Door Control Unit Help Please

[mikey9]

I replaced the door control unit (£180 from dealer) last year after finding I had the often related problem of posessed windows and central locking (car unlocks itself and windows all wind down by themselves etc...)

r

Exactly 1 year on - and guess what - exactly the same.

OK - I didn't do anything preventative - so you could say it is my fault but the advice I find from a search on here is confusing.

The following pic shows the unit in situ:

The regular advice is that the water is running down the wiring loom and sitting in the bottom of the multipin connector - however the wires run down into the bottom of the door from the connector making this unlikely??

I find the water is in there (and it drips out when I just dismantled it) but how and where is it coming from. Looking at the picture - is it coming in from the top? There is no sign of water around the circuit board (in the middle part of this unit suggesting it isn't going this way).

Second picture shows male and female sides of connector (i have cleaned up and retrieved the pin from the female socket that is missing from the right hand end of the middle row in the pic!.)

The Problem:

Suggestions found are to do the following:

• Put a cable tie on the loom (can't see where to put this and where - and why this would help)
  
• Use an electrical silicon grease when putting back together (OK - but this doesn't fix the problem itself of the water getting in.)
  
• Hard wire through (beyond me - is this the kind of thing an auto electrician might do???
  

Any other suggestions as to where it is coming from and how it is getting in - please.....

Off to the dealer tomorrow to get their take on it - and prob order yet another unit.....aaaaaarrrrrrrgggghhhh

[bodace5]

try rapping it in cling film or a bag. electrical connection spray usually does the trick as it coats it in silicon

[Liverpool-Lad]

I think to get that done competently by a spark would cost you a lot less than £180 & fitting. Hopefully wont cause any problems...or as mentioned a thick bag of some sort & spray.

Edited 5 January, 2010 by Liverpool-Lad

[mikey9]

Thanks for the replies.

I am all up for any preventative measures but could you explain exactly what you are suggesting to bag up - as this suggests where the water is coming in from......?

The connector attaches to the box containing the PCB that itself attaches to the window motor - this when snapped back together makes a big unit to bag up (and throws up problems of the holes for the wiring, the drive for the window the bolts etc....

[VRS Mike]

Personally I would have wrapped the thing in cling film and electrical tape to prevent water going in.

[mikey9]

OK - Saw the Skoda Dealer today (useless - Delmore - Inverness) and asked what they would do if I brought it in.

- they had no real suggestions going back to the idea of keeping water out of the door instead (as we know the door is designed to drain water out the drain holes at the bottom).

Ended up ordering another unit (£191!!!!) and went to Maplins for some contact cleaning solution, some silicon/ptfe spray and self amalgamating tape equivalent.

• I will spray the contact surfaces with the silicon/ptfe spray - once I have cleaned the plug out well.
  
• Then spray the joints between the plug/box and box/window motor
  
• Then put tape round the same two joints
  
• Then bag it in cling film........
  

Anything else....??

[bajanpete]

Every few months, you could try pulling it down and spraying it with electrical cleaner as a type of preventative maintenance

[karlbar2k]

I used to use a product called damp start, I think? . which was like a spray on rubber skin. It was great for sealing ignition system on old Renaults (which really suffer with the damp weather). But on mine which I stripped down the other day I put dielectric grease In the plug and around as much of the body of the unit as I could get to, particularly the top.

[Turbo_Boss]

I find the water is in there (and it drips out when I just dismantled it) but how and where is it coming from. Looking at the picture - is it coming in from the top? There is no sign of water around the circuit board (in the middle part of this unit suggesting it isn't going this way).

Hello Mikey9, my sugestion is that make somebody help you with a water hose an poor water on the outside were the window meet with the rubber seal and maybe you can see were the water is coming inside the door and how the water gets to that conector.

Good luck,

Isaac

Edited 7 January, 2010 by Turbo_Boss

[mikey9]

Hello Mikey9, my sugestion is that make somebody help you with a water hose an poor water on the outside were the window meet with the rubber seal and maybe you can see were the water is coming inside the door and how the water gets to that conector.

