Hi Guys,

 

I have just purchased a 2002 Octavia Estate 1.8t L&K.  Love the car but it has the dreaded central locking issues.

 

My problems are as follows.

 

Both front doors fail to operate the interior lights (puddle lamps do not illuminate either - nor does the lights on warning sound)

 

When locking the doors from the inside with the button on window switch cluster, all doors lock apart from the passenger door.

 

All other doors operate the door open light on my dash.......unfortunately if i switch the interior lights to door operation they stay on permanently.  

 

I'm guessing that this is primarily a fault to do with the passenger door microswitch as its not locking when locked from the inside button.....however....if locked from the key fob all doors will lock. 

 

Any of you geniuses have any clues where to start......drivers door convenience control module connectors?  Straight in for the kill and do the door locks?

 

The other problem I have is that I am waiting on the spare keys being sent by the previous owner and the current key I use to start the vehicle will not operate the boot or drivers door locks.....so i'm suspicious as to whether the ignition barrel has been changed and the door keys are different to the one I currently have for the ignition.  Unfortunately unable to test that theory until I get the other keys.....so I don't want to start messing around with the electronics of the car until I get a key that will manually unlock the vehicle...I find it far to coincidental that the key i have operates none of the external locks. (tried in the boot lock and ended up with a key covered in white grease...so maybe they have just been clogged by Skoda over zealous greasing?)  

Edited 2 February, 201511 yr by njcoussell

Hi, loads of stuff on this around the forum.  I think you're right about your first issue and the interior/puddle/buzzer faults stem from the microswitches in the lock mechs, sounds like both front doors.  Options are, take out lock mech, remove switch and make a new one fit (switches are not dealer parts, check sticky by Bowders in this forum), you could go pattern part mechs (new and fairly reasonable price), OEM lock mechs (silly money, like £100 each).  Take a gamble and go used, worked for me £20 for the driver's door.

 

Other dash light issues could be due to wiring getting fatigued through the loom or some weak/corroding connections in the multiplugs.  Check these when you get amongst the door, there's a post by me in the tech section on checking and protecting the plugs.

 

So essentially, if I was you, I'd look for cheap fixes on the microswitch/lock mechs, check the wiring routes from doors through A and B pillars for damaged and fatigued wires, and while you're in the door check the multiplugs.  The passenger door not locking can probably just get lubed up (fixed mine and been fine all winter), but if you're replacing mech that would solve that anyway, but in the meantime...

 

Some basic checks here, used parts or a switch built in by yourself could save you lots of money here.  People on here have even fixed pins in the multiplugs by soldering in something suitable if required, could save hundreds (modules very expensive).  Your key issues sound like a bit of a can of worms, but you never know what working through these checks and solutions may solve.  See what you're left with afterwards and take it from there.

Thanks for the hints and tips....looks like a project for the weekend then 

No problem, fingers xd for dry weather. Let us know how you get on. If you want new lock mechs pattern parts aren't too expensive, try ebay and gsf.

Oh and wd40 might help wake up dodgy microswitches.

I've changed two lock mechanisms using pattern parts from ebay. I think they cost something like £30 inc. p&p each from JM Car Parts (ebay name jmcarpartz). Both worked fine. The process for changing them is pretty straight forward and is well described in the Haynes manual.

 

FD

Edited 5 February, 201511 yr by Fred Duck

There's also a guide here if you don't have a manual in Bowder's microswitch sticky. The hardest bit is wiggling out the barrel (if sticky which mine was) and squeezing the mech past the window regulator I'd say.

i'v ordered a couple of microswitches from germany - complete with instructions.  I'll probably give a good old squirt of WD40 and see if that helps.  If that doesn't work i'll try the Microswitches....and if that fails buy some new locks as a last resort.  Hopefully the easier fixes will solve the problem. 

Yeah new switches is a good place to start if you feel confident getting them to fit. The guide by Bowders1 is very good and should see you through the process. Don't forget to check and protect your wiring and multiplug while you're in the door, could save central locking problems further down the line.