Uh oh.

The red peril is living up to its name and the passenger door now refuses to operate.

It has been playing up for a while, not locking or unlocking on pressing of the key fob, only unlocking whilst pulling the handle and passing the unlock button etc, mechanism noise from inside but nothing happening but this morning it has refused to play ball at all.

What's the next steps?

Have I got to tear the whole thing apart from the inside?

Is there a way to get it open?

Is there a quick fix? A broken/loose wire?

Or once/if it's apart is it just a case of changing the mechanism or would doing the whole door be easier?

Door card off, Cliff. Then have a look at this post. In the end I had to smash my rear lock to get it open   Make sure you've got a replacement lock first

One of my rear ones deadlocked it was a total PITA, had to take the rear seats out to get access. Probably better to take the seat out of the front too

Thanks boys.

Had assumed it'd be easier to get access if I took the seat out - I am we'll versed in removing the interior so that should be fine

Which is less embarrassing:

Doing a track day at Oulton and having to have the instructor climb across from the drivers side or having a red Fabia with a temporary silver door?

Is it likely to be this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Fabia-1999-2005-Front-Passenger-Central-Locking-Door-Catch-3B2837015H-/190877438258?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Car+Make%3ASkoda%7CModel%3AFabia&hash=item2c712e9132

I need to buy?

Are they all the same? Can I buy one from a non-VRS?

So indeed this one off a FIBA

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-2005-SKODA-FABIA-PASSENGER-FRONT-DOOR-LOCK-MECHANISM-NSF-/400528766550?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5d415ff656

I bought the whole lock mechanism as above, Cliff. Once the door's open, I just followed the Haynes guide for replacing mine.

 

Is that second one from a 6Y Fiba?

My door lock was fine, it was a rear door though.

Couldn't even tell you what I did, I lost my temper and did something with a screw driver then the door popped open

Ok so not deadlocked yet.

Some strategic locking and unlocking with some even more strategic thumping has meant it is open once again.

Making the job of changing the faulty mechanism easier - as I should now be able to actually be the door card off!!

On that note are there any guides to getting the front door card off?

All the ones I can find are water ingress rear door seal related

Never mind found it

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/96959-diy-door-sealing-tutorial-costs-less-than-l10/

What's the next steps?

 

Two back, use the rear door. 

 

HTH

door card off - much easier than getting the rears off to reseal them

 

 

the carrier is however riveted in :( meaning much more work than if it was a super early bolted version

 

 

however a knee jerk press of the lock button on the key heading away from the car caused some swearing but the door functioned on the unlock button

very odd.

am unsure if i should change the mechanism just in case or if it was just a tight handle cable....

am unsure if i should change the mechanism just in case or if it was just a tight handle cable....

Do you want to chance it and wait for the day when it is deadlocked and you have to go down the more difficult route of swapping it with the door shut?

I'm with Lee on this one. I'd be changing it while I can as a just in case... Especially since you're halfway there.

yeah but the next half is the difficult half

Hah I ran with no door card for about a month when mine went just in-case it finally deadlocked shut before I got the replacement lock.

 

It was amusing telling passengers to pull on the cable to open the door

 

 

Luckily mine is an early one with bolts so is an easy job

Currenlty had EXACTLY the same problem.

 

Getting the carrier off is such a pain!! But I've got to do it again because I think the new locking motor on the door is (i believe) faulty. Hopefully, now that I've done it once I now know what to expect.

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/288683-central-locking-out-of-sync-after-replacing-door-lock/

 

However, the company that supplied the new lock motor has sent me a new one free of charge to try. I'm hoping to fit it this week so I can finally get my door back together after a month of having the door card off!!

I wouldn't change mine at home.

I'll be making sure my tame VW master tech is free and has space in his VW main dealer workshop with a super drill and a rivet gun!