Good luck,

Isaac

[mikey9]

CHeers for that - sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.

Warm water run down the door a the weekend then whilst I see where water drips. I suspect it may be condensation though?? Not so easy to spot.

Mikey

[karlbar2k]

I loaded up these areas with the grease.

[Turbo_Boss]

CHeers for that - sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.

Warm water run down the door a the weekend then whilst I see where water drips. I suspect it may be condensation though?? Not so easy to spot.

Mikey

Hello Mikey,

How is your draining hole in the lower part of the door? Sometimes that hole can get bloked with dirt and allow some water to sit on the lower part of the door. Them with the sun and hot, this water evaporates and goes up were is your conector.

So maybe you need to enlogated (make bigger that hole) in order that all the water get out of the door.

But the extrange thing is that the water is only on the conector and not in the electronic board of the window module, so maybe is not condensation and the problem is water driping from the top directly on top of that conector plug

Also, using electrical silicon grease on the Female and Male conectors when putting back together is the best idea. Make sure to use a lot inside the Female Conector..

Hope you find the problem and fix it easily.................Let us know what you find.

Good luck,

Isaac

[mikey9]

OK, cheers for the advice guys.

Wife poured water down outside of window whilst I watched from inside for where the water gets through. After a couple of litres it soaks through the felt and starts dripping down past the door motor in a "drip....drip...drip" kind of speed (so plenty water).

I reckon it would be easy (judging by the position of the drips) for these to contact the window raising frame and run to the motor (attached to the Convenience Unit) - run down the combined unit and into the plug we all have problems with.

Am off out now to do as described - will take a couple of piccies as I go and post later.

Mikey

[mikey9]

Well that was quick.....

Unfortunatley - I got to the "clean up plug and test" bit and found:

Central locking works on three of four but drivers door doesn't lock on key button - but does if you use the key

Elec mirrors - the left had one is operated whether you have the switch pointing at the L or R

Now the female receptor in the plug for the pin that had rotted off (bottom pin - middle row - the one that sits in the water that collects!!) appears loose - may well have a break in it. Does anyone know what this pin controls??

If this is the case - I guess I will have to get a replacement plug (but I guess this comes with the wiring loom? Anyone know?

Alternatively - I think I have to go back to plan B - take it to an autoleccy - who hopefully has an idea on how to fix the pin.

If anyone else is as disorganised/busy with family life as us they will relate to this other finding :yes:

- the Central locking button and rod has gone missing in the two weeks have been driving around without the inside on the door :( (I think the rod just rests on the plastic part on the inside of the lock - will need to locate a replacement) - as much as this is a ****er - not the end of the world

[will_]

Elec mirrors - the left had one is operated whether you have the switch pointing at the L or R

I think this is deemed "a feature", the idea being that you might want to tip both mirrors down a bit for parking.

[Turbo_Boss]

Now the female receptor in the plug for the pin that had rotted off (bottom pin - middle row - the one that sits in the water that collects!!) appears loose - may well have a break in it. Does anyone know what this pin controls??

If this is the case - I guess I will have to get a replacement plug (but I guess this comes with the wiring loom? Anyone know?

Hey mikey9, VW/Audi sells a Wire Repair kit Pin Part # 000-979-133 to fix the Female conector.

I know also, all these VW part numbers has somenthing to do with Wire repair Kits

000 979 134

000 979 226

000 979 225

I think the diference in part numbers is that they have something to do with the size of the conector.

You need to disassemble your female conector and measure the pin/conector you need to replace, so you can order the correct part number......... The 000-979-133 is 2.8mm size.

Is the problem is the male conector pin. You can open the male plug on the rear part and push a new pin and put some glue in order that is not pushed back.

The pin repair kit is VW 000 979 132 A

Also, maybe a electrical/electronic shop in your country carry does male and female conectors.

