Le bug du jour

[rdh@sli.com (Robert D. Houk)]

The ole UrQ sprung a new one on me . . .

I don't think this has anything to do with the alarm system installed
last summer, since it seems to operate independently of the alarm, but
the alarm does actuate the the locks, so ...

My power door locks are misbehaving. Normally, the pump (in the damn
trunk area, I guess that allows them to maximize the runs of wires and
plumbing, and intervening connectors) makes a distinctive chugging
sound as it pumps aways, then shuts off with a distinct sigh when it
is happy. In theory the alarm system actuates the door lock mechanism,
and normally this works. Occasionally, the doors don't lock when I en-
gage the alarm, but I just wrote that off to the charm of owning an
Audi, as I could lock up the car using the key on the driver's side
door. Last night, however, I discovered that now the passenger side
doesn't like to lock when in this mode. As I was walking around to the
passenger side, I could hear a strange "sizzling" sound that seemed to
be emanating from the same plase as the chug-a-lug usually comes from,
and a distinct odor of gas! I popped open the gas cover and it was all
wet with gas all over everything. Ulp! The cap seemed tight, but I took
it off and put it back on anyways, and I'haven't seen any more loose gas
there . . . I hope this was just a freak occurence, and has nothing to
do with the locks . . . anyways, I went back and unlocked the drivers
door, and the weird "sizzling" sound stopped. I tried this cycle a few
times, and it was fairly reproducible, until it stopped being repro-
ducible and the passenger side locked to the usual chugging noise.
This morning, I ran several errands on the way into work, and the locks
worked fine, until I got to work, and which point the chug-a-lug was
back into sizzle mode. Didn't seem to matter whether I used key from
outside, or button from inside, or alarm, or engine running or not.
Then of course it started working again (interestingly enough, as I
rolled the window down...but I've only got a sample size of one on this,
so don't want to draw any conclusions just yet on what demon is haunting
what piece of my car now). The sizzling seems to last as long as I am
willing to stand around and stare at the side of the car. No "odor of
burning insulation, or anything like that", just that wierd sound.

Another tidbit that may or may not be related: sometimes, after unlocking
the car (from the outside), and getting in, the drivers door doesn't
open again, but only goes halfway and catches. I yank the door all the
way closed, and it usually opens fine on the second try. It only does
this after it has been locked and unlocked, and then only sometimes,
and then only from the inside (the outside handle always works fine).
(By the way, this particular annoyance has been with the car since I
bought it four years ago, and predates the alarm system.) It seems to
be getting more common now...

Any net wisdom on this one?

					-RDH