came back and the door opened fine. Less than a year later he was reporting the same issue.

Given the alternatives, warming the car up is definitely worth trying. BTW Can you open the window? Just wondering if directing some heat down through the gap might help, as it should get to the source of the problem quicker (assuming it's the door module).

This morning one side of my car was steaming, the other was frozen. Maybe just park it in the correct orientation for a few hours and keep fingers crossed +++

Thanks for all the suggestions!
I'll start working through the list and keep you posted +++