Drivers door central locking fault

[BJEISH]

I recently purchased a second hand 55 (2006) 5 door Polo (9N3).

It doesn't have remote keys. When I open the drivers door with the bladed key it only opens the drivers door and not the other doors, boot, or petrol cap. Likewise when I lock it, it doesn't lock the other doors or even turn off the internal light.

On the other hand, when I open the passengers door it opens all 4 doors, the boot and the petrol cap.

I was hoping that this was a coding issue as I was told I needed to double turn the key to open all the doors etc. However, this doesn't work.Thus, surely, there must be a fault with the door itself.

Here's the issue....VW want 160 quid to do a diagnostic then the cost of the parts and labour on top. This sounds ridiculous.

Does anyone have any idea what is at fault. I am friendly with a good mechanic who can do the work for a reasonable rate but need to first work out what to fix.

Any ideas?

The other issue is that the rear heated windscreen doesn't clear the whole window. Only the top half. Is this easily fixed or do I need to get autoglass out to fit a new window? My insurance excess is £75 but I am cautious about using this as I know that you now need to declare windscreen claims.

[RUM4MO]

I've never had that sort of problem, but I believe it is typical of older VAG cars, and that it will be a fault with the locking module on that driver's door and not a wiring issue as you say that the passenger's door can function fully, ie unlock/lock all doors. One other thing, maybe not relevant, when you open that driver's door, does the interior light come on, also with the lights on, if you door the driver's door, does the lights on warning sound?

Glass replacement and insurance companies, yes, I discovered that when I notice that with Hastings insurance, when my daughter got a chip repair carried out in May 2011, it is still mentioned in this year's renewal - and unfortunately I organised that chip to get repaired again last week! Now I, on her behalf, will be a bit annoyed if Hastings preferred windscreen repairer who did that repair over four years ago and this "refinishing" the surface layer gets used as another claim.

On a similar insurance moan, a friend was driving home from work a few months ago, and when stationary in a queue at traffic lights, got hit by a stolen car being pursued by local police - he got the required incident number from police and included that with his insurance claim, all went very well - until renewal time, his current insurer wanted £870 up from £230 the previous year - reason, insurance person explained that for every claim there has to be someone to blame, in this case as it is that considered easy to pursue police forces for redress, the policy holder gets logged as being at fault - just remember that!

[BJEISH]

Thank you for the reply mate.

The light does go on when you open the door. Whilst sitting in the car the light then goes off too. However, when you leave the car the light will go on and will not go out eben of you lock the door. It only goes out once I reopen and then lock the passenger door. Does that make sense?

I have been told it is likely the lock itself or the door module but the only way I'll know is to do a diagnostic. Is this true?

You say it's the module. How come you think it is this and not the lock itself? Also do you have any idea of the part I'm going to need and the cost?

Thanks again

[RUM4MO]

Well, as far as I know, the module and lock is all one unit, typically it is a micro switch that causes problems, if you have the time and expertise to get that assembly out and get into it so that you can see the micro switch and then buy a new micro switch and swop them over.

One thing, someone on one of these VAG forums, did just, as a test, get a small hypo syringe and put some switch cleaner in it, then inject that into the existing micro switch and work it a long while the cleaner is still in liquid force - now if that makes your lock work okay again, then you have found the problem, but this is only a temporary fix, now you need to replace that switch.

Edit:- I'm suggesting comes from forum browsing - not from experience!