[tombobfrank]

So I think the other day that while I was unlocking my car doors I started pulling on the handle as I was unlocking the doors. Now the driver side door won't open from outside the car. If I am inside the car it will open but nothing from the outside. I tried taking the plastic piece off of handle and using the plastic key from the fob, but it didnt work. I did notice that when I lock the doors that the little red light blinks seven times. It is a 2007 passat wagon, 3.6L, Sport Package 1, 4 motion.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[mr2guru]

Common issue.

Slam the door a couple times.... no joke... do it.

 

[Bill6211789]

Common issue.

Slam the door a couple times.... no joke... do it.

This!

Sent from my EVO

 

[tombobfrank]

Hilarious. That worked. Thanks!

 

[bartsitarski]

Hilarious. That worked. Thanks!

Seriously? WOW. If I run my car into light post a few times will it fix my cracked lower grill (hit an animal)? LOL

 

[DJBeanPole]

Haha this same thing has happened to me a few times and I'm not sure but every once in awhile the driver's door will not unlock from the outside and I've had to get into my car by opening the rear driver's side door and unlock my door from the inside... which just looks damn goofy. A few slams of the door later and it subsequently resolved itself... :screwy:

 

[vw6896]

Ditto. Same Issue. Same answer.

 

[dminmem]

Incredible.

Was having the same issue. Went out, unlocked the back door, opened the front from inside, slammed it twice and now the driver door is unlocking.

 

[808Bora]

:banghead: drivers side rear door cant open from the outside. Tried slamming it bout 10x, no luck. Maybe I should kick it

 

[stefokebec]

I thought it was frozen

Dang! Same here, I thought the door would freeze in extremely low temperatures.
Had to crawl in from the back seat a couple times.
Now, this morning, the driver's door won't lock. It seems to me the lock mecanism is dying...

 

[Defex]

Happened to me for the first time today.

and to confirm YES IT WORKS....slammed the drivers door twice and then I could open from the outside. :thumbup:

 

[TheBeeman]

I'm having the same issue on my rear passenger door. I love this car but the amount of small issues that I have had with it are beginning to get on my nerves.

 

[jddaigle]

What's happening is that the cable that connects the outside door handle to the door latch mechanism is slipping out of its guide. Slamming the door can get it to re-seat, but for a permanent fix you need to open up the door. Here's a good how-to:

http://www.passatworld.com/forums/7...me-door-lock-handle-window-regulator-etc.html

 

[DHBNC]

Same issue, this fixed it!

First post on the Forum.:wave: I was already at the VW repair shop when I searched for this problem and found this post. I walked back and asked the tech if I could try something. He was as shocked as I was that the door worked after a single slam! This is our first VW and we love our 2007 Passat 4-Motion 3.6L Luxury Wagon. Thank you for this post!:thumbup:

 

[v b chil-n]

A good bump with your palm on the door handle works just as good. My car used to do it when it got cold
but I'm happy to say the last few cold spells we had went by with no issues.

 

[Defex]

Third time now it's happened but this time no amount of slaming will help.
God I don't feel like pulling the whole door appart! :facepalm:

What I did notice is this seems to happen when I unlock the the door with the fob and pull the handle at the same time, bassically pulling the handle to early before it's unlocked.

 

[RichardSEL]

There's a collar at the top of the Bowden cable that connects your lever to the lock mechanism. This collar slips out of its retaining bracket.
Tapping the lock bolts on the side of the door can also often cause it to shift back -- but this is not a permanet fix unfortuantely

Follow the curve thru the brown outer of the cable, you can see the collar that can come out

 

[Defex]

Thanks Richard.

It worked, I went out and gave it another try.
With the palm of my hand I gave the door panel around the door handle, the door handle and lock multiple wacks, then slammed the door once. Things sat back in place, you could feel the tension in the handle again.

Another remedy I read of is to pull the inner and out door handles simultaneously, although it didn't seem to work for me.

Basically when unlocking and opening the door from the outside don't rush, let it unlock and then pull the door handle gently.

 

[Bobanpopovic]

Thanks yo

Common issue.

Slam the door a couple times.... no joke... do it.

I registered just to say thanks to this previous post. Worked for me also and saved me a lot of time and money....

 

[BK Steele]

Hope this helps

Well just repaired the voltage wires in the door harness, piss poos design (no stress relief and should of used silicone coated wire) but that another story! Pulled the outer shin did my modifications and worked great!!! Buttoned it all up, one last check...window ...fuel door trunk ... remote locks ... unlock ... open the door ... open the door .... @#%%@&*. After reading this thread and was not going to pull the door again, but I did pull the key assembly and handle. Looking inside I could see where the cable was attached and did not see anything that would cause it to bind. Closed the door pulled the cable it opened. After playing with it for 20 min... WOW really So when I put the plastic cable nipple back in the handle I pulled it, and inserted towards me (tension on the cable). Re-installed the handle and just seated the plastic nipple into the handle ...No Tension!! The only thing I can think of is, the throw on the power locks must bind something inside, however it's released when the inside handle is used (until you lock it again :screwy So Release the key assembly set screw, remove the assembly, remove the plastic nipple from handle, re-install nipple (No tension!!!). Re-install key assy and tighten set screw Let me know if that helps.