[mbelleville]

Today I ran into an issue with my 2015 VW EOS that my driver side door wouldn't open from within. I toggled back and forth on the lock button and it would light up in the lock position, but not in the unlock position. I put the window down and asked someone walking by if she would try to open the door from the outside. It opened right up.

Any thoughts on possible cause?

 

[aku-aku]

The lock button only lights up in the locked position, there's no light on the unlocked position.

If the handle works from the outside, there must be a mechanical issue somewhere between the inside door handle and the door lock mechanism. The two are joined together by a Bowden cable. This cable could have come unhooked from the door handle, or stretched somehow. The door handle end is easy to check as that just needs the door trim taking off, but getting in to the lock mechanism requires removing the inner door panel.

 

[voxmagna]

If you can unlock the car from inside using the keyfob remote, then the problem is as aku-aku describes because the remote does not use the mechanical cable link wire from the pull handle. There some plastic parts on the end fitting that can break or detach.

 

[mbelleville]

The lock button only lights up in the locked position, there's no light on the unlocked position.

If the handle works from the outside, there must be a mechanical issue somewhere between the inside door handle and the door lock mechanism. The two are joined together by a Bowden cable. This cable could have come unhooked from the door handle, or stretched somehow. The door handle end is easy to check as that just needs the door trim taking off, but getting in to the lock mechanism requires removing the inner door panel.

Yes, from the research I have done and speaking with a VW service tech, I am pretty sure that is the issue.

 

[mbelleville]

If you can unlock the car from inside using the keyfob remote, then the problem is as aku-aku describes because the remote does not use the mechanical cable link wire from the pull handle. There some plastic parts on the end fitting that can break or detach.

I actually didn't try the key fob, but when I get back in the car I will try that

 

[mbelleville]

So when I got back in my car after work I drove a short distance until I heard the auto lock engage and then pulled over and turned off the ignition. I counted to three and tried the door and it opened no problem. I did this two more times. Still no problem. Go figure

 

[voxmagna]

The auto lock stops perps opening the door from outside to steal your Rolex watch, your wife, or the car. The lock release lever should always work to get you out, otherwise if you were trapped in the car after an accident and it was on fire, you would be burned to a crisp.

You may still need the door card off and somebody to look at the release mechanism because it is designed to be simple to be safe and work whatever the electrics are doing. The one exception I can think of is the child/ unlock protection which stops kids from opening the door. I thought it was only on the passenger door, but I might be wrong. You should find this in the driver handbook. There's usually a small hole/slot/lever or something below the lock on the edge of the door. One way is child lock on, the opposite is off.

 

[Mmcilduff]

The lock button only lights up in the locked position, there's no light on the unlocked position.

If the handle works from the outside, there must be a mechanical issue somewhere between the inside door handle and the door lock mechanism. The two are joined together by a Bowden cable. This cable could have come unhooked from the door handle, or stretched somehow. The door handle end is easy to check as that just needs the door trim taking off, but getting in to the lock mechanism requires removing the inner door panel.

How do you remove the inner door panel? I need to replace the Bowden cable

 

[aku-aku]

Thought I'd written up how I did that, seems I didn't.

To remove the inner door panel, having removed the door card, loosen the screws in the middle holding the window regulator on, remove all the screws around the edge of the panel, push the rubber grommet around the door cable through, loosen the panel (you may need a pry tool if it's stuck) then undo the screws holding the window regulator on. Install in reverse order.

 

[voxmagna]

It's probably not the actual Bowden cable that's broken but the flimsy plastic part it pulls against? One of mine broke the first time I huffed and puffed getting a door card off. I replaced the broken plastic part with a small angle I cut from sheet stainless steel. It's never broken again.

I've added to this post because the OP heading was lock(s) plural, i.e both doing the same thing. It's unlikely both Bowden cable mechanisms would fail together. I would check the obvious like child locks first. I know they can be set on the passenger door but I wouldn't expect them on the driver door?

 

[Mmcilduff]

It's probably not the actual Bowden cable that's broken but the flimsy plastic part it pulls against? One of mine broke the first time I huffed and puffed getting a door card off. I replaced the broken plastic part with a small angle I cut from sheet stainless steel. It's never broken again.

I've added to this post because the OP heading was lock(s) plural, i.e both doing the same thing. It's unlikely both Bowden cable mechanisms would fail together. I would check the obvious like child locks first. I know they can be set on the passenger door but I wouldn't expect them on the driver door?

The cable does looks ok apart from a couple of strands have snapped. I thought maybe the cable has stretched. I think you could be right about the snapped plastic part. When I hook the cable back onto the inside door handle, it just falls back off. Do you have a picture of what it should look like? Thanks for this 👍

 

[voxmagna]

Sorry no because it was one of those annoying frustrating moments when I first learned and posted about door card removal. I had the more important job of fixing the regulator without waiting 2 days for a puny plastic expensive dealer part that could break again. If you remove the door card carefully unhooking the cable first and don't hang it off wiring before you reach behind and unplug, you should see what it looks like and can marry up the broken part.

My other side is still OE plastic and that hasn't failed (yet) so I think it breaks when careless work is done removing the door card, without first reading the shop manual and unhooking the cable. Unfortunately, there are also plastic wedges used on some trim and cover parts that push into spring clips with angled 'one way in' teeth and you need to be very careful to lift them up slowly. But having had EOS door cards off many times, I now know where they are. Some here complain about loose door handles and covers because they have broken the plastic wedge retainers.

 

[aku-aku]

Here's a diagram and here's a page with a photo of what the door release cable should look like. Not in situ, but it's the cable that will break, not the holder!

Before I got around to figuring out how to replace them, I used some strong cloth tape to hold the cable in place, and it just about worked.

Look very carefully at the picture of the black plastic clip at the hook end of the cable, and you'll see that there's a thin tubular section that should slot through the hole in the door release. That often breaks and causes the door release not to work properly. One of the two clips will likely break at the same time.

 

[Mmcilduff]

Thank you so much!