Hi everyone,

 

I’ve been experiencing an issue with my Skoda Octavia Estate 2012 4x4 2.0 TDI where the driver’s side door light doesn’t come on when the door is opened, and the dash display also doesn’t recognize that the door is open. All other functions, like the window and mirror adjuster, work fine, so I believe this is a microswitch or latch issue.

 

Here’s what I’ve seen so far:

 

 1) If I push the door latch up manually (not as if the door is shut though, just a bit), I can hear a clicking noise, and the lights turn on. The dash also then recognizes the door as “open.” So, the switch seems to activate, but only when I move the latch manually.

 2) I recorded a video showing that if I close the door partially so the latch catches, it will activate the lights and the dash display when I push on the door, similar to the manual latch test. However, when I open the door normally, it doesn’t trigger anything.

 

It seems like the microswitch is responding when the latch is triggered manually but not when the door opens as usual. Based on other posts here, I suspect the microswitch is embedded within the door lock mechanism and might be failing to detect the door movement - or it’s an issue with the latch?

 

I’d love some advice on the best way to approach this:

 

•    Has anyone resolved this issue without replacing the entire lock assembly?

•    If replacement is the only option, would it be possible to replace just the microswitch?

•    And if you have any tips on disassembling the door to access this area, I’d appreciate it!

 

I’m attaching a couple of videos to show the manual latch click and partial closure test for reference. Thanks in advance for any guidance!

 

Patch 😇

 

 

I have the same problem.

 

 

However it is very intermittent.

 

After my last post in the above thread it was back to normal the next day. The issue did not then arise again until the end of September as verified by VCDS. I missed the actual occurance but a VCDS scan notified me it had happened. For the most part the issue occurs rarely.

 

I havn't updated the thread I started because... I've done nothing since then. As stated the fault is very intermittent. I am certain it's the microswitch. That being said I did look into a fix in late September. On some research the MKI Octavia's have a sticky here:-

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/126257-octavia-1-replacing-door-latch-microswitch/

 

Not a problem for a MKI. Further research say's that the MKII's have an inner steel door panel riveted to the door behind the door card that would need the rivets drilling out to access the door control module and the said microswitch. And it would need riveting back in place once a fix has been applied. There is also a possability the window winder mechanism is attached to this inner door panel. I don't know for certain as youtube is letting me down (again). For a squirt of WD40 in the right place it is a job for next spring in my case.

 

In answer to your questions.

Question 1. Don't know. Probably.

Question 2. I am confident yes. Just a clean may do it.

Question 3. No. You go first and post some pictures. I would be most very grateful.😊

 

Sorry I can't be more helpful, it is what it is.

 

Kev.

P.S. I went to church coz it was the general election that day.

Edited 18 October, 20241 yr by tetley
Rush to publish. Typo's as per usual. Kev.

Mine has the same problem on hot days in summer when the car has been standing in the sun. Once the car has cooled down (driving a couple of miles with air con on) it is ok until the next really hot day. It is/was the same before and after changing the door control unit in the driver's door.

I suspect it is the comfort control module behind/below the dash - the electronics not liking the heat.

However it could be metal expansion of the microswitch operating lever.

The Octavia II is different to that shown in the link.

 

A small warning. If the door has been opened and the door open icon is not displayed. the car will self lock after about 10 minutes even with key in the lock. Always have a key with you if the engine is not running.

Edited 20 October, 20241 yr by pikpilot
Last paragraph added

13 hours ago, pikpilot said:

Mine has the same problem on hot days in summer when the car has been standing in the sun.

 

That was my experience. The way the car is parked it is the drivers door that gets the most sunlight.

 

13 hours ago, pikpilot said:

However it could be metal expansion of the microswitch operating lever.

 

That is along the lines of what I have been thinking.

 

Thanks @pikpilot

 

Kev.

Hello folks. What a pain this has proven to be!

TLDR: I just replaced the whole locking mechanism

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This being said, I did remove the locking mechanism and clean it first but in doing so a spring fell out and it was near impossible to replace and I ended up pinging it across the garage... hence the new lock. There are some really useful videos online that go through the steps and you can pretty easily get to the lock with a little bit of fiddling.

The main issue on my vehicle, the Mk2 Estate, is getting the metal plate/cover off from the inside of the door panel that allows you to access the window glass and locking mechanism. It was held in place with pop rivets, now luckily for me I had dealt with this previously by drilling them out and drilling in holes for screws. The plate screws directly into the window regulators guide rails (forgot the word for them now 🤣). I've found the best way to put this back together is by lowering the glass which pushes the guide rails forward enough for you to screw it in from the front and apply a nut to the back.

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My best, rough, guide:
 

• Lower the glass, I lowered it all the way at first and messed around but you could probably lower it just some of the way and hold it up with tape
• Remove the interior door panel
• Pop out the three plastic covers on the side of the door (in all honesty I don't know what the bigger one is for)
• Unscrew the top hole, which holds in place the door lock cylinder
• Pull on the door handle and wiggle out the door lock cylinder (the bit that you put your key in)
• On the side of the door handle there will be a cable that goes to the lock, detach this with a flathead screwdriver
• Here the memory gets a little foggy, but unscrew the bottom hole which should help to release the door lock
• There could be some connectors around here that need moving with a flathead screwdriver but IIRC it should start to just wiggle out
• You should now, probably, have the door lock in your hand

Now, if you want to clean out the microswitch and try it yourself I would recommend that you go and watch this video, there's also some other videos on YouTube that are pretty good.
 

 

In doing this, please, please, please be careful not dislodge any of the springs around the locking switch bit.. if you do you will either need some serious DIY skills and patience that I don't have or you'll have to buy a new locking mechanism. For the amount of time (and times I stabbed myself with a flathead) I decided it wasn't worth trying to get the spring back in (or looking for the spring I flew across the room) and bought a new one.

 

Fitting a new one is pretty simple, basically just get it in place and line up the latch with the hole in the door and screw it in. It is worth noting here that my new mechanism did not have either of the cables attached to it. I installed the interior cable, but forgot about the exterior cable and then had to uninstall the unit to go and get the cable from the old locking mechanism! Don't make the same mistake as me lol.

 

Once it's in you can give the connector a spray with WD-40 (the electrical connector one) and plug it in. Make sure to connect the exterior door to lock cable, then you can pull on the handle to pop the locking cylinder back in and screw it in. Next up is fitting the metal cover again, you can see above that I used screws for this and how I got it back together.. one thing to make sure of though: the interior cable needs to come through the right hole ... I might've put it through the wrong hole and fastened everything up, you can imagine the door didn't shut because the cable was being pulled too tight.

 

Anywho, after all of this shenanigans it works. If it only it was as simple as writing out this post. It's not the easiest and it gave me about a week of pure pain but now I can happily say that when I leave the headlights on and open my door the car tells me off 😂

 

I did get a couple of pictures, but I'm not sure how they really fit in to what I'm saying so I'll leave them out but if anyone would like to see them let me know.

 

Good luck!

 

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Resources:

Microswitch Cleaning Video

Microswitch Replacement Video (this has two parts)

Door Lock Mechanism Replacement Guide

 

There's plenty of more videos on YouTube but these were the most helpful.

Edited 26 October, 20241 yr by patchonskoda

I never knew you could unscrew and take off the outer door skin to get to the lock etc. as shown in the last video. !!!!