Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

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Bongoboy
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Drives: POLO 9N3
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by Bongoboy »

My Polo has exactly the same issue, truth be told it has been there for over two years. My issue seems to be weather related in that it works fine for 7-8 months of the year never missing a beat, when there is less rain than normal, and for 4-5 months of the year, during the winter the problem is there all the time.

That being said the issue has not rectified itself after the winter of 2019 and is there all of the time so this is prompting me to start investigating again. I have the same fault as the OP: -

• Only drivers door unlocks from that side with key, but interior light doesn’t come on.
• If all doors unlocked, only drivers door locks from drivers side with key and no alarm LED.
• All doors unlock from passenger side with key and interior light comes on
• All doors lock from passenger side, alarm LED on drivers side lock button flashes and interior light goes out.
• All doors lock and unlock using internal button on drivers door card
• Electric windows do not operate from drivers door switches
• Passenger electric window operates from passenger side switch*

*This only operates when I unlock the car from the passenger side.

If I disconnect the car battery for 5 to 10 minutes and reconnect it all works for a short period before failing again. Firstly I checked fuses and all OK. I have taken the wiring loom out of the door and inspected it on the bench for damage and belled out all the connections on it and its fine. All other connections appear to be tight and no sign of corrosion, loose connections etc behind the door card.

From memory the wiring runs from the door latch to the window regulator before joining the wiring loom to the main body of the car so it may be the door latch or window regulator at fault? I will try this week to borrow from my friend his vagcom setup so I can interrogate the car, test the micro switch in the door latch etc.

I wonder if I could take the window regulator from the passenger side and temporarily connect it overnight to the drivers side door latch to see if its this at fault to eliminate the electronics and connector from the drivers side window regulator?
Bongoboy
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by Bongoboy »

trpolo wrote: Thu May 14, 2020 5:00 pm A further update on my May 1st post.
I've now removed the door lock mechanism and all the microswitches are working.
I've traced the remaining wires and they are all in continuity.
I crossed my fingers and put everything back together and ..... no change!
Same issues:
Drivers door key lock doesn't lock/unlock central locking - passenger door key lock does.
Central locking switch on inside of car on driver's door works normally.
Driver's side electric window switches do not operate either window.
Dismantled driver's side electric window switches - all contacts clean and working.
Passenger side electric window switch works ok.
Tested relay on electric window PCB module on driver's side - working ok.
No visible dry solder joints on PCB.

Any suggestions what to try next?
Given you have looked at the door lock mechanism basic operation I wonder if it points more to the window regulator?
trpolo
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by trpolo »

I wondered about doing what bongoboy suggested re swapping boards - will you let us know if that works?
Bongoboy
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by Bongoboy »

Will do. I need to bottom this out. I've a lot on at the moment so it may be a week or two. Also I'm not really using the car with everything that's going on just now so less emphasis at the moment...
chris7daly
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by chris7daly »

Hey Guys,

Has anyone resolved this I am having a very similar issue.

During the summer seems fine
During the the last few winters it all started to go wrong and this winter seems to be worse ever as Windows/Drivers Central locking does not work any more.
  • Passenger door lock controls all locks and red light on drivers door comes on.
    Drivers door does not control central locking
    Windows stop working the exact same time as the driver door central locking stops working.
    The door lock on driver door lock all locks but the close and open immediately
    Windows cannot be operated from drivers or passenger door

Had car with Auto Electrician who thinks the issue is likely the Window Regulator in Drivers door so plan to get this done. Due to Covid we cannot get the part so will take a few weeks, if all goes well ill update the forum.
Seanser12
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by Seanser12 »

Hi
I have the same problem and there is a possibility it could be a relay board that is hidden behind the fuse box.

saw a video on this.
I will be investigating this shortly and will post outcome

regards Seanser12
Brianooo
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by Brianooo »

Hi,
First post on here.
Vehicle,
2006 Polo 3dr
Fault,
Windows and central locking do not work. This is an intermittent fault.
Repair carried out, 21/01/2021
I have replaced the relay (ACT512) and the capacitor 100uf 35v in both window motors.
Result
Initially there was still problems with the central locking and windows. This soon settled down as the windows and locking system was operated. The vehicle has been ok for the last couple of hours. My plan is to continue to test the vehicle over the next couple of days.
My question
Has anyone tried this repair for this concern? And does it work?
Kind regards
Brianooo
yellowking
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by yellowking »

Hi Everyone,

I've had similar issues, got my electric windows fixed back on Oct 2020 after a year of not working, it turns out it was the wire in the loom between the driver door.

About one month ago I notice my locks clicking and slight moving up whenever I used the interior lock buttons and had my alarm going off randomly early in the morning, like this for a fews days then stopped and everything working as usual.

The last couple of days the central locking hasnt been working properly, I lock the car and then it unlocks itself both locks coming up and making that clicking noise again, got the aa out and he scanned for fault and it come up with the door lock module and he notice the bracket to lock the wiring looms had broken and water had gotten in. Got a auto electrician out the next day and he scanned same fault code and could'nt notice any brakes in the wires and said to replace the door lock module.