Make sure to make a search on google for

VW Wire/Terminal Repair

VW Repair Wires

You will get a lot of hits inclusive DYI on how to fix a VW connector :-)

Here are good places to find does conectors:

VW Female/Male Terminals

VW Wiring Products

VW Connectors

Good luck,

Isaac

Edited 19 January, 2010 by Turbo_Boss

[mikey9]

Hey mikey9, VW/Audi sells a Wire Repair kit Pin Part # 000-979-133 to fix the Female conector.

I know also, all these VW part numbers has somenthing to do with Wire repair Kits

000 979 134

000 979 226

000 979 225

I think the diference in part numbers is that they have something to do with the size of the conector.

You need to disassemble your female conector and measure the pin/conector you need to replace, so you can order the correct part number......... The 000-979-133 is 2.8mm size.

Is the problem is the male conector pin. You can open the male plug on the rear part and push a new pin and put some glue in order that is not pushed back.

The pin repair kit is VW 000 979 132 A

Also, maybe a electrical/electronic shop in your country carry does male and female conectors.

Make sure to make a search on google for

VW Wire/Terminal Repair

VW Repair Wires

You will get a lot of hits inclusive DYI on how to fix a VW connector :-)

Here are good places to find does conectors:

VW Female/Male Terminals

VW Wiring Products

VW Connectors

Good luck,

Isaac

[mikey9]

Mr Boss - you are a real hero with that reply. Haven't looked for a week.

Didn't realise you were in PANAMA......wow - the www community is strong on this thread ;-)

After going to a local autolectrician (Dave Riach in Inverness) who had his head under a landy surrounded by wires - and seemed to know what he was about! he suggested trying to get the same - if I could source it - he could fit it.

SO another trip to the Skoda dealer (still wouldn't recommend em to anyone) - ordered a new plug as I was assured I would need the plug in addition to the loom as they didn't just sell the female connectors........plug arrived with no connectors - so not a lot of use. Looked at the diagram on EKTA - the loom actually comes WITH the plug already attached and the diagram states this too!!!!!

Had a bit of a paddy with the manager - £180 last year - £191 this year for door control units - then they wanted to charge a further £100 for the door loom - pointed out the fact that this appears to be a common problem (which whenever I mention they just squirm about) - that is clearly down to a design fault

-a few mins later one of the (more switched on) mechanics appeared with the very repair kit (a wire with two female terminals - cut as required) - cost - pennies (they didn't have the cheek to charge me for it).

Pity they couldn't have mentioned this repair kit last week........nobs

So - tis in with the autolec Monday - he reckons he will bind the unit (when everything is working) with plumbers self amalgamating tape - they use it on external electrical bots on plant (diggers etc) and they never have any probs!!

All good fun!

[Turbo_Boss]

Mr Boss - you are a real hero with that reply. Haven't looked for a week.

Didn't realise you were in PANAMA......wow - the www community is strong on this thread ;-)

After going to a local autolectrician (Dave Riach in Inverness) who had his head under a landy surrounded by wires - and seemed to know what he was about! he suggested trying to get the same - if I could source it - he could fit it.

Hey Mike9,

I am very happy my reply help you to solve your problem and also to save you some money too............................ As you can see, Briskoda.net Forum is the BEST!!!!!

-a few mins later one of the (more switched on) mechanics appeared with the very repair kit (a wire with two female terminals - cut as required) - cost - pennies (they didn't have the cheek to charge me for it).

Pity they couldn't have mentioned this repair kit last week........nobs

Maybe they wanted to sell you the expensive part intead of this wire repair kit because they get a commi$$ion :p

If you still need another Wiring Repair Kit, better go to a VW dealer, and give them the part number. This way you dont have to waste your time.

Try to get some pics of how the guy fix the Connector plug. I am pretty sure this will help some Briskoda members in the future.

Good luck,

Isaac

Edited 23 January, 2010 by Turbo_Boss