This is a long post so sorry – but I believe this is yet another example of a driver’s door convenience pack issue. I have searched and read through a good few threads here (thanks very much) - that's what my diagnosis is based on. However, my situation is slightly unusual and I don't have a main dealer as such to fall back on. I live in rural New Zealand and whilst there is what passes for a main dealer in the nearest city it’s over an hour away and finding the time to get there is a problem. The dealer’s primary brand is Holden their expertise (and interest) isn’t really in anything other than brand new sales – as I have found – and they are ridiculously expensive even by kiwi standards. I have a local garage that I trust and one of their mechanics has a reasonable amount of VW experience. However, he lacks the necessary VAGCOM decoders although he has kit that will read some but not all codes.  In other words this is likely to have to be a home fix - if that is going to be possible

 

OK, to set the sceene I have a 2006 Octavia vRS saloon 2.0TFSi manual (it absolutely loves the mountain roads ) which had not missed a beat over the last 2 years until the last couple of months.  There has been an occasional battery drain problem but this has only occurred when the car had been parked up for several days to a week without use. I had put this down to the reputed radio-never-really-turning-off situation but maybe I've been wrong?

 

The first symptom to show itself was the rear nearside window randomly opening of its own accord one night during a heavy rainstorm leading to the rear of the car becoming very wet. Happily, the window closed when the button was pressed on discovering the situation in the morning so no great issue – I thought. We were able to dry out the rear very well. Assuming there was some sort of problem with either the switch on that door or the remote switch on the driver’s door I pulled the fuse to prevent an immediate recurrence and so that I could get the car into my garage for a more thorough examination a few days later.

 

Unfortunately, thanks to work, the few days turned into 14 days later and the list of problems had then grown. I managed to remove the rear nearside door card and found everything to be dry, no corrosion on any of the electrical contacts in fact everything appeared OK. Despite my reinserting the fuse the issues I now have are:

 

Neither nearside (front or rear) electric windows work at all either from the door switch or the driver’s door when the ignition is on. However, when the ignition is off it is possible to open the rear nearside passenger window by pressing the switch on that door as if to close the window and, having opened it you can close it by pressing the switch so as to open it. In other words the switch operates in reverse. This is the same window that randomly opened during the rainstorm.

 

Central locking now locks only the driver’s and rear offside doors – the boot, and both nearside doors do not lock from the key fob remote or by using the key in the driver’s door.

 

Courtesy lights only illuminate the door mirror downlighters and rear passenger seat lights

 

If either of the nearside doors or the boot lid are open this does not show on the dashboard display

 

Front nearside passenger door electric mirror is no longer adjustable from the driver’s door

 

Constantly draining battery.

 

Radio reception is now very poor even when using an in-car FM transmitter attached to an iPod – perhaps because there is a short to earth and there is too much “noise”? (This might also explain the draining battery?)

 

The rapid onset of things is my greatest concern. I haven’t yet had chance to get the driver’s door card off and look at things there but is it possible that the problem(s) is limited to that unit or does this potentially involve issues elsewhere? Appreciate that I’m asking you to get your crystal balls out but I would like to be able to plan to some degree so that I don’t have to rush back with a half dismantled door.

If you don't want to buy vcds, then Carista and an appropriate elm dongle is a cheaper option and should help narrow down your problem.

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Did you get anywhere with this?

It sounds like water is getting in somewhere.(I think you've figured that already)

AFAIK the drivers door controls everything (I've got mine apart now for a new lock barrel)

I would look inside the drivers door at the pins by the window motor connectors

check for damp and corrosion.

Failing that try inside the passenger door and inspect the pins at the window motor connectors.

There might also be connectors behind the dash, or at the fusebox which could be getting damp.

Is the scuttle panel under the windscreen intact? and the drains under the bonnet below the windscreen clear.

I regularly drive with a dismanlted door panel - it's not so bad!!

Keep us posted if you solve it.

Tony

Having problems with my 05 octavia with the "safe home" light decided to not function. Have been advised to check wiring loom to door as this usually get damaged! Ran vcds and it confirms there is a wiring polarity fault. Might be somewhere to check.??