Central Door Locking System Problems

[david_haupt at agilent.com]

Hi all,

I'm having sort of mixed problems with the central locking an the door mechanisms themselves.  I have found Huw Powell's pages about the central locking system.  Not bad, but it doesn't get quite down to testing procedures.

How do I know if a slave actuator works or not?

One of the rear doors sometimes locks, but usually does not.  Sometimes it locks, and then hours later is unlocked.  Whether locked or not, it is quite inconsistent on whether it will open from the outside.  I think in that door, I have problems with rods and pneumatics.  The Bentley shows pictures but does not explain the operation of the components.

Would appreciate any BTDTs - do my symptoms ring true for someone else?

Also, does anybody understand why such a complicated system is used, instead of the far more reliably fully electric systems used by the other Europeans?  I've had four Audis, three with the central locking system.  The other two with central locking were sold with the system de-activated because I never could figure it out.

Thanks!

Dave
Santa Rosa, CA