Today central locking is working fine but now theres a issue with passenger window, it doesnt work from driver switch, tried passenger side switch worked...then not working all , so that from both sides now.

It has been raining heavily last few days so it that the culprit with it shorting out?

Is my door lock module faulty and need replacing?
johnl
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by johnl »

Same problems here, please keep updating on any resolve.
BJ1
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by BJ1 »

Exactly the same problem here. C/L and windows failed on drivers door. C/L works from passenger door. Happened in very wet/freezing conditions. Tried everything in above posts but still not resolved. Please keep updating this thread if anyone finds the fault.
DPolo
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by DPolo »

I have the same fault, did you manage to find a solution?
Ryan_A
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by Ryan_A »

Hi, I’ve recently encountered this issue as-well. I was wondering if a solution has been found.
Thanks
Cragster
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by Cragster »

I’ve had the fault with electric windows / central locking intermittent not working . 2009 1.4 Polo 9n3 . Tried numerous remedies as advised - convenience unit , window motors both sides , body control module . This has gone on for approx 2 years and I couldn’t get to the bottom of this frustrating problem.
I was advised by a mate of a Vw master tech who would take a look for me .
He had a donor car at his garage so could interchange parts . 1 week passed and after a phone call he was struggling as the faults were still there after trying many components from the donor car .
Finally today I collected the car and everything is working correctly . He explained the cause of the fault was the rubber boots between the door and the pillar . They come loose and with constant use water enters the plugs in the door pillar ( the wires can be unplugged from the pillar to door , male side of plug is inside car pillar , female inside rubber boot between door and door pillar ) . This results in corrosion of the pins , he explained they are extremely fine and have corroded due to ingress of water over time .
The solution was to re- wire new pins to the pillar side ( inside car footwell under dash ) and fit 2 new rubber boots ( £7.50 each , I have part no.if req. ) . Also he fitted a keyless entry kit off eBay which works a treat .
Can’t believe after putting up with this problem for so long and never being able to open passenger window since I got the car , I now have everything working plus remote central locking as a bonus .
Hope this helps forum members with the same faults .
Bongoboy
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by Bongoboy »

Hello All,

I finally got to the bottom of the issues I was having, the fix for me was replacing the window motor. My issues were the same as the OP;

• Only drivers door unlocks from that side with key, but interior light doesn’t come on.
• If all doors unlocked, only drivers door locks from drivers side with key and no alarm LED.
• All doors unlock from passenger side with key and interior light comes on
• All doors lock from passenger side, alarm LED on drivers side lock button flashes and interior light goes out.
• All doors lock and unlock using internal button on drivers door card
• Electric windows do not operate from drivers door switches
• Passenger electric window operates from passenger side switch

It transpires for my Polo variant this is more than a window motor, it appears to be a controller also. The door latch wiring connects to it, as shown in the red box on the image attached, and a second wiring loom from the window motor goes off back to the main body of the car.

I believe it passes the current door status info from the door latch back to the main convivence unit. The local stealer wanted £190 for a replacement part, they also had a few in stock so this suggested to me it was a common fault. I went to my local scrap yard and they had a few Polos, I had a look at a 2008 Polo but its window motor was of a different design, it didn't have the same wiring configuration at the top, it was part number 6Q1959801. I checked a 2006 Polo and result it had the same unit as mine; 6Y1959801. £25 exchanged and I was off back home to fit it. There is another thread on another Polo forum where someone goes into the detail of this unit and how it works but also the reason why it fails. There is a possible repair by fitting a new relay and capacitor so I have kept my original unit so I can repair should I need too.

Hope this information proves helpful.

Cheers

Alan

* Update - I can't upload the image for some reason
yellowking
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Re: Strange (common?) central locking/electric windows problem

Post by yellowking »

Cragster wrote: Sat May 29, 2021 1:25 am I’ve had the fault with electric windows / central locking intermittent not working . 2009 1.4 Polo 9n3 . Tried numerous remedies as advised - convenience unit , window motors both sides , body control module . This has gone on for approx 2 years and I couldn’t get to the bottom of this frustrating problem.
I was advised by a mate of a Vw master tech who would take a look for me .
He had a donor car at his garage so could interchange parts . 1 week passed and after a phone call he was struggling as the faults were still there after trying many components from the donor car .
Finally today I collected the car and everything is working correctly . He explained the cause of the fault was the rubber boots between the door and the pillar . They come loose and with constant use water enters the plugs in the door pillar ( the wires can be unplugged from the pillar to door , male side of plug is inside car pillar , female inside rubber boot between door and door pillar ) . This results in corrosion of the pins , he explained they are extremely fine and have corroded due to ingress of water over time .
The solution was to re- wire new pins to the pillar side ( inside car footwell under dash ) and fit 2 new rubber boots ( £7.50 each , I have part no.if req. ) . Also he fitted a keyless entry kit off eBay which works a treat .
Can’t believe after putting up with this problem for so long and never being able to open passenger window since I got the car , I now have everything working plus remote central locking as a bonus .
Hope this helps forum members with the same faults .
Any chance of the part no for the rubber boots?